Travelling Around

[Ore]

Ciao,

Looking for more help, I am hoping to get some more info from the eG crowd.

I just bought my ticket and here is the plan...

I land in Newcastle on Sunday, April 24th in the evening. My plan is to then go up to Glasgow and Edinburgh, then over to Belfast, down to Dublin - cross into Liverpool, then Manchester and end in London. The only rule is that I must be in London on May 4th to catch my flight to Los Angeles.

All ideas or open. I will be travelling ONLY by bus or train and I will be 'backpacking' around. I saw a nice thread on Ireland but any other info is always useful!

Grazie,

Ore

[silverbrow]

Ore

Having read your blog and postings on the Italy board I think you'll loveAnthony's in Leeds (Anthony's website). There is also The Star at Harome which is regarded as fantastic food. And while you're in the north of England and looking for fantastic (but far from cheap food) why not check out L'Enclume?

For London, the recommendations are endless and apart from browsing through this board I also think that Squaremeal is excellent as a source.

Some of the names that regularly get good reviews on here are

J Sheekey - fish

St John - meat, of all varieties and all parts of the animal

Eyre Brothers - Spanish/Portugese/Mozambique influenced

Cinammon Club - top-end Indian

Tayyab - top-end Indian

Locanda Locattelli - fantastic Italian

Gordon Ramsay - in all his various restaurants

In London we're not great on markets, but we do have is Borough market (nr London Bridge tube) on a Friday and Saturday, which is excellent, but fairly run of the mill compared to what you get in most Italian villages. A great food street is Marylebone High Street, which has an excellent cheese shop, La Fromagerie and a great butchers, the Ginger Pig,among lots of other interesting shops and restaurants.

A great place for breakfast (or lunch or dinner) is Ottolenghi which is a very relaxed communal eating affair, which is a mix of Italian and Middle Eastern influences.

The choices are pretty much endless and unfortunately so is the cost.

Edited April 13, 2005 by asilverfish (log)

[Ore]

Thanks!

How many days do you think I should spend in London? That info will also form my trip as I must leave from London on May 4th.

Ore

(what about the rest of the cities I mentioned??)

[dellis453]

What day will you be in Edinburgh and for how long? I can give you lots of recommendations - restaurants, delis, etc.

Ciao,

Looking for more help, I am hoping to get some more info from the eG crowd.

I just bought my ticket and here is the plan...

I land in Newcastle on Sunday, April 24th in the evening.  My plan is to then go up to Glasgow and Edinburgh, then over to Belfast, down to Dublin - cross into Liverpool, then Manchester and end in London.  The only rule is that I must be in London on May 4th to catch my flight to Los Angeles.

All ideas or open.  I will be travelling ONLY by bus or train and I will be 'backpacking' around.  I saw a nice thread on Ireland but any other info is always useful!

Grazie,

Ore

←

[YKL]

Ore

sounds like you have a pretty action packed itinerary there!

I live in Leeds so am pretty biased towards anthony's - so I do think you should try it. It's practically next door to the train station, and Leeds is only 1.5 hours from Newcastle, about an hour from Manchester and 2.5 hours from London on a fast train so eminently do-able. York is only 30 mins from Leeds ... and therefore an hour from Newcastle - so you could try Betty's tea rooms ...link here

The Star at Harome is lovely - but to be honest, without a car, I think you might have difficulty getting there.

Newcastle - have eaten at the top floor McCoys restaurant at the Baltic Arts Cetntre - just across the river. Reasonable food, and great space and views. Within the city itself - have heard good things about Cafe 21 (I think) ..

Liverpool - others are more expert, but have heard good things about 60 Hope St and maybe London Carriage Works ....

Hope you have a good trip - and look forward to the reports back!

Yin

[gethin]

Liverpool - others are more expert, but have heard good things about 60 Hope St and maybe London Carriage Works ....

There is a thread on eating out in Liverpool, including a posting about LCW from me - 60 Hope St, LCW , and the Paul Heathcote place are all worth checking out, with the Everyman as a reliable fall back for when your bored with fancy stuff or need to economise.

gethin

[Chaihana Joe]

You don't say whether you're on a budget or not - 'backpacking' by bus and train, I guess you might be.

