On Tour from From London to Edinburgh in 8 Days with Rabbie's

If you want to explore England with a dash of Scotland and Wales with zero planning stress but still lots of flexibility, this is the tour to do it.

Conwy Castle, Wales

Table of Contents

Day 1: Stratford-upon-Avon and the Iron Bridge

We left London bright and early and headed straight for Stratford-upon-Avon, the birthplace of William Shakespeare. I took a 30-minute cruise with Avon Boating for £11 and even spotted baby swans (cygnets) gliding along the water.

There’s a lot to see in Stratford-upon-Avon, so I did a bit of a whirlwind speed tour to catch the main Shakespearean sites in the free time we had there:

Shakespeare’s Birthplace (£20.00 per adult to visit)
The Guildhall School, where he studied (£13.50 per adult to visit)
Holy Trinity Church, where he’s buried
Anne Hathaway’s Cottage, a dreamy thatched home just outside town and his wife’s family home (£15.00 per adult to visit, but can get a combo ticket with his birthplace for £27.00)

In the afternoon, we stopped at the Iron Bridge in Shropshire. This was the world’s first major cast-iron bridge, built in 1779 and considered a symbol of the Industrial Revolution! We then ended the day in the picturesque town of Shrewsbury, where we spent the the next two nights on tour.

Day 2: Conwy Castle and Snowdonia National Park

Crossing into Wales, we explored Conwy Castle, a massive 13th-century fortress built by Edward I during his campaign to conquer Wales. The views from the towers were amazing, and the town itself still has intact medieval walls you can walk along. I had visited Conwy Castle before on a previous trip to Wales (which you can read about here) and it’s probably my favorite medieval castle to visit, mostly because you can climb the various towers there for epic views. It’s truly a highlight of the whole trip!

Afterward, we passed through Snowdonia National Park and stopped at Swallow Falls, a dramatic waterfall surrounded by lush green woodland near the village of Betws-y-Coed. Snowdonia is some of the best scenery you’ll get in Wales, and if you ever come back on a longer visit, this is a great place to go hiking.

The final stop was the Pontcysyllte Aqueduct, known as the “stream in the sky.” Walking across it felt surreal. It’s a UNESCO World Heritage Site and the highest canal aqueduct in the world. We only had a short stop here for photos, but you can do boat tours across it! Definitely something for the bucketlist the next time I’m here.

If you’re feeling especially adventurous, you can even book a guided canoe tour across the aqueduct!

Day 3: Buxton and Chatsworth House

We made our way into Peak District National Park and stopped in Buxton, a spa town known for its natural mineral water and Georgian architecture. I drank from St Ann’s Well, which has been flowing since Roman times. Free, delicious water – heck yes. I’ll also definitely be back to do the mineral baths here, mark my words.

Next, we visited Chatsworth House, one of the grandest stately homes in England. It’s been featured in many films, including Pride & Prejudice. This was an optional add-on to go inside the house, and I definitely recommend doing so. Tickets to explore the house and garden start at £32 per adult, and it’s well worth it – a grandeur on par with Versailles. It was probably THE highlight of the whole trip for me!

I also joined the free garden taster tour, which was a great way to see some of the most famous sections of the gardens for an hour and get some of the history behind it all at no additional cost.

That evening, we arrived in York and settled in for a few nights in the historic city.

Day 4: Knaresborough, Pateley Bridge, and York

Rabbie’s gives you the option to spend the full day in York or take a scenic detour through the Yorkshire Dales for half a day. I chose the day tour and visited:

Knaresborough, a postcard-perfect town perched over a gorge
Pateley Bridge, home to England’s oldest sweet shop

Once back in York, I climbed the tower at York Minster (yes, it’s a workout but so worth it for the view), wandered the Shambles (which were the inspiration for the look of Diagon Alley in the Harry Potter films), and soaked up the city’s medieval charm. I’m really glad we got so much free time here, as it really allowed me to choose my own adventure.

Another main attraction in York is to walk the medieval city walls, which many other guests in my tour group choose to do, but to be honest, I was too lazy, so I’ll just have to save it for next time!

Day 5: Whitby and Robin Hood’s Bay

We headed to Whitby, one of my favorite stops of the whole trip. This seaside town is famous for its connection to Dracula. I climbed the 199 steps up to Whitby Abbey, which is featured in Bram Stoker’s gothic tale, and had lunch at Trencher’s, which served some of the best fish and chips I’ve ever had.

If you wanted to pick up a nice souvenir from your trip, the town is known for Whitby Jet jewelry, and I picked up a wonderful little ring from Ebor Jetworks, a local jewelry shop.

