TR: Epic trip!

"Jim Ford" <[email hidden]> schreef in bericht
news:[email hidden]...

Quoted message said:

Half way through I told myself 'You've bitten off more than you can chew -
you're not going to survive this one!' But I pulled my self together and
ignoring aching limbs and overwhelming tiredness, dug in and set myself to
the task ahead.

It seemed a good idea - £27 quid return from Golders Green in London to
Aviemore by National Express, as opposed to £120 in petrol for the car.
Travel by coach at night and and set off for the hills in the following
morning. But the 11 hours sitting on a coach at night was horrendous. It
seemed to go on forever - like some grotesque 'Groundhog Day' timewarp.

If anyone is similarly tempted to try this run, forget it - you won't like
it. No, you _really_ won't!

That reminds me of the ferry from IJmuiden in the Netherlands to Newcastle,
England, in the /old/ days (the 90's). I did it the cheap way : spending the
night in a seat, hardly getting any sleep and at one crossing we had force
12, didn't get any sleep at all. The next morning by train to Glasgow and
then by bus to Fort Bill. Slept in the YH and the next morning off to Skye
for some scrambling. Actually I felt more like I was scrambled egg. Aaah,
the good old days :-)

--
"Beannachd leibh"

Theo
www.theosphotos.fotopic.net

Jim Ford said:

Half way through I told myself 'You've bitten off more than you can chew
- you're not going to survive this one!' But I pulled my self together
and ignoring aching limbs and overwhelming tiredness, dug in and set
myself to the task ahead.

It seemed a good idea - £27 quid return from Golders Green in London to
Aviemore by National Express, as opposed to £120 in petrol for the car.
Travel by coach at night and and set off for the hills in the following
morning. But the 11 hours sitting on a coach at night was horrendous. It
seemed to go on forever - like some grotesque 'Groundhog Day' timewarp.

I've been there done that on an Ozzie Greyhound bus. Cheap yes, but
comfy enough to sleep no. Mind you even worse is the flight westwards
from Oz departing just after sunset. The night goes on forever. :-(

Quoted message said:

If anyone is similarly tempted to try this run, forget it - you won't
like it. No, you _really_ won't!

I can really only sleep horizontal so I won't try it. What price is
the Highland Sleeper these days?
--
Phil Cook, last hill: Angletarn Pikes via Beda Fell.
http://www.p-t-cook.freeserve.co.uk/May07/martin9.htm

Quoted message said:

Jim Ford said:

It seemed a good idea - ?27 quid return from Golders Green in London to
Aviemore by National Express, as opposed to ?120 in petrol for the car.
Travel by coach at night and and set off for the hills in the following
morning. But the 11 hours sitting on a coach at night was horrendous. It
seemed to go on forever - like some grotesque 'Groundhog Day' timewarp.

I did Milton Keynes to Glasgow for 17 quid by train : midnight from MK,
a 4 hour wait at Wolverhampton (the station manager kindly allowed
the bunch of waifs and strays into the enquiry office) and up to
Glasgow by 10am. The seats weren't that comfortable in the enquiry
office, but the train was great !

-adrian

Phil Cook said:

I can really only sleep horizontal so I won't try it. What price is
the Highland Sleeper these days?

/From/ £19. Rule is it's never cheap when you want it, but
http://www.firstgroup.com/scotrail/content/caledoniansleeper/index.php
will give you details, including a link to a search for bargain fares.

30th October any use to you? That's a £19 one, for example. These are
one way, you'll want a bargain fare back too probably, full price is
mucho £££s.

Pete.
--
Peter Clinch Medical Physics IT Officer
Tel 44 1382 660111 ext. 33637 Univ. of Dundee, Ninewells Hospital
Fax 44 1382 640177 Dundee DD1 9SY Scotland UK
net [email hidden] http://www.dundee.ac.uk/~pjclinch/

Theo said:

That reminds me of the ferry from IJmuiden in the Netherlands to Newcastle,
England, in the /old/ days (the 90's). I did it the cheap way : spending the
night in a seat, hardly getting any sleep and at one crossing we had force
12, didn't get any sleep at all.

You may well not have got that much in a cabin in a 12, mind...

Our Easter cycle tour was out from Newcastle to IJmuiden in a very
reasonably priced cabin, but coming back Zeebrugge to Rosyth the cabins
were ridiculously expensive. We didn't even try the "airline seats",
knowing them to be hopeless, but plenty of space on sofas when the bars
had shut. We weren't the only ones doing that! Not a great night's
sleep, but at least adequate.