Even if you aren't you should consider eating Chinese while here. Economical and and very English!

Good places to do this might be Liverpool or Manchester. Liverpool's Chinatown is one of Europe's longest established immigrant communities, while Manchester's version may be thought to have surpassed it in size and quality.

Yuet Ben in Liverpool or Yang Sing in Manchester are good examples. If you're in either city on a Sunday afternoon, then I'd definitely recommend going to one of these for dim sum.

[Ore]

Thanks everyone.

So - a more realistic itinerary...

4/24 (Sunday evening) - land in Newcastle - spend the night.

4/25 Monday, take trip to Leeds. If it is nice, I will stay the night (and have dinner at Anthoney's - cost??) (if it is not nice - get to Edinburgh)

4/26 Go to Edinburgh. I hear this city is beautiful. I will plan on staying two nights and within those three days, plan a day trip to here and there (dont know yet).

4/28 Fly to Dublin on Ryan Air for 14.99 pound. Will stay Thursday, Friday and Saturday night.

5/1 Sunday, get to London by way of the Fat Duck??

5/4 Flight home to Los Angeles

How bad is that plan!?!

Ore

[dellis453]

Lots to visit in Edinburgh. It's a really accessible city and you can walk most places. Otherwise buy a day ticket for the buses £2.30 from the Lothian Regional Transport shops (one on Hanover Street most central).

Must visits:

Victoria Street: Demijohn, a liquid deli for tastings of wines, liqueurs, olive oils and vinegars. Iain Mellis a tiny shop full of wonderful cheese. Try any of the Scottish or Irish varieties. In the same street, there's also a great tea and coffee shop.

Royal Mile (also known as High Street). Royal Mile Whiskies, knowledgeable, very approachable people. Always Sunday, lovely cafe that has special lighting to make it feel summery (very important in Scotland!) great salads and home baking. Follow this street down, it changes its name to Cannongate - visit Plaisir du Chocolat - enormous slices of wonderful cake and choice of chocolate or more than 200 teas.

Raeburn Place, Stockbridge - Edinburgh Organics, Herbies Cheese, So Cocoa Chocolates (lost of high percentage cocoa ones from single countries), the Store - a new deli

Eating: If you go to Fishers in the City (Thistle Street) and eat between 4.30 and 6.30 you pay between £4.30 and £6.30 for their mussels - very good too they are

The Doric - a meat lovers paradise in Market Street (just behind Waverley main station).

Let me know if you want more ....

Thanks everyone.

So - a more realistic itinerary...

4/24 (Sunday evening) - land in Newcastle - spend the night. 

4/25 Monday, take  trip to Leeds.  If it is nice, I will stay the night (and have dinner at Anthoney's - cost??) (if it is not nice - get to Edinburgh)

4/26 Go to Edinburgh.  I hear this city is beautiful.  I will plan on staying two nights and within those three days, plan a day trip to here and there (dont know yet).

4/28 Fly to Dublin on Ryan Air for 14.99 pound.  Will stay Thursday, Friday and Saturday night.

5/1 Sunday, get to London by way of the Fat Duck??

5/4 Flight home to Los Angeles

How bad is that plan!?!

Ore

←

[daw]

Thanks everyone.

So - a more realistic itinerary...

4/24 (Sunday evening) - land in Newcastle - spend the night. 

4/25 Monday, take  trip to Leeds.  If it is nice, I will stay the night (and have dinner at Anthoney's - cost??) (if it is not nice - get to Edinburgh)

4/26 Go to Edinburgh.  I hear this city is beautiful.  I will plan on staying two nights and within those three days, plan a day trip to here and there (dont know yet).

4/28 Fly to Dublin on Ryan Air for 14.99 pound.  Will stay Thursday, Friday and Saturday night.

5/1 Sunday, get to London by way of the Fat Duck??

5/4 Flight home to Los Angeles

How bad is that plan!?!

Ore

←

Ore

Anthony's is closed Mondays I'm afraid.

David

[Ore]

Ciao,

I just arrived in Edinburgh. I am staying near the station for two nights. Then Dublin. I look forward to some recomendations on good eats...and drink!!!!

Thanks!

Ore