In episode 35 of the UK Travel Planning Podcast, we chat with Sally-Ann, founder of private tour company North Coast Explorers, to talk about visiting Far North Scotland. This is part one of a two-part podcast – look out for part two (episode 36) next week. In this episode, you will learn How and why Sally-Ann and her husband relocated to Scotland What are the highlights of Far North Scotland and why you should add it to your itinerary Which parts of Scotland are classed as Far North Scotland? W...
Feb 28, 2023•44 min•Ep. 35
In episode 34 of the UK Travel Planning Podcast Tracy chats with Doug of Meneage Tours in Cornwall . If you have listened to episode 32 of the podcast when we chatted to Wendie Hume about her month-long driving holiday around the UK you may remember how much Wendie loved her day tour with Meneage Tours. So I had to ask Doug onto the podcast to chat about all things Cornish! In this episode, you will learn about the various tours Meneage Tours offers around Cornwall including some that fans of Do...
Feb 21, 2023•29 min•Ep. 34
In this week's episode of the podcast Tracy chats with guest Victoria of Cotswold Teacup Tours about all things British. The episode was recorded as a live Facebook session to answer questions posed by the UK Travel Planning Facebook group. (Click here and request to join) In this episode Tracy and Victoria chat about topics such as their love of tea, why they enjoy visiting gardens (and name some of the favourites) plus why they recommend staying in a B&B or heading to a local village pub i...
Feb 14, 2023•1 hr 4 min•Ep. 33
In episode 32 of the UK Travel Planning Podcast Tracy chats with Australian Wendie Hume who, in October 2022, spent a month exploring England, Scotland and Wales on a road trip with her husband. Wendie wanted to see as much of Britain as possible, including where her grandparents originated from in northern England. Wendie shares information about how she planned the trip, where they stayed, her highlights, favourite experiences and tours plus tips for anyone planning their own UK road trip. In ...
Feb 07, 2023•49 min•Ep. 32
In episode 31 of the UK Travel Planning Podcast learn about 9 of London's main train stations including Kings Cross, Euston and Paddington! If you are planning train travel from London but are not familiar with the city it can be confusing to navigate its major London train stations. Whether you plan to journey from London for a day trip by train to one of the popular cities or attractions nearby or for a longer rail adventure around the UK these are the train stations you will be using. It is a...
Jan 31, 2023•21 min•Ep. 31
In episode 30 of the UK Travel Planning Podcast Doug and I talk through our Scotland road trip itinerary from May 2022. We spent 18 days travelling around Scotland - starting and ending in Edinburgh. We carefully planned our itinerary to make the most of our time in Scotland and visited many beautiful destinations. We also spent 5 days of the trip driving the famous North Coast 500 route around far north Scotland. What you will learn in this episode How we planned our Scottish road trip Our exac...
Jan 24, 2023•36 min•Ep. 30
In episode 29 of the UK Travel Planning Podcast , we chat with Ken Lambert a lifelong fan of the Beatles and in particular George Harrison. In 2022 Ken bid on (and subsequently won that bid) to purchase George Harrison's childhood home in Liverpool. In this podcast, he shares his fascinating story from George Harrison fan to now owner of a property closely associated with the Beatles. Also, learn how you can actually now stay in the former Beatles home - an absolute must for any Beatles fan. He ...
Jan 17, 2023•25 min•Ep. 29
In episode 28 of the UK Travel Planning Podcast , we chat with Rob Bruns about his family's week-long visit to London in the summer of 2022. This visit was at the end of a month-long trip around England and Scotland (you can hear our chat with Rob about the previous 3 weeks of the journey in episode #18 ) In this episode, you will learn How Rob planned their London itinerary A day-by-day account of what they did and where they visited How Rob and his family took 2 day trips out of London and how...
Jan 10, 2023•45 min•Ep. 28
In episode 27 of the UK Travel Planning Podcast discover the magical beauty of the Cotswolds with Victoria from Cotswold Teacup Tours. "The Cotswolds is such a beautiful and quintessential English part of the country. And to live in it and to be able to take tours around there I'm not surprised you absolutely love it." -Tracy Victoria is the owner of Cotswold Teacup Tours which takes small groups on private tours of the Cotswolds. She loves the area and is passionate about sharing her local know...
Jan 03, 2023•39 min•Ep. 27
In episode 26 of the UK Travel Planning podcast , we discuss the various train routes available between London and Edinburgh. Learn about the various options you have to travel by train between London and Edinburgh plus suggested places to stop off along the way. We share how it is possible to spend a few hours in York (plus what to do with luggage) and what you can do and see in the city. Durham and Newcastle are also discussed as possible places to alight the train for a few hours before conti...
