London, Bath, Manchester, Edinburgh: a 9-day Britain itinerary

The usual way to see Britain is to fly into London and out of London, which means seeing one city of it. The line running north from London reaches an entirely different architecture, accent and landscape within four hours. This route starts in London, detours west to Bath, heads north via Manchester and ends in Edinburgh.

Its biggest advantage is that the whole thing can be done by train. You only need a car if you add the Lake District; the city-to-city line is rail-connected end to end.

How to split the days: how many nights where?

How to split four days in London

If you don't build the days around districts, half your time goes on the Underground. Dividing the city into four zones cuts both walking distance and ticket cost.

1. Day 1 — the Westminster axis: Westminster Abbey has been the site of English coronations and burials for a thousand years, holding tombs from Newton to Darwin and Poets' Corner. Allow two hours; it's closed to visitors on Sundays for services. After the Houses of Parliament and Big Ben, walk to Buckingham Palace; the interior only opens in summer, other months you watch the guard change from outside. Finish in St James's Park.
2. Day 2 — museum day: the British Museum holds eight million objects, with the Rosetta Stone, the Parthenon sculptures and the Egyptian mummies drawing the biggest crowds. Entry is free but timed. Don't try to see it all; pick two or three galleries and give it three hours. Continue through Covent Garden and Soho in the afternoon.
3. Day 3 — the river line: the London Eye stands 135 metres tall and one rotation takes 30 minutes; the capsules move slowly enough that you board without it stopping. Booked ahead it's both cheaper and queue-free. Walk east along the Southbank to Tower Bridge; the glass floor in the high-level walkway sits directly above the bascules as they lift. The Tower of London next door holds the Crown Jewels.
4. Day 4 — neighbourhood day: Camden Market, Notting Hill or Shoreditch — don't try two in one day.

Trains: why you book three months out

British rail fares rise in steps as departure approaches. The same London-Edinburgh journey sells for £35 three months ahead and can hit £180 on the day. Booking the moment your dates are fixed is the single biggest money-saver on this route.

• Cheap advance tickets are tied to a specific train; miss it and the ticket is void and you buy a new one.
• London departure stations vary by line: Paddington for Bath, King's Cross or Euston for Edinburgh.
• If two of you are travelling, a Two Together railcard can pay for itself on a single journey.
• For transport within London, a contactless bank card is noticeably cheaper than paper tickets and applies a daily cap automatically.

Bath and Manchester: short but full stops

Bath is a one-night stop but adds a different texture to the route: the city is built entirely from pale honey-coloured limestone and the centre is walkable end to end. The Roman Baths are the main draw; go early to beat the crowds. Stonehenge, half an hour from Bath, requires a timed ticket booked in advance.

Manchester is the city of the industrial revolution and of football. Old Trafford stadium tours must be booked ahead and don't run on match days. John Rylands Library in the centre is the city's most striking building thanks to its neo-Gothic interior, and entry is free.

Three days in Edinburgh

• Day 1 — Edinburgh Castle sits on an extinct volcano and is visible from everywhere in the city; the Scottish crown jewels and the Stone of Destiny are displayed inside. A gun is fired every day at one o'clock. Book the first slot; the queue grows through the afternoon. Then walk down the Royal Mile toward Holyrood Palace, past street performers and whisky shops.
• Day 2 — the New Town, Calton Hill and the climb up Arthur's Seat (about two hours round trip).
• Day 3 — a Highlands day tour, or Glasgow by train (50 minutes). Kelvingrove Art Gallery and Museum is Scotland's most visited museum, holding Dalí's Christ of Saint John of the Cross alongside a natural history collection; entry is free and there's a live organ recital twice a day. Glasgow Cathedral is the only medieval cathedral in Scotland to survive the Reformation intact; the lower crypt is especially striking and entry is also free.

When to go

May-June and September are the most balanced months: long days, relatively little rain and prices short of their peak. August is a special case for Edinburgh — the city fills completely during the festival, accommodation doubles or triples and must be booked months ahead. November to February is the cheapest and quietest window, but daylight in Scotland ends at four in the afternoon.