Scotland and England tour

[mystang52]

DW and I had been so excited about our planned Eastern Europe tour we had booked for June......2020. The company was Odysseys, and frankly they were superb with the easy refund process. For various reasons we have nixed trying again for that area, and now have our sights on Scotland and England. Odysseys is our first choice. We like their itinerary but it's not perfect for us.
1) Long story short: we are considering the daunting task of replicating the general itinerary and doing it on our own. This would entail starting in Edinburgh and ending in London, with multiple stops in between for the various historical towns and sites. Is that REALISTICALLY feasible?
2) Presuming the answer to # 1 is NO, recommendations for reliable small group (max of 24 people) tour companies? We've ruled out Tourradar.

 

[Souschef]

I am jokingly called the local Scottish Tourist Bureau. I like your idea of following a tour itinerary on your own, as we have done.

After putting about 1000 miles on a rental car our first trip, we decided the train was better and much less stressful.
I would start in Inverness and take the Kyle line out to Kyle of Lochalsh, then taxi to Eilean Donan, the most photographed castle in Scotland.
Then taxi to Mallaig. From there take the West Highland Line over the Glenfinnian viaduct to Glasgow. If time permits, take the Jacobite steam train, which was featured in Harry Potter at Fort William.

Visit the Burrell Collection museum in Glasgow, then train to Edinburgh. (one hour). In Edinburgh taxi to the castle. After touring, it is a downhill walk to St. Giles, where QE2's funeral procession stopped on her way to London. Taxi out to Holyrood, where the procession also stopped.
Then you can follow the tour itinerary.
Look into getting a Britrail pass for your travels.
There is a book called 1001 Things to do in Scotland, and a companion touring map keyed to the book.
When my late (Scottish) wife and I toured, it was before the internet. Now it is tremendously easy to find information, book tickets and check schedules.

If you have any questions, e-mail me at highlandpark@mindspring.com.