Dec 27, 2022•21 min•Ep. 26
In episode 25 of the UK Travel Planning Podcast , I chat with friends Liz Attwood and Melinda Ecker who, with their respective husbands, Kent and Ken, planned a trip to revisit the destinations they had enjoyed during a coach tour around England together in 2019. While the coach tour had provided them with an introduction to many places they just knew they had to return for further exploration and to spend a few days in their favourite destinations. And in September 2022 the 2 couples did just t...
Dec 20, 2022•52 min•Ep. 25
In this episode, we address one of the most frequently raised questions from those planning a visit to London. The question is quite simply how to get around London on public transport. The good news is that the public transport system in London is excellent with many options available to get around. The downside however is that all those options can be a bit mind-boggling! First-time visitors to London and returning travellers alike can find the transport system a real challenge. With multiple ...
Dec 13, 2022•18 min•Ep. 24
In this week's episode of the UK Travel Planning Podcast Tracy shares information and tips for visiting London in December. This is her favourite time of year to visit the UK capital with so much to see and do and the fabulous festive atmosphere to enjoy. T opics covered in this episode include: What to expect when visiting London in December What sort of weather you can expect Hours of daylight in London in December (sunrise and sunset times) What to pack Answers to frequently asked questions a...
Dec 06, 2022•27 min•Ep. 23
In episode 22 of the UK Travel Planning podcast, I chat with special guest Debbie Harsen about her month-long trip to England and Scotland in 2022 with her eldest adult daughter Emily. Debbie lives in Pennsylvania and has a lifelong love of the UK. She is an experienced traveller who has visited the UK on many occasions. This was her daughter Emily's first trip. In this episode, Debbie shares UK travel inspiration plus tips about how she planned her trip, how they got around, their favourite des...
Nov 29, 2022•53 min•Ep. 22
In episode 21 of the podcast, we share our favourite experiences from our 12-week spring/summer tour of England and Scotland. These include 3 very different accommodation options, a castle famous for appearing in a popular TV costume drama, a road trip, a train ride, a photoshoot in London, a football match and a landmark which is the title of a song associated with Vera Lynn. We have chosen experiences which include destinations in England (including London) and Scotland and we know will provid...
Nov 22, 2022•29 min•Ep. 21
In episode 20 of the UK Travel Planning Podcast Tracy chats with Victoria of Cotswold Teacup Tours . Victoria has lived in the Cotswolds her entire life and is the founder and owner of the Cotswold Teacup Tour company. In this episode, Victoria provides an introduction to the Cotwolds including sharing some of her favourite towns, villages, and gardens plus insider secrets and knowledge. If you are considering a visit to the Cotswolds in this episode you will learn about the area but also how Vi...
Nov 15, 2022•44 min•Ep. 20
In this episode discover our top tips to help you choose the best day trip/s from London including factors to consider when deciding which day trips to add to your itinerary. You will get a taste of some of the most popular day trip options plus practical considerations which may influence your choice of where to visit. This includes your interests, how far you want to travel plus the advantages and disadvantages of independent travel, group tours or private driver-guided tour options. In the se...
Nov 08, 2022•20 min•Ep. 19
In this episode, Tracy chats with Rob Bruns who, with his wife and son, spent 4 weeks exploring the UK in June 2022. Rob shares information about how he planned the trip (including the various resources) plus his process of putting together the itinerary which was suitable not only for himself and his wife but also their (at the time) 11 year old son. He also gives an overview of their 4 week itinerary including the various destinations they visited, highlights of the trip plus accommodation opt...
Nov 01, 2022•1 hr 28 min•Ep. 18
In this episode of the podcast, Tracy talks to Sinead who lives in the beautiful and historic city of York in northern England. Sinead shares her favourite day trips from York including practical tips and considerations to ensure you make the most of your day. In this episode you will : Discover the best day trips to take from York including scenic train journeys, coastal seaside towns, ruined abbeys, stately homes, waterfalls, walks and more. Learn about the geography of Yorkshire - the largest...
Oct 25, 2022•32 min•Ep. 17
In this episode, Tracy is joined by Domi of Scalens Studio a professional photographer who specialises in London photoshoots. After travelling the world and many destinations solo Domi realised that it was not easy getting great photos of herself to record her adventures. When she moved to London she decided to offer photoshoots for visitors to ensure they would have great memories of their visit. Listen now to learn: The advantages of booking a London photoshoot How Domi will prepare you for th...
