London start
Our departure from London is the first time we are all together as a group. Your welcome email confirms the timings and meeting point that apply to your booking.
🕔 Departure from London (morning)
You may have slightly different joining instructions depending on your booking, so please read your welcome email carefully and make sure you are familiar with the timings.
Before coming down, have breakfast, know what is happening with your luggage, and keep your day essentials ready so departure feels smooth. It also helps to use the WC/restroom before boarding.
🚌 Boarding the coach
The reception area can be busy on departure morning. You may see luggage being loaded and people gathering near the coach.
If you prefer to wait by the coach instead of in reception, that is absolutely fine. The key thing is to board Joel’s coach at the instructed time.
Arrival & planning
This tour departs from London in the morning. A quick check of your joining details before travel usually makes the start feel much smoother.
✅ Check your joining details
Your welcome email and official documents confirm your London meeting hotel and departure time from London. Keep those details easy to access in case you need them.
✈️ Arrival plan
- Before travel day, check your latest airline updates.
- Confirm how you are getting from the airport to the hotel — Trafalgar transfer, private transfer, taxi or app-based ride.
- Private transfer booked? If your arrival time changes, update your transfer provider. If it was booked through Trafalgar, contact European Guest Services using the contact details in your welcome email.
- Complimentary transfers, where included, run at set times and cannot be held.
- If you miss your transfer or are making your own way, official London Black Cabs are safe and easy to find, and apps such as Uber can be used at London airports.
🛂 Keep essentials accessible
Have your passport, wallet, phone, charger and any medications easy to reach rather than buried in your suitcase.
On the coach
The coach will be our moving base between destinations. A few simple habits help keep things comfortable, safe and pleasant for everyone travelling together.
- 🔁 Seat rotation happens daily. I will explain the system clearly on Day One.
- 🚻 There is often a WC on board, and we also plan regular comfort stops along the way.
- 🪜 Mobility & boarding: There are steps when getting on and off the coach, so please take your time and use the handrail.
- ⛴️ This tour includes ferry crossings between Britain and Ireland, so it helps to keep a layer and anything essential in your day bag rather than packed in your suitcase.
- 🥪 Snacks are absolutely fine. For general comfort and safety on a moving vehicle, it’s best to avoid hot food and hot drinks while on the coach.
- 🎒 Bring a small day bag with what you may need during the day. Main suitcases stay in the coach hold until hotel arrival on travel days.
- 🧳 Carry-on space on the coach is limited. Smaller soft bags such as backpacks or tote-style bags work best overhead or under the seat. Wheel-based carry-on suitcases usually do not fit well in the racks above. They are best avoided as on-board bags.
- 🔔 Seatbelts: For your safety, please ensure your seatbelt is fastened whenever you are seated and keep it on throughout the journey.
- 🧼 Please be mindful of general hygiene. Clean hands and a bit of awareness go a long way in shared spaces. If you’re feeling unwell, just be considerate of others.
What to expect from the weather
Weather across Britain and Ireland can shift between regions and within a few hours. Forecasts are useful, but flexibility helps most.
🌤️ A practical reality
You might get a bit of everything in one day, which is fairly normal here. A couple of flexible layers will usually serve you better than worrying too much about the forecast.
🧭 What usually helps
Treat forecasts as a guide rather than a guarantee, and expect occasional changes to pace or stop timing when conditions shift.
🥃 “Today’s rain is tomorrow’s whisky.”
– A local favourite in both Scotland and Ireland
What to pack
Most people find they pack more than they actually use. Comfortable, practical and easy to manage tends to win every time on this tour.
Essentials
- 👟 Comfortable walking shoes
- 🧥 Layered clothing for changing conditions
- ☔ A waterproof jacket
- 🎒 A small day bag
- 🔌 A UK Type G plug adapter (three rectangular prongs) View plug type
- 🎧 Optional: wired headphones with a 3.5mm jack to use with our walking-tour audio devices
Packing smarter
- 🧳 Think practical rather than "just in case" — and leave a little room for things you pick up along the way.
- 👜 During the day: Think about what you are likely to need — and equally what you probably will not. It is never much fun having medication buried at the bottom of your suitcase on a travel day, or carrying more around than you need.
- 💧 Optional: bring a reusable drink bottle, but avoid bulky bottles — collapsible or slim styles are easiest to carry on coach days.