Pete.
--
Peter Clinch Medical Physics IT Officer
Tel 44 1382 660111 ext. 33637 Univ. of Dundee, Ninewells Hospital
Fax 44 1382 640177 Dundee DD1 9SY Scotland UK
net [email hidden] http://www.dundee.ac.uk/~pjclinch/

Jim Ford said:

It seemed a good idea - £27 quid return from Golders Green in London to
Aviemore by National Express, as opposed to £120 in petrol for the car.
Travel by coach at night and and set off for the hills in the following
morning. But the 11 hours sitting on a coach at night was horrendous. It
seemed to go on forever - like some grotesque 'Groundhog Day' timewarp.

Did London to Edinbutgh a couple of times when I stayed in Edinburgh...
took up hitch hiking after that, which was generally at least as quick
and far more enjoyable.

What I found odd was that when I took the night bus I didn't get a wink
of sleep, but traveling by day I got a fair amount.

A quick google suggests it's possible to fly from London to Inverness
for just over £100 return if you can pick your days freely. Might be
the better way.

Pete.
--
Peter Clinch Medical Physics IT Officer
Tel 44 1382 660111 ext. 33637 Univ. of Dundee, Ninewells Hospital
Fax 44 1382 640177 Dundee DD1 9SY Scotland UK
net [email hidden] http://www.dundee.ac.uk/~pjclinch/

"Peter Clinch" <[email hidden]> wrote in message
news:[email hidden]...

Quoted message said:

Jim Ford said:

It seemed a good idea - £27 quid return from Golders Green in London to
Aviemore by National Express, as opposed to £120 in petrol for the car.
Travel by coach at night and and set off for the hills in the following
morning. But the 11 hours sitting on a coach at night was horrendous. It
seemed to go on forever - like some grotesque 'Groundhog Day' timewarp.

Did London to Edinbutgh a couple of times when I stayed in Edinburgh...
took up hitch hiking after that, which was generally at least as quick
and far more enjoyable.

What I found odd was that when I took the night bus I didn't get a wink
of sleep, but traveling by day I got a fair amount.

A quick google suggests it's possible to fly from London to Inverness
for just over £100 return if you can pick your days freely. Might be
the better way.

Pete.
--
Peter Clinch Medical Physics IT Officer
Tel 44 1382 660111 ext. 33637 Univ. of Dundee, Ninewells Hospital
Fax 44 1382 640177 Dundee DD1 9SY Scotland UK
net [email hidden] http://www.dundee.ac.uk/~pjclinch/

"Let the train take the strain"

The excellent (well, usually) GNER "Highland Chieftain" leaves London Kings
X 12:00 arrives Kingussie (goes all the way tae Inverness) at 19:14, returns
8:42 arrives 15:51. Also one of the most pleasant ways to travel to bonnie
Scotland.... Yes, there is a restaurant car & bar....

Recently had the wife up (she lives in Berkshire, myself in Lochaber), 1st
Class: Up £73, back £55:65 and all the free tea/coffee & biscuits you can
take.

Currently for 7th/14th Sept (date chosen at random..) 2nd class is £16 each
way, 1st £44:50 each way.

Hint: Try booking 2 singles rather than a return - usually cheaper (daft,
yes, I know).

Personally (i'll have a bus pass before the end of the year...) I find the
sleeper difficult to sleep on... although if you can sleep it's amazing....
there is a small regular collection of people (not me) who commute Sunday
nite/Friday nite Highlands/London !!!

Nope, I have no connection with GNER.

Rab C Nesbitt said:

"Peter Clinch" <[email hidden]> wrote in message
news:[email hidden]...

Quoted message said:

Jim Ford said:

It seemed a good idea - £27 quid return from Golders Green in London to
Aviemore by National Express, as opposed to £120 in petrol for the car.
Travel by coach at night and and set off for the hills in the following
morning. But the 11 hours sitting on a coach at night was horrendous. It
seemed to go on forever - like some grotesque 'Groundhog Day' timewarp.

Did London to Edinbutgh a couple of times when I stayed in Edinburgh...
took up hitch hiking after that, which was generally at least as quick
and far more enjoyable.

What I found odd was that when I took the night bus I didn't get a wink
of sleep, but traveling by day I got a fair amount.

A quick google suggests it's possible to fly from London to Inverness
for just over £100 return if you can pick your days freely. Might be
the better way.

Pete.
--
Peter Clinch Medical Physics IT Officer
Tel 44 1382 660111 ext. 33637 Univ. of Dundee, Ninewells Hospital
Fax 44 1382 640177 Dundee DD1 9SY Scotland UK
net [email hidden] http://www.dundee.ac.uk/~pjclinch/

"Let the train take the strain"

The excellent (well, usually) GNER "Highland Chieftain" leaves London Kings
X 12:00 arrives Kingussie (goes all the way tae Inverness) at 19:14, returns
8:42 arrives 15:51. Also one of the most pleasant ways to travel to bonnie
Scotland.... Yes, there is a restaurant car & bar....

