QUICK LINKS to our journeys around the UK :
Scotland (from North to South):
Inverness to Wick, The Western Isles , West Highland highlights…and tales , Knoydart , The East Coast and Deeside, Islay , Oban and Easdale , Perth, Central Scotland , Embra and Glesca , Rothesay and Dunoon ,Doon the Watter to Millport, Campbeltown , The Scottish borders , The Tweed Valley , Southwest Scotland
England (from North to South):
WALKSNortheast England And Scotland , Keswick , Pity Me to Chester and back for 50p , Furness , Bradford , Liverpool , Buxton , Shropshire , East Anglia 2021 , East Anglia 2025 , The Bus Trip , Trains and Beer in Essex (and a bit of Suffolk) , Kent , Wiltshire and Somerset , the South Coast , Cornwall and Devon
Isle of Man: Isle of Man
For a little background to our journeys, scroll down.
Journeys around the UK
A few times each year Ted and Steve take a few days to explore somewhere new, or places we haven’t been to for many years. The trips tend to revolve around scenery and beer and always involve using public transport. As well as the account of the trip we’ve included some useful practical information and, where relevant, a bit of train buffery. Click on the links for the blog of each journey.
Scotland:
The journeys currently included, listed from North to South, are:
Inverness to Wick a Far North trip by train and bus;
The Western Isles (pdf 2.5Mb) Steve and Ted’s trip by plane to Barra then by bus and ferry through the Uists and Harris to Stornoway and the Ness of Lewis, plus a second visit to the same area leading a tour group;
West Highland highlights….and tales from various visits to the West Highlands over many years;
Knoydart (pdf 501kb) A journey to Mallaig via the West Highland Railway and across to the remote Knoydart peninsula;
The East Coast and Deeside Two visits to the eastern side of Scotland, from Aberdeen and Deeside to Fife and Falkirk;
Islay a visit to the island of Islay, which then continued to Oban and Easdale ;
Perth and around, put together following regular visits to the area;
Central Scotland a photographic introduction to the area;
Embra and Glesca Day trips to Edinburgh and Glasgow – pub crawls round the best pubs in each city – plus some useful information;
Rothesay and Dunoon notes from a day trip to Bute and the Cowal peninsula;
Doon the Watter to Millport a day trip to the isle of Cumbrae;
Campbeltown notes from a short break to the Kintyre peninsula;
The Scottish borders a trip through the Borders from Biggar to Berwick upon Tweed;
The Tweed Valley Two further visits to the Borders, exploring the Tweed Valley from bases in Kelso and Melrose;
Southwest Scotland Four visits to southwest Scotland, taking in Dumfries and Galloway and South Ayrshire.
Scotland photos:Ted defending Eilean Donan Castle, Highlands, from all comers; At Fingal’s Cave, Isle of Staffa, Argyll and Bute; Ted in the arms of Wojtek, the Polish bear, in Duns, Scottish Borders; The Kelpies, Falkirk.
Wales:
Around North Wales A journey from Conwy to Llangollen taking in Yr Wyddfa (Snowdon), the Lleyn peninsula, Dolgellau, beer and narrow gauge steam railways. Updated 2024.
Anglesey, Bangor and Caernarfon Our visits to Anglesey and around from 2016 to 2023. Added 2024.
Around South Wales A visit to Cardiff, plus a few days exploring Pembrokeshire by train and bus.
Photo: Ted in Tenby, Pembrokeshire.
England :
The journeys and visits included here, from North and South are:
Keswick , A short break in the Lake District
Pity Me to Chester and back for 50p . A bus (and beer) trip across the North of England, taking advantage of my wrinkly bus pass;
Furness. A trip to Broughton in Furness, Cumbria, out via West Cumbria and back via Kirkby Lonsdale;
Bradford, a short break in Bradford, including visits to Skipton and Saltaire;
Liverpool ,photographs from a short visit to the city;
Buxton and the Peak District , a week based in Buxton, Derbyshire, exploring the area;
Shropshire , a journey to Bridgnorth and Bishop’s Castle in search of a strange railway and good beer;
East Anglia 2021 , A trip to Bury St. Edmunds, Ely and Norwich, visiting a pub or two;
East Anglia 2025 , A return visit to East Anglia, visiting Ely, Great Yarmouth, Lowestoft and Ipswich;
The Bus Trip (pdf 918kb) – a week long journey by local bus through the south of England from Dorset to East Anglia, via Shaftesbury, Swindon, Buckingham and Sudbury;
Trains and Beer in Essex (and a bit of Suffolk) – a wander round the branch lines and pubs of the area;
The Kent trip (pdf 880kb) by train and bus to Sheppey, Thanet, Canterbury, Dungeness plus Uckfield and Rye in Sussex;
Wiltshire and Somerset A wander round West Wiltshire and Somerset, based in Bradford on Avon and Wells;
Trains, boats and pubs on the South Coast A journey through Hampshire, Dorset and Devon, staying in Winchester, Swanage and Exmouth;
Cornwall and Devon A journey round the branch lines and the pubs;
England photos: A typical summer’s day in Weymouth, Dorset, England; Ted and Steve at Dungeness, Kent, England. After a paddle in the sea next to the nuclear power station Ted is growing by the minute, and Steve’s brain is escaping from his left ear; Sheerness, Kent, England – the photo says it all.
Isle of Man:
Isle of Man – highlights and photographs from four visits to the Isle of Man.
Walks
Prior to my old age and its mobility problems my walks with Ted were mainly in Northeast England, accessible from our base in Durham, plus a few while visiting Scotland. Some are coastal, others moorland or former railway lines. Most are relatively easy, and all involve a pub or two along the way. Brief descriptions of each walk are here:
WALKSNortheast England And Scotland (pdf 3.5Mb)
Go with Ted 