- 💡 Good shoes and a waterproof jacket you trust will do most of the heavy lifting on this tour.
Staying connected on tour
I use WhatsApp for reminders and day-to-day updates while we are travelling. It works alongside your official documents and welcome email, and it usually works well over hotel or café Wi‑Fi.
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1Download WhatsApp before you travel if you do not already use it — either from the link below or directly from your phone’s app store.
💬 Download WhatsApp - 2Set up your profile and verify your number.
- 3Save my number in your phone from the welcome email or with the links above.
- 4If you use WhatsApp, feel free to send me a quick message once you are set up. If not, no problem at all — you will still receive all key details.
Practical notes
A few practical notes that tend to come up — worth a quick read before you travel.
🚏 A highlights-style itinerary
This is a fast-moving journey covering multiple regions and countries. Some days involve early starts or longer travel distances, balanced by rewarding experiences along the way.
🚶 Walking
Expect uneven streets, stairs, city walking and days where comfortable shoes matter more than style points.
🏨 Hotel styles vary
Across Britain and Ireland we stay in a mix of modern and historic properties. Room sizes, layouts and facilities can differ from what people may be used to elsewhere.
🌀 Air conditioning at hotels
You will have the comfort of air conditioning on the coach and in many museums, restaurants and public spaces. However, the UK and Ireland are not especially known for hot weather, so many hotels in this region do not have full air conditioning. If your room feels warm, ask reception whether a portable fan is available.
🍽️ Included meals
Breakfast is included daily and some dinners are provided. On included meal days, timings are set to keep the itinerary running smoothly, so punctuality is appreciated.
👥 Travelling as a group
Touring as a group works best when everyone is mindful of shared timings — I will make sure things run smoothly from my end.
🧑✈️ Your Driver
Your Driver plays a key role in both the safety and smooth running of each day. Driving hours are legally regulated, so it helps everyone if we are ready to depart at the agreed time.
💳 Money & payments
Card payments are widely accepted throughout the UK and Ireland, though carrying a small amount of cash is still useful — especially at stops where cards may not be accepted, and for gratuities such as Local Specialists who join us for sightseeing.
The simplest option is usually to withdraw a small amount from an ATM/cash machine, as exchange counters are limited outside major airports and often charge higher rates or commission.
Optional experiences can be paid by card or cash.
💶 Gratuities
Some gratuities are included in your tour price — restaurant staff and hotel porters, for example. Tips for your Travel Director and Driver are separate unless pre-paid.
If you have pre-paid — thank you, it is genuinely appreciated.
Guidance on appropriate amounts is in your Trafalgar documents — or just ask me on tour.
If you are unsure whether gratuities are pre-paid, check your tour voucher or booking confirmation. It can still help to carry a little cash for day-to-day convenience.
💷 Currency
Ireland uses the Euro (€). The UK, including Northern Ireland, Scotland and Wales, uses Pounds Sterling (£).
🚻 Toilets
Some public facilities may require coins or small payment, so keeping a little cash handy can occasionally help.
🔒 Security
Keep passports, cards and valuables secure. Pickpocketing is not common, but just stay aware of your belongings in busy spots.
⭐ Optional experiences
Your tour already includes a lot — but optionals are worth knowing about. These are experiences that go a little deeper in certain places. Convenient, good value, and everything is organised for you.
These are not generic extras — they are hand-picked experiences that suit the pace and places of this particular tour. Many people who do them wish they had booked more.
Optional experiences are priced separately so people who want them can choose them, and people who prefer a quieter pace are not paying for something they would not use.
I will walk you through what is available once we are underway. There is never any pressure.
Important contact details
Save these before you travel — they are harder to find when you are already on the move.
Joel Plunkett
Phone / WhatsApp
WhatsApp is usually the easiest way to reach me during the trip.
Questions before the tour?
Before our tour begins, I may not always be able to reply immediately, especially if I am with another group, but I will always reply as soon as I can.
For anything that needs immediate attention before Day 1, please check your welcome email for European Guest Services contact details.
For peace of mind, save my number and European Guest Services now, and keep your official joining instructions somewhere easy to find before departure.
Final note
During the tour, if you are ever unsure about anything, just ask. There is very little I have not come across before.
🇬🇧 See you in London.
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