Recently had the wife up (she lives in Berkshire, myself in Lochaber), 1st
Class: Up £73, back £55:65 and all the free tea/coffee & biscuits you can
take.

Currently for 7th/14th Sept (date chosen at random..) 2nd class is £16 each
way, 1st £44:50 each way.

Hint: Try booking 2 singles rather than a return - usually cheaper (daft,
yes, I know).

Personally (i'll have a bus pass before the end of the year...) I find the
sleeper difficult to sleep on... although if you can sleep it's amazing....
there is a small regular collection of people (not me) who commute Sunday
nite/Friday nite Highlands/London !!!

Nope, I have no connection with GNER.

Thanks to all for the good advice. I'll probably take one of the options
suggested next year.

Jim Ford

Jim Ford said:

Thanks to all for the good advice. I'll probably take one of the options
suggested next year.

Note that Rab's suggestion of GNER will need reviewing, as the east
coast main franchise will be taken over by National Express in December
and we await to see what that means for prices and services.
Since GNER have abandoned ship because they were losing too much money,
one imagines that for NE to find it attractive then they presumably see
more money coming in from somewhere... Fingers crossed that NE do a
good job, we've been very happy with GNER when we've used them.

Whatever, I think I'd sooner throw money at it than drive, unless you'll
be up for a few days and want road mobility too. Aside from the cost of
the petrol it will take effectively a whole day each way and afford even
less sleep possibilities than the bus.

Pete.
--
Peter Clinch Medical Physics IT Officer
Tel 44 1382 660111 ext. 33637 Univ. of Dundee, Ninewells Hospital
Fax 44 1382 640177 Dundee DD1 9SY Scotland UK
net [email hidden] http://www.dundee.ac.uk/~pjclinch/

Peter Clinch said:

Whatever, I think I'd sooner throw money at it than drive, unless you'll
be up for a few days and want road mobility too. Aside from the cost of
the petrol it will take effectively a whole day each way and afford even
less sleep possibilities than the bus.

I've driven up to Aviemore for many years now. It is a long way, but
keeping a look out for speed cameras I've always managed to do it in
well under 8 hours (once _much_ less - 140mph showing on the speedo on
a stretch of the M74!). With a bit of pottering around, the round trip
costs about £120 in fuel. It is nice to have the freedom of the car -
but also a worry when leaving it for a few days whilst in the hills.
Last week 2 cars were broken into at Tullochgrue on Rothiemurchus.

Jim Ford

Peter Clinch said:

Whatever, I think I'd sooner throw money at it than drive, unless you'll
be up for a few days and want road mobility too. Aside from the cost of
the petrol it will take effectively a whole day each way and afford even
less sleep possibilities than the bus.

There are tales of a group of four climbers that used to pile into a
car in London after work if they heard Ben Nevis was in condition and
drive through the night changing drivers regularly to get some sleep
in before hitting The North Face first thing in the morning.
--
Phil Cook, last hill: Angletarn Pikes via Beda Fell.
http://www.p-t-cook.freeserve.co.uk/May07/martin9.htm

"Phil Cook" <[email hidden]> wrote in message
news:[email hidden]...

Quoted message said:

There are tales of a group of four climbers that used to pile into a
car in London after work if they heard Ben Nevis was in condition and
drive through the night changing drivers regularly to get some sleep
in before hitting The North Face first thing in the morning.

No tales - it's true. Mick Fowler is the man - and not only the Ben either
but much further north and west than that. Also credited with the one and
only winter ascent of Euston Station....(a waterpipe burst leaving a huge
icicle up one side of the Station - Mick climbed it in the dark, and the
next day it was gone, never to reappear)

"Gordon" <[email hidden]> wrote in message
news:[email hidden]...

Quoted message said:

"Phil Cook" <[email hidden]> wrote in message
news:[email hidden]...

Quoted message said:

There are tales of a group of four climbers that used to pile into a
car in London after work if they heard Ben Nevis was in condition and
drive through the night changing drivers regularly to get some sleep
in before hitting The North Face first thing in the morning.

No tales - it's true. Mick Fowler is the man - and not only the Ben either
but much further north and west than that. Also credited with the one and
only winter ascent of Euston Station....(a waterpipe burst leaving a huge
icicle up one side of the Station - Mick climbed it in the dark, and the
next day it was gone, never to reappear)

My memory's going - it was St Pancras.

