Our first morning
Our tour departs from London in the morning.
🕔 Departure morning
Your welcome email has everything you need — the departure time and where to meet. Read it before the morning so you're not searching for it on the day.
Before heading outside to board, allow yourself a few minutes to use the WC in the hotel. Once we're moving we'll have regular stops, but it helps to start comfortably. Check you're boarding the correct coach, get settled in your seat, and you're ready. The lobby will be busy with luggage loading — that's normal. I'll be around.
Before you pack
These are the details that tend to make the biggest practical difference.
👟 Walking shoes
This tour covers a lot of ground on foot — castle grounds, old city streets, historic sites and longer sightseeing days. Comfortable, well-worn shoes make a real difference across the whole tour, not just on one day.
If you are unsure which pair to bring, bring your most comfortable ones.
🌦️ Weather and layers
Weather across Britain and Ireland can shift quickly — within a few hours, and from one region to the next. You might get a bit of everything in one day, which is fairly normal here.
A waterproof jacket you trust, a mid-layer, and comfortable shoes will do most of the heavy lifting. Treat the forecast as a guide rather than a guarantee.
– A local favourite in both Scotland and Ireland
🔌 Power adapters
England, Scotland, Wales, Northern Ireland and the Republic of Ireland all use the same plug — the UK Type G, with three rectangular pins. One adapter covers the entire tour.
If you are travelling from outside the UK or Ireland, you will need one. A universal travel adapter with USB and USB-C ports is the simplest all-in-one solution.
🎒 Day bag essentials
Your main suitcase goes into the coach hold on travel days and may not be accessible until you reach the next hotel. Keep anything you might need during the day with you:
- Glasses, contact lenses or hearing aids
- Medication and prescription items
- Phone, charger and any cables
- Cards, cash and travel money
- A waterproof layer — weather changes quickly here
A useful rule: if you would miss it for a few hours, it belongs in your day bag.
🧳 Packing
Pack for usefulness rather than volume. Most people bring more than they use — and on a tour with several hotel changes, lighter luggage is noticeably easier to live with.
We use audio listening devices on walking tours — disposable wired headphones are provided. These are not Bluetooth, so wireless earbuds will not connect. You are welcome to bring your own wired pair if you prefer.
Laundry access can vary by hotel and timing on this tour — it is best to pack as if you will not have it.
🏷️ Luggage allowance
1 suitcase up to 23kg / 50lbs, plus 1 soft hand-luggage bag. The hand bag must be soft-sided with no wheels or telescopic handle — space on the coach is limited and soft bags fit much more easily.
Label both bags clearly before leaving home. Suitcase delivery to your room can take around 30 minutes after check-in — keep toiletries, medications or anything you need on arrival in your hand luggage.
The rhythm of it
Showcasing the highlights of Britain and Ireland — from the English countryside and the cities of Scotland, to Ireland north and south, and back again through Wales. Each part of it feels different from the last, and that shift is part of what the experience is built around.
It's as much about the journey as it is the destinations. Some days the best moments happen between places — coastline appearing as we drive towards the ferry, border crossings, new cultures and traditions, scenery that slowly surrounds you as we go.
The pace of a highlights itinerary means some days are busier than others. There will be earlier starts and longer travel days — add ferry crossings and the weather. Rain in the morning, sunshine by lunchtime, jacket back on in the evening.
Everything is taken care of, so you can actually be present for all of it. We'll take it step by step, together — I'll always let you know what's coming up, what to bring for the day, and what you can leave on the coach and not worry about yet.
🚌 On the coach
Seat rotation happens daily, and I'll explain the system clearly on Day One.
Snacks are absolutely fine. Just avoid hot food, hot drinks and anything likely to melt, spill or perfume the entire coach by lunchtime. Please keep your seat area tidy — it's a shared space and it makes a real difference to everyone's day.
On ferry crossing days, your main suitcase travels with the coach — keep your day bag with you, and a layer handy for the sailing.
Seatbelts on whenever you are seated — it's a simple habit that matters.
🚻 Comfort stops
We plan regular comfort stops along the way. There may also be a WC on board the coach, but most people find the stops easier.
When getting on and off the coach, take your time and use the handrail.
