Below you will find everything you need to know to prepare your trip well and avoid certain hassles. In particular the expenses to be expected in terms of fuel, advice on mobile telephony or even local eating practices.
THE LOCALS, THE RESIDENTS
Everyone we met was generally adorable. The English are cordial and easily start a conversation as soon as they hear a foreign entry. They want to know where we come from and if everything is going well.
FOOD
British food is often wrongly criticized. If you want to eat quickly and cheaply, you will certainly come across fish and chips or other burgers and fries. However, if you look, there are good, even excellent restaurants, with quality fresh produce. The prices are quite reasonable. And reservations required. The tastes of sauces and accompaniments are sometimes particular, but they are part of the English tradition.
The Haggis is to be tested in the same way as a cultural visit. Made from sheep belly and oats, it is a traditional dish that dates back to the Middle Ages. Depending on the location, if it is well seasoned and grilled, it is a completely acceptable dish that can be enjoyed as much for breakfast, as a starter or as a main course during a meal.
Regarding drinks, the coffee is often bad, even very bad. It has little taste and is sometimes even served in bags, like tea. Tea, a traditional English drink itself, is not always great. The sachets are good, but the tap water, which is heavily bleached, gives it a terrible taste. The beer is often excellent and with a wide choice. As for the wine, it mainly comes from France, Argentina, New Zealand or South Africa. They have different tastes than a Valais wine or a good French wine, they are lighter and can cause a headache.
In most regions, except the north, you will find many well-stocked food stores. The meat sold is local and of incredible quality, as are the vegetables. In the north, there are much fewer. Like restaurants whose menu is based on their stocks, when there is no more, there is no more... no point getting upset.
THE PARKINGS
All parking lots have a fee, whether for cultural properties or simple parking spaces in the forest. They all have a parking meter and the police, although not very visible, come regularly, especially in high season. It generally costs 6 pounds for parking in Scotland.
FUEL
The stations are quite numerous, you will find them everywhere on your route. If you're up north or on an island, it's best to stock up when you come across one. Prices are lower than in Switzerland, especially in the north and in small villages.
THE CIRCULATION
The traffic is the opposite of ours, it takes a while to get used to it and change your reflexes. When there is traffic it is quite simple and just follow the traffic. Depending on the region, especially in the north and west, there is often only one lane and many places to cross.
Crossings can be complicated with large vehicles. Usually there are only a few trucks, which is nice. In season, however, tourist buses are numerous. The locals are very courteous, they wait without problem if necessary and remain kind and calm at all times. They easily thank with a little wave of the hand, don't hesitate to do the same.
GPS AND MOBILE TELEPHONY
Mainly in the north and west, phones do not work or work poorly. Wifi also. The same goes for vehicle GPS, which can sometimes lose the satellite. It is therefore better to organize yourself well in advance and know the directions to avoid wasting time or traveling unnecessary kilometers. An assistant driver is not too much to avoid mistakes.
Remember to take an extension cord and one or two adapters, the sockets are not the same as in Switzerland.
THE PASS FOR CULTURAL PLACES
In England, as in Scotland, it is possible to take a pass for one or more days. Be careful though, in Scotland most places are centralized around Edinburgh. If you plan to go further north, it will not be valid everywhere. A large number of castles, in particular, are private and are not part of the pass.
The official sites:
England: https://www.english-heritage.org.uk
Scotland: https://www.visitscotland.com
All the places listed and worthy of interest can be found with a good GPS. On the other hand, if you are looking for less popular places and off the tourist circuits, even if they are indicated, they are sometimes difficult to find. Perhaps a way to avoid mass tourism... They are often far from the car parks, it takes a while to walk or cycle to reach them.
All information on signs, flyers, guides, etc. are in English only. It can be tiring in the long run to read them to fully understand. It is better to prepare your visits as little as possible in advance and gather the essential information to make the most of your stay.
CYCLING
Cycling is not so popular. In Scotland, a few itineraries are starting to emerge, particularly on the islands. On the continent, there are fewer suitable trails. The fault… the sheep and other livestock. The barriers for the pedestrian paths are a kind of turnstile which does not allow passage, except when carrying the bicycle. As for charging stations for electric bikes, there are none.
Downhill cycling is practiced on the rare ski resorts that remain open during the summer. As for imagining driving on the road, that is akin to suicide. The roads are narrow and not at all suitable for safe practice.
EXPENSES
Planning such a trip includes a certain budget, already just for fuel. For diesel and ad blue, we spent around CHF 1,500.-, even if diesel is much cheaper than back home, particularly in Scotland.
For telephony, it might be worth getting an English card. For our part, we blew up our packages and had to buy additional packs. The GPS works poorly, sometimes you have to take the phone's GPS to check and the data loads very slowly.
In shopping centers, food is very affordable, especially meat and alcoholic drinks, much cheaper than at home. If you want to eat well, prices will be similar to Switzerland. You can always fall back on fast food.
Finally, despite the image of freedom linked to Scotland, you will not be able to park your camper van just anywhere and often parking lots, even in the most remote corners, are subject to charges, even if there are a few left. spots still free to access.
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