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/health/main.jhtml?view=DETAILS&grid=P8&xml=/health/2005/07/11/hmick09.xml

I've tried an overnight National Express bus from London Victoria bus
station to Glasgow. It was hell - never again. Also, if you do try the
East coast GNER service make sure you book a seat - merely having a
ticket is insufficient to ensure that you will be able to sit down
unless you fancy sitting on the floor in the gangway like I did for
hours. Nobody can tell me why it isn't illegal for training companies
to cram people onto trains without sufficient seating provision, when
it is necessary to be seated and belted in cars, coaches and planes.

Dave

<[email hidden]> wrote in message
news:[email hidden]...

Quoted message said:

I've tried an overnight National Express bus from London Victoria bus
station to Glasgow. It was hell - never again. Also, if you do try the
East coast GNER service make sure you book a seat - merely having a
ticket is insufficient to ensure that you will be able to sit down
unless you fancy sitting on the floor in the gangway like I did for
hours. Nobody can tell me why it isn't illegal for training companies
to cram people onto trains without sufficient seating provision, when
it is necessary to be seated and belted in cars, coaches and planes.

Dave

Dave - you asked " Nobody can tell me why it isn't illegal "....

it is called capitalism, or "free enterprise". Neither free or
enterprising.....

Quoted message said:

Nobody can tell me why it isn't illegal for training companies
to cram people onto trains without sufficient seating provision, when
it is necessary to be seated and belted in cars, coaches and planes.

Compare and contrast the safety record of trains to motor
transport. Compare the possibilities of bumpy landings and
in-flight turbulence on an airliner to a train.

You might as well say it's ridiculous for coaches to operate
outside of rails that don't limit their ability to crash so easily.

Pete.
--
Peter Clinch Medical Physics IT Officer
Tel 44 1382 660111 ext. 33637 Univ. of Dundee, Ninewells Hospital
Fax 44 1382 640177 Dundee DD1 9SY Scotland UK
net [email hidden] http://www.dundee.ac.uk/~pjclinch/

In message <[email hidden]>

Rab C Nesbitt said:

<[email hidden]> wrote in message
news:[email hidden]...

Quoted message said:

I've tried an overnight National Express bus from London Victoria bus
station to Glasgow. It was hell - never again. Also, if you do try the
East coast GNER service make sure you book a seat - merely having a
ticket is insufficient to ensure that you will be able to sit down
unless you fancy sitting on the floor in the gangway like I did for
hours. Nobody can tell me why it isn't illegal for training companies
to cram people onto trains without sufficient seating provision, when
it is necessary to be seated and belted in cars, coaches and planes.

Quoted message said:

Dave - you asked " Nobody can tell me why it isn't illegal "....

Quoted message said:

it is called capitalism, or "free enterprise". Neither free or
enterprising.....

And in any case expecting seat belts on trains is health and safety
gone mad (again), and about on the level of expecting people on a
ferry to be wearing life jackets all the time.

--
Simon Challands

Peter Clinch said:

Quoted message said:

Nobody can tell me why it isn't illegal for training companies
to cram people onto trains without sufficient seating provision, when
it is necessary to be seated and belted in cars, coaches and planes.

Compare and contrast the safety record of trains to motor
transport. Compare the possibilities of bumpy landings and
in-flight turbulence on an airliner to a train.

Well, I don't believe that anybody considers safety when considering
the best method to get to the highlands. People's expectation are that
all methods are 'safe'. Also, when someone spends £100 on a train
ticket, I think they expect to have somewhere to sit!!.

Dave

On 25 Aug, 14:03, Simon Challands <[email hidden]>

Quoted message said:

In message <[email hidden]>

Rab C Nesbitt said:

<[email hidden]> wrote in message
news:[email hidden]...

Quoted message said:

I've tried an overnight National Express bus from London Victoria bus
station to Glasgow. It was hell - never again. Also, if you do try the
East coast GNER service make sure you book a seat - merely having a
ticket is insufficient to ensure that you will be able to sit down
unless you fancy sitting on the floor in the gangway like I did for
hours. Nobody can tell me why it isn't illegal for training companies
to cram people onto trains without sufficient seating provision, when
it is necessary to be seated and belted in cars, coaches and planes.

Dave - you asked " Nobody can tell me why it isn't illegal "....
it is called capitalism, or "free enterprise". Neither free or
enterprising.....

And in any case expecting seat belts on trains is health and safety
gone mad (again), and about on the level of expecting people on a
ferry to be wearing life jackets all the time.

I didnnt say that I thought trains should be fitted with seat belts.
All I ask for is a seat to park my bottom upon.
Regards,
Dave