Venturing to my Ancestral Home

One of the first goals I set for myself this year was to get a stamp in my passport (and that Canada wouldn't count). I've been looking at pictures online, talking to fellow travelers, and assessing my meager budget, and I've decided on the UK. In fact, I'm purchasing my plane tickets today.

I'm flying into London, and I'll be there for three days. My plans are fluid, so I'm mostly just deciding between the must-see and must-dos and the take-it-or-leave-it sights and activities. The morning of day 4, I'm hopping on a train for the Wye Valley and the Forest of Dean (on the border between England and Wales), where I plan to spend many hours walking around the Puzzlewood. Tolkien used to walk there, and it was a major inspiration for Fangorn and the Ents in Lord of the Rings. The BBC and other British productions also film a lot there.

From the Wye Valley, I'll be taking a train north to Edinburgh, where I will begin my circle around Scotland. I'll be spending a couple of days in the capital exploring the older parts of the city and enjoying the festivals that are going on while I'm there.

Day 8-ish, I'll take a bus north and east to Aberdeen and the Shire, where I'll be making use of my legs and hiking along the castle trails (Aberdeenshire has more castles per acre than anywhere else in the UK, and they have walking trails so you can hit 14-20 castles in one trek), and exploring the east coast.

Next up, the Highlands! I'll be spending some time in Inverness, visiting historical battle sights, the lochs, and the famed whiskey trail.

South and west to Argyll, to the city where my favorite Scotch originates, Oban. I'll be spending a few days exploring the coast and island hopping along the western shore.

Day 15-ish, I'll be taking the train back to London, where I'll spend the night, and then one more day to do any shopping and catch any major sites I missed when I arrived.

I am unbelievably excited about this adventure! I'm also trying not to plan too much beyond a general itinerary so that if something strikes my fancy, I can rearrange a day to suit any fun diversions that arise. Also, I'm still open to suggestions from friends (one has already recommended his favorite pubs!) for things to do and see in any of the mentioned areas, and I'm not opposed to changing a day if there is something not on my list that I simply MUST SEE! Just a few more months, and I will be embarking on a grand adventure!