To the British Isles from Germany for hiking and parkruns

L

Oh well, I did it. For a long time, visiting the British Isles have been on my agenda, but now travelling there seems to be a distinct possibility.

Due to the strikes in Germany I don’t book yet, but I made some basic plan.

I want to some hiking in two or three areas, in addition I wanna participate on three different parkruns. In theory, this should be doable, but I’m happy to hear comments by people with more UK train experience.

Pass Day 1 - from Freiburg, Germany via Brussels all the way to York

stay the weekend in York for historical sightseeing and parkrun

Pass Day 2 - after the weekend from York to a place in the Scottish Highlands; Fort William seems to be a bit difficult by train, so maybe Oban or Aviemore? The place should be a good base for day hikes, maybe in connection with bus rides.

Stay the following the weekend in Edinburgh for historical sightseeing and parkrun, probably not using the IR pass.

Pass Day 3 - after the weekend from Edinburgh to Lake District or maybe directly to Wales. Here I’m yet undecided. For Lake District Windermere seems a decent base for two or maybe three nights.

Pass Day 4 - ride from Lake District to a place good for hiking with train connection. Someone mentioned Llanberis, but I'm very much open to other ideas. There I might stay some five days or so. Should have a parkrun ;) If I skip Lake District maybe two destinations in Wales, with the second one being closer to London.

Pass Day 5 - all the way home to Freiburg from Wales, probably only doable via London and Paris.

15 replies

T
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Actually I’d rather do Freiburg - Paris - London - York. Faster and more reliable too : you don’t have to deal with the Ruhr area delays nor with the unreliable ICE to Brussels. For example :

  • TGV Freiburg (Breisgau) Hbf - Paris-Est 06:36 - 09:35 20€
  • 10 min walk + margin and passport controls
  • Eurostar Paris-Nord - London St. Pancras 11:10 - 12:30 30€
  • any train from King’s Cross to York (free optional reservation)

Note that Eurostar has a passholder quota and you must book well in advance on weekends/holidays.

Fort William is remote for sure but the West Highland line to get there is beautiful. Continue to Mallaig for the Glenfinnan Viaduct if you wish. I also took the Kyle of Lochalsh - Inverness railway : you could reach Kyle with a bus from Fort William (where I’d set a base) before continuing towards Inverness and Edinburgh.

Basically any railway in Scotland is beautiful haha

I spent a month in the UK and Ireland last summer so feel free to ask anything!

R
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Actually I’d rather do Freiburg - Paris - London - York. Faster and more reliable too : you don’t have to deal with the Ruhr area delays nor with the unreliable ICE to Brussels. For example :

  • TGV Freiburg (Breisgau) Hbf - Paris-Est 06:36 - 09:35 20€

Also available for €10, even for tomorrow.

Please ask questions in the community and not via a private message. That's the quickest way to get a response. I don't work for Eurail/Interrail.
T
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Nice! I thought it was a fixed 20€ fee as opposed to other domestic trains. Glad it changed.

Definitely go that way @Loeffle  :)

L

Actually I’d rather do Freiburg - Paris - London - York. Faster and more reliable too : you don’t have to deal with the Ruhr area delays nor with the unreliable ICE to Brussels. For example :

  • TGV Freiburg (Breisgau) Hbf - Paris-Est 06:36 - 09:35 20€
  • 10 min walk + margin and passport controls
  • Eurostar Paris-Nord - London St. Pancras 11:10 - 12:30 30€
  • any train from King’s Cross to York (free optional reservation)

Note that Eurostar has a passholder quota and you must book well in advance on weekends/holidays.

Fort William is remote for sure but the West Highland line to get there is beautiful. Continue to Mallaig for the Glenfinnan Viaduct if you wish. I also took the Kyle of Lochalsh - Inverness railway : you could reach Kyle with a bus from Fort William (where I’d set a base) before continuing towards Inverness and Edinburgh.

Basically any railway in Scotland is beautiful haha

I spent a month in the UK and Ireland last summer so feel free to ask anything!

Thanks for your insight - I have friends who regularly do Freiburg - Wales by train and they said they have bad experiences going via Paris AND London, but perhaps they have even more difficult way onwards to Wales.
As I live in a village I might have some problems to catch the 6:36 departure, but the way you describe it, it’s very attractive. (got stuck in the Ruhr Area last autumn on my way back home from Bremen - what a mess!)

It’s unlikely I can make the trip around Pentecost, so it would be in September. So still some time to book the reservations I guess.
Thanks also for the tipps on Fort William and surroundings. Seems worth those two additional hours.

T
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The Freiburg - Paris direct TGV is indeed very convenient. It also stops in Ringsheim, Lahr and Offenburg if it helps. :)

I never had issues in Paris. Always went through the checks in 3-5 min. Obviously the terminal is always crowded but it's worse in London.

It's an easy walk from Gare de l'Est to Gare du Nord so you don't have to deal with métros or RERs either.

Yes sure, you've got time. French trains won't be on sale for quite some time too.

Feel free to ask further questions.

L

The Freiburg - Paris direct TGV is indeed very convenient. It also stops in Ringsheim, Lahr and Offenburg if it helps. :)

I never had issues in Paris. Always went through the checks in 3-5 min. Obviously the terminal is always crowded but it's worse in London.

