Tag: cycle

Environment, Travel

