Tag: bicycle

Environment, Travel

Meeting down south – two nights on the sleeper

Posted on by insightndes

Cheapest, most time effective and least stressful way to attend a meeting near Manchester in the south is using the Caledonian Sleeper. Travel while you sleep and no hotel needed.

It’s a sunny start.
It’s sunny all the way to Inverness
River Oykel
Beauty Firth
Coming into Inverness
And onto the sleeper

I go to sleep in the Highlands.

And I wake up near Birmingham.

I get off the sleeper at 0620 at Birmingham International.

Birmingham International

The only time a train was late on the trip was the train from Birmingham International to Birmingham New Street. I did not miss my next connection so no harm done. I eat my sleeper breakfast while waiting.

Birmingham New Street
More cloud in Birmingham than Scotland
Cheshire
Off at Warrington Bank Quay
A cycle to Warrington Central

Glad I had the bike with me.

On to my destination.

After a day of work I catch the train to Manchester, with a stop for food.

Manchester Piccadilly
Leaving Manchester

The train that I am on takes me down to Birmingham International where I wait for the sleeper which comes in at 2240. Then to bed and sleep.

To wake up in the Highlands.

I grab breakfast in Inverness.

Then it’s back to the north.

Through fields
The sea
Hills
And rivers

I chose to get off and on to the sleeper at Birmingham international rather than Crewe as I got an hours more sleep in both directions. I did have to travel further but this was preferable to getting off the sleeper really early and getting on really late.

Why is this cheaper than other methods of travel? I saved two hotel nights, no airport parking no miles in the car, no flights. Easy win.

My carbon footprint was far lower than if I had taken a flight.

And I was relaxed. I had an Ok sleep on the way down and a really good sleep on the way back.

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Travel

Bristol to the far north

Posted on by insightndes

The longest leg of the journey.

Bristol Tempelmead
Near Tewksbury
Change at Birmingham New Street

The trains became a bit chaotic as demonstrated by this notice.

The 2006 to Milton Keynes , which I had planned to take, was eventually cancelled. I caught the slower, local train to Birmingham International, but not before its platform was changed.

Heading to Birmingham International
Birmingham International

The Birmingham International station is clean and modern. I had an extended wait due to delays caused by a lorry damaging a bridge near Bedford. This is probably why the Milton Keynes train had been delayed. This was the first time that I caught the sleeper service from Birmingham International.

Modern notice boards

The notice boards showed the chaos caused by lorry.

I went down to the platform and worked out that my carriage was near the front of the train, so I moved to the correct end, having found out the direction of travel.

The arrival of the sleeper.

When I boarded, I was asked by a trainee Caledonian Sleeper host how I knew to be in the right place.

Straight to bed.

Waked up to breakfast in the Highlands.

River Garry.
Loch Insch
Near Inverness
Inverness Station

I had to wait for the rail replacement bus north. No trains due to work on the far north line. I took some photos from the bus.

Conan Bridge
Alness
Dornoch Firth
Near The Mound
Helmsdale
Beriedale
Near Latheron
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Travel

Didcot to Bristol

Posted on by insightndes

This was the shortest leg of my journey.

Glimpses of blue skies at Didcot
Cloudscape in Wiltshire
Bath
Bristol Tempelmeads

The cycle to the hotel of about a mile took an age due to traffic lights and traffic. Cars really hold cyclists up but not as much as they hold each other up.

Resisted the urge to cycle down the corridor.
Sunny view out of the hotel window.

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Tourism

Liverpool

Posted on by insightndes

I am staying at the Premier Inn at the Albert Docks, a brilliant location,

An amazing view of the Albert Docks, the Mersey and the nearby iconic buildings. The hotel is in a re-purposed warehouse.

The ceiling is vaulted.
The view keeps changing.

I didn’t just stay in my room, as wonderful as it was.

At the Prince’s Half Tide Dock
The new Everton FC stadium.

They’re sculptures and monuments near the Tide Dock.

The propeller from the Lusitania, torpedoed in the First World War.
Commemorating work horses in Liverpool.
Billy Fury
A view towards my hotel room.

For a day of sight seeing it is worth while getting a day saver ticket. Travel on trains, buses and the ferry.

The Wirral Line
Looking from the train towards the Tabaco Warehouse.
Looking from the train near Bootle.

Had a look around Crosby.

Turbines and Anthony Gormley Sculptures.
Looking towards Liverpool,

Back to the city centre and it’s time to take the Ferry Across the Mersey. With bike.