It's an easy walk from Gare de l'Est to Gare du Nord so you don't have to deal with métros or RERs either.

Yes sure, you've got time. French trains won't be on sale for quite some time too.

Feel free to ask further questions.

Thanks - yeah, I saw it. But those places are even further North. I come from the East of Freiburg, a village with no train station. So it’s a bus ride plus a ride by the very unreliable S-Bahn to Freiburg. But it’s not totally impossible to make that TGV.

If I may ask another one? I get only one York - Fort William connection. Departure 11:56, Arrival 22:07. Is there maybe another option, arriving a bit earlier? Maybe including a bus?

Departure York either on a Sunday or Monday.

Thanks again

T
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British trains start at around 9am on Sundays (it was really a shock for me!) so you can't make the midday train from Glasgow, only the evening service.

On Mondays it's quite doable though :

- York - Edinburgh Waverley 07:35 - 10:20

- Edinburgh Waverley - Glasgow Queen Street 10:45 - 11:37 or 11:15 - 12:06

- Glasgow Queen Street - Fort William 12:22 - 16:09

R
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If I may ask another one? I get only one York - Fort William connection. Departure 11:56, Arrival 22:07. Is there maybe another option, arriving a bit earlier? Maybe including a bus?

Departure York either on a Sunday or Monday.

Have you checked this on www.nationalrail.co.uk? If so, on which date?

On Mondays there should also be a morning departure.

Please ask questions in the community and not via a private message. That's the quickest way to get a response. I don't work for Eurail/Interrail.
A
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Userlevel 7
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The Freiburg - Paris direct TGV is indeed very convenient. It also stops in Ringsheim, Lahr and Offenburg if it helps. :)

I never had issues in Paris. Always went through the checks in 3-5 min. Obviously the terminal is always crowded but it's worse in London.

It's an easy walk from Gare de l'Est to Gare du Nord so you don't have to deal with métros or RERs either.

Yes sure, you've got time. French trains won't be on sale for quite some time too.

Feel free to ask further questions.

Thanks - yeah, I saw it. But those places are even further North. I come from the East of Freiburg, a village with no train station. So it’s a bus ride plus a ride by the very unreliable S-Bahn to Freiburg. But it’s not totally impossible to make that TGV.

If I may ask another one? I get only one York - Fort William connection. Departure 11:56, Arrival 22:07. Is there maybe another option, arriving a bit earlier? Maybe including a bus?

Departure York either on a Sunday or Monday.

Thanks again

 

There is a bus alternative that would get you to Fort William much earlier on Sundays, train to Glasgow Queen Street and Citylink 914 Glasgow to Fort William which would not be covered by your pass.

https://www.citylink.co.uk/timetables-service-updates/glasgow-skye

T
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A shame to miss the railway though... ;)

But thx for the heads-up

A
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Userlevel 7
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A shame to miss the railway though... ;)

But thx for the heads-up

The bus trip is also very scenic and takes a different route for much of the journey, both are worth doing.

L

The Freiburg - Paris direct TGV is indeed very convenient. It also stops in Ringsheim, Lahr and Offenburg if it helps. :)

I never had issues in Paris. Always went through the checks in 3-5 min. Obviously the terminal is always crowded but it's worse in London.

It's an easy walk from Gare de l'Est to Gare du Nord so you don't have to deal with métros or RERs either.

Yes sure, you've got time. French trains won't be on sale for quite some time too.

Feel free to ask further questions.

Thanks - yeah, I saw it. But those places are even further North. I come from the East of Freiburg, a village with no train station. So it’s a bus ride plus a ride by the very unreliable S-Bahn to Freiburg. But it’s not totally impossible to make that TGV.

If I may ask another one? I get only one York - Fort William connection. Departure 11:56, Arrival 22:07. Is there maybe another option, arriving a bit earlier? Maybe including a bus?

Departure York either on a Sunday or Monday.

Thanks again

 

There is a bus alternative that would get you to Fort William much earlier on Sundays, train to Glasgow Queen Street and Citylink 914 Glasgow to Fort William which would not be covered by your pass.

https://www.citylink.co.uk/timetables-service-updates/glasgow-skye

Thanks, perhaps one trip by bus and one by train then? ;)
Might need an extra day on way home.

L

If I may ask another one? I get only one York - Fort William connection. Departure 11:56, Arrival 22:07. Is there maybe another option, arriving a bit earlier? Maybe including a bus?

Departure York either on a Sunday or Monday.

Have you checked this on www.nationalrail.co.uk? If so, on which date?

On Mondays there should also be a morning departure.

Oh thanks, used the planner on the Eurail app ;)

R
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Userlevel 7
Badge +9

Oh thanks, used the planner on the Eurail app ;)

The rail planner app is unreliable and not fit for planning purposes.

Please ask questions in the community and not via a private message. That's the quickest way to get a response. I don't work for Eurail/Interrail.
L

Oh thanks, used the planner on the Eurail app ;)

The rail planner app is unreliable and not fit for planning purposes.

that’s a very helpful advice :)

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