Oct 18, 2022•29 min•Ep. 16
In this episode of the podcast we chat to guest Tina Lou Lang who (with a friend) spent 14 days in April 2022 exploring Ireland. Tina chose to visit Ireland as it was a bucket list destination chosen by herself and her late husband. In 2022 in memory and honour of her husband Tina visited many of the destinations they had on their bucket list including Ireland. In this episode Tina shares her itinerary, highlights and tips she learnt after exploring both the Republic of Ireland and Northern Irel...
Oct 11, 2022•1 hr 6 min•Ep. 15
In this episode, Tracy is joined by friend and UK and London Travel Planning Facebook community member Karen who is in the final stages of planning a 5 week trip to the UK. Karen (and her family) have not been to the UK for over 8 years and in this episode, Karen chats to Tracy about her recent 3-month vacation around England and Scotland. As well as asking Tracy questions posed by the UK and London Travel Facebook Community Karen, is keen to get some up-to-date insights and tips for travel to t...
Oct 04, 2022•1 hr 1 min•Ep. 14
In this episode, our guest is Cheryl Ridpath Conway who has recently returned with her family from a whirlwind 5½ day trip to London. Cheryl created a fun-filled itinerary for her family which included some of London's most popular attractions such as the Tower of London and Westminster Abbey, a day trip outside the capital, a photoshoot, a visit to Harry Potter Studios plus 2 walking tours . Cheryl chats through how she prepared for their visit and designed an itinerary which suited her family'...
Jun 21, 2022•57 min•Ep. 13
Are you planning a trip to the UK and considering driving for part of your vacation? Perhaps you listened to our previous podcast about driving the North Coast 500 in Scotland and dream of taking a road trip of your own around the UK? BUT are you feeling stressed and nervous about the thought of driving in an unfamiliar environment and perhaps on the opposite side of the road from what you are used to? We know that this is a huge source of anxiety for many of you considering driving in the UK an...
Jun 07, 2022•21 min•Ep. 12
Are you planning your UK trip but feeling confused or overwhelmed trying to work out the best ways to get around the country? If so this is the podcast episode for you. After listening to this episode you will have a greater insight into the different transportation options available which will help you choose the best ones for you based on your budget, travel style and itinerary and ensure you maximise your UK travel experience. During the process of planning your itinerary, it is vital to cons...
May 24, 2022•10 min•Ep. 11
Do you dream of exploring Scotland? For many people, the ultimate Scottish road trip is the 516-mile scenic route around the north coast of Scotland known as the North Coast 500. In this episode of the podcast, we chat to guest Chris Wheable who has recently returned with his partner from a 9 day trip following the North Coast 500 around northern Scotland in their self-built camper van. Chris shares his day to day itinerary, highlights of the trip and tips for anyone planning to drive the North ...
May 10, 2022•54 min•Ep. 10
In this episode discover how we planned our 3 month UK travel itinerary. We share our tips and tricks to help remove the overwhelm and help you put together your own itinerary (whether you are visiting for 3 months or 1 week) Interviewed by Karen (a fellow travel writer and owner of the Smart Steps to Australia travel brand and community) I share our itinerary and how we decided (from the many places we wanted to go) what to include, the logistics behind choosing how best to get around the UK fo...
Apr 26, 2022•50 min•Ep. 9
On February 6th 2022 Queen Elizabeth II celebrated 70 years as monarch of the United Kingdom, Realms and Commonwealth. This year to mark this historic event Platinum Jubilee celebrations are planned in the UK and across the world including in Australia, Canada and other nations of the Commonwealth. In this episode, I talk to guest John Coupland of John England Tours about the importance of this event and also share some of our memories of the Jubilee celebrations in 1977 when the Queen marked he...
Apr 08, 2022•32 min•Season 1Ep. 8
Welcome to episode 7 of the UK Travel Planning Podcast. Do you have questions about visiting England in relation to the often unspoken social rules, expectations and etiquette? Asking for information and expectations around tipping for example is one of the most commonly asked questions in our Facebook group and by email. In this episode of the podcast discover 14 things that are useful to know when you’re visiting England for the first time. This episode will answer a few of those questions tha...
Mar 29, 2022•32 min•Ep. 7
We believe that to get the most out of a destination taking a guided tour with a professional tour guide can't be beaten. So in today's episode, I am excited to talk to John Coupland the founder, owner and professional driver-guide behind John England Tours . For those of you visiting South East England John's personalised private tours will provide you with a memorable experience of the authentic England many visitors miss. In this episode, John shares information about his private day tours to...
Mar 15, 2022•40 min•Ep. 6