The ferry is a bit smoky.
Wallasey town hall

Crossed the Mersey and cycled to New Brighton.

Looking towards Crosby
Liverpool Docks from the other side of the Mersey.
Fort Perch Rock
Liverpool centre in the distance.

Cycled towards Birkenhead.

Birkenhead docks
Departing cruise ship.
The ferry.

And it’s back across on the ferry. A band boarded with their instruments, I assume to do a show on the ferry later.

Albert dock with the Anglican cathedral behind.
The Liver Birds.

Cycled a bit around Liverpool on return to the shore.

Visiting the largest Anglican cathedral, anywhere, I believe.

And then visited the Catholic cathedral.

Sunlight being caught on the uni buildings.
Looking between cathedrals.
Chinatown arch.

Liverpool is a vibrant, interesting city.

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Travel

To Liverpool

Posted on by insightndes
Leaving from central station
Crossing the Clyde in the rain.
Near Penrith
Lancaster
Change at Preston

Too much chat on the train to Liverpool Lime Street to take photos.

Liverpool Lime Street.
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Environment, Tourism, Travel

Glasgow

Posted on by insightndes
Glasgow from Queen‘s Park

I cycled in Glasgow and tried out the buses. Glasgow has some proper cycle lanes, separated from traffic. The drivers are polite and the cyclists obey the traffic lights.

Comprehensive bus service.

Crossing the Clyde

I visited the old Govan Church following a recommendation.

Old Govan church.

Fascinating old grave stones from 800 AD onwards are displayed in the church.

Person on horse
Hogsback
Casket

I had a proper explanation of the history of the kingdom of Strathclyde from the guide. A language close to Welsh was spoken here.

Meanwhile across the river.
Also in Govan.

Had to wait for the bus for a long time due to a Scotland international friendly messing up the buses.

Alley way near Queen‘s Park

There are some surprising places in Glasgow.

Finished the day with some food.

Lots of food options around.

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Tourism, Travel

To Glasgow

Posted on by insightndes
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Off from an overcast Caithness.
Thurso river under cloudy skies.
Ruin

The clouds give for atmospheric landscape views.

Loch an Ruathair
River Oykel
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Rushing along the Dornoch Firth.
Nearing Inverness.
Changed to the Glasgow train.
River Almond, near Perth.

Some blue sky started to appear.

Looking towards the river Esrn.
Dunblane
Crossing the River Forth at Stirling.
Arrived in Glasgow.

That was a seven and half hour journey. Arrived only slightly late.

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Tourism, Travel

To Chester

Posted on by insightndes
And I am off again.

I had a realisation on this trip that not all trains have luggage racks and not all trains have toilets.

Didcot to Chester involved four trains, which is strange as I only needed three trains from the far north to Didcot.

On the way to Oxford.
Changed at Oxford, no need to change platform.
Approaching Birmingham

Change again at Birmingham, the most confusing station that I have come across, not helped by poor signage. Slightly stressful due to a slight delay in arriving. Had to go to platform 4B . Was that a left or right turn at the bottom of the stairs? Guessed correctly as left.

Platform 4B Birmingham.

Accents a mixture of brummie and scouse on the train to Chester.

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Changed at Crewe.
On the way to Chester
Chester Station

Only a 1 minute 23 second bike ride from the station to the Premier Inn. Easy.

And even closer is the Shropshire Union Canal.

Had a little explore of Chester.

Near the Little Yellow Pig- Gostall Alley.

Chester is pretty with lots of interesting alleys.

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Travel

North to south

Posted on by insightndes

Another trip south by train, this time with bike. Arrived at the station to meet the train to Inverness. It was windy.

And sunny.

Very sunny.
Big blue sky with turbines in the distance.
Loch Fleet
River Oykel
Snow on the hills
Coming into Inverness

Getting on to the sleeper.

Breakfast
Solar panels next to the railway line.

The sleeper was not taking its normal route meaning it arrived 40minutes later than normal. Much of the extra time was spent manoeuvring through London.

Wembley stadium in the distance.

A ride through London taking 19 minutes to get from Euston to Paddington, five minutes of which was spent stationary at traffic lights.

Green Oxfordshire.
Didcot.

Oh dear, the English and Union Jack Flags being inappropriately displayed in Didcot. Very disrespectful! What can be more disrespectful than cheap Chinese made flags looking scrawny and scruffy.

From bright sunshine and blue skies in the far north to cloud in the south.

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