🏨 Hotels vary
One night you may be in a modern hotel; the next in a more historic property with a different character and layout. That variety is part of travelling through Britain and Ireland rather than staying in one standard hotel every night.
Air conditioning is not common in the UK or Ireland — it is simply not part of the building culture here. If your room feels warm, reception can sometimes provide a fan.
🚗 Our Driver
Our Driver is a huge part of what makes the journey run smoothly — navigating a coach through Britain and Ireland, including some of the narrower roads and longer touring days, takes real skill and concentration.
By the end of the tour, most groups have a genuine appreciation for just how much goes into it.
⏰ Tour timings & inclusions
Our days run to a schedule. Being ready on time — for departures, meals and activities — keeps things on track for everyone in the group.
I'll always let you know what's coming up and what to be prepared for. All we ask is that you're there on time, ready to go.
🔒 Security
Keep your passport, cards and valuables secure and close to you, particularly in busier city areas and at transport hubs. A small bag that stays close to your body is worth considering on busier sightseeing days.
A little awareness in crowded places goes a long way.
I use WhatsApp for simple reminders and day-to-day updates while we are travelling. It is optional, but it usually makes the small daily details easier.
- 1Download and set up WhatsApp before you travel if you do not already use it. Download WhatsApp
- 2Save my number — it is in your welcome email, or use the WhatsApp link at the top of this page.
- 3Send me a message with your name so I know you are set up.
If you are planning to rely on mobile data, it is worth checking roaming options with your provider before travel. Some people use an eSIM as a simple alternative for staying connected across multiple countries.
If you'd rather not use WhatsApp, that's fine — everything important will still reach you.
A few practical things for later
You do not need to make all of these decisions before we meet. They become much easier once you can see the pace of the tour and what suits you.
⭐ Optional experiences
In my experience, the optionals are often what people remember most.
A steam train ride and cruise on Lake Windermere. An evening in stunning Stirling with a piper. Rosslyn Chapel, where the stonework has puzzled historians for centuries. Ancient Glendalough — a sixth-century monastery tucked into the Wicklow Mountains, far older than most things you'll see on any tour. Dublin Dinner and Irish Show. Cardiff Castle, medieval on the outside, with Victorian Gothic interiors that nobody sees coming. These aren't things that are easy to organise on your own, in a city you don't know, on a schedule that moves quickly. On this tour, they're ready to go — transport, entry, everything taken care of, perfectly timed within the day.
I'll walk you through everything during the tour. My honest advice? Do them. I've been travelling most of my life, and the times I've passed on something — thinking it was too expensive, or I'd come back another day — those are the ones I still think about. Skipping something and regretting it costs more in the long run than just doing it. And you may not pass this way again.
Unless something really doesn't appeal to you, I'd say yes.
💳 Money & cards
Cards are widely accepted throughout Britain and Ireland, but a small amount of cash can still be useful for smaller cafés, local stops or leaving tips.
The Republic of Ireland uses the Euro (€). England, Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland use Pounds Sterling (£). You will move between both currency zones during the tour — small ATM withdrawals as you go are usually simpler than carrying large amounts of both from home.
💶 Gratuities
When you're out during free time, if the service is good — tip. A few pounds or euros at the end of a good meal is always appreciated.
On the tour itself, porterage and restaurant tips on included meals are already taken care of. Tips for your Travel Director and Driver are separate unless you've pre-paid through Trafalgar. Local Specialists — the guides who join us in specific cities and regions — are separate again. Good ones are hard to find, and a small tip at the end of their time with the group is customary and well received.
Guidance on suggested amounts is in your Trafalgar documents, and you can always ask me on tour. This does not need to be solved on the first morning.
Questions before we begin?
Save my contact now, and keep your official joining instructions somewhere easy to find. That is enough for the moment.
Joel Plunkett
Travel Director · Trafalgar
Phone / WhatsApp
WhatsApp is usually the easiest way to reach me during the trip.
Urgent before departure?
Before the tour begins, I may occasionally be travelling or finishing another tour, but I will always get back to you as soon as I can.
If something is time-sensitive before Day 1, please check your welcome email for European Guest Services contact details.
Once we are together, things usually become much more straightforward day to day.
Final note
England, Scotland, Ireland — there is a lot ahead of us, and I'm looking forward to every part of it. 🇬🇧 See you in London.