Later, we explored Robin Hood’s Bay, a cliffside village full of winding alleys. Our last stop was Goathland Station, known to Harry Potter fans as Hogsmeade from the first movie. This was a fun little unexpected pit stop where we got to watch a historic steam train pull into the station, just like watching the Hogwarts Express pull into Hogsmeade. Really felt like I was right in the films!

Day 6: Ice Cream, Waterfalls, and Cheese in the Yorkshire Dales

This was a day driving through the Yorkshire Dales as we made our way to the Lake District. We kicked off with a stop at Brymor Ice Cream, made from local Guernsey cows. Then we explored the ruins of Jervaulx Abbey, which felt peaceful and secluded – we were the only people there.

After that, we walked along Aysgarth Falls in the Yorkshire Dales National Park. The upper falls are especially beautiful and were used as a filming location for Robin Hood: Prince of Thieves.

In Hawes, we visited the Wensleydale Creamery, where I sampled tons of cheese (the favorite cheese brand of Wallace and Gromit) and honestly, worth the hype. This was a very dairy-packed day and I wasn’t made about it!

We wrapped up with quick stops in Appleby-in-Westmorland, St Lawrence’s Church, and Castlerigg Stone Circle (which, while way smaller standing stones than Stonehenge, these you can go right up to and touch), then spent the night in Keswick in the Lake District.

Day 7: Lake District Highlights

This day was a dream! The Lake District is everything you imagine: green hills, glassy lakes, and quaint stone villages. It’d been on my list for a long time and was my main motivation for booking this tour, as it’d be hard to explore properly without a car.

Our day consisted of:

Aira Force waterfall, a stunning 65-foot cascade in the woods
Glencoyne Bay, the spot that inspired Wordsworth’s Daffodils
A 45-minute cruise on Windermere, England’s largest natural lake
A visit to Hawkshead, where Beatrix Potter once lived
A walk at Tarn Hows, one of the most photogenic spots in the region
A stop in Grasmere, where I picked up their famous gingerbread and visited Wordsworth’s Daffodil Garden

I could definitely see myself coming back to explore more of the Lake District, but this was a great taster to see some of the main sites!

Day 8: Hadrian’s Wall and Arriving into Scotland

Our last day focused on ancient history. We drove up Hartside Summit and then arrived at a section of Hadrian’s Wall, built by the Romans in 122 AD to protect their northern frontier. This has been on my bucketlist for such a long time, and I really felt like I was standing in history.

We then had a few hours to explore the ruins at Vindolanda, one of the most significant Roman archaeological sites in Britain. You can explore the ruins of the fort and then spend a good amount of time in the museum, where they have lots of artifacts recovered from the fort. It’s a fascinating look into Roman history in Britain.

Then, we crossed the Scottish border and made a final stop at Jedburgh Abbey, a dramatic 12th-century ruin. What a way to wrap up the trip! We were the only people visiting the abbey, and the ruins are truly spectacular. I’m shocked this place wasn’t on my radar before this trip, but that’s the great thing about tours – they show you unexpected gems you wouldn’t necessarily have discovered on your own!

We rolled up into Edinburgh around dinnertime, and sadly, this concluded our wonderful adventure.

Why I Loved This Rabbie’s Tour

You get so much variety: cities, coastlines, national parks, historical sites, and small towns all in one trip.
No driving stress. The roads can be winding and narrow in these areas. Letting someone else drive made it more relaxing, and I personally don’t want to deal with learning to drive on the other side of the road as an American.
Small groups feel personal. Rabbie’s caps their tours at 16 people. It made a huge difference in how connected I felt to our guide and group.
You still get independence. Most stops gave us time to wander, grab snacks, take photos, and explore on our own.

Tips for Future Travelers

Bring layers. Even in summer, it can get chilly in the UK, and can be quite rainy, so I definitely recommend a rain jacket.
Book your accommodation early. You can choose Rabbie’s recommendations or book your own. This allows you flexibility with finding something in your price range (from a hostel to a fancy hotel), but I had them book my hotels for convenience.
Pack light. There’s limited space in the van. A small suitcase or backpack is best, and there are strict luggage limits (basically, carry-on size only is allowed).
Eat all the regional goodies. Wensleydale cheese, Grasmere gingerbread, and coastal fish and chips were all worth the calories.

This Rabbie’s London to Edinburgh adventure felt like eight days of stepping through history and nature at every turn. If you want to see the highlights of northern England with a bit of Wales and Scotland without worrying about logistics and driving, this tour delivers. Book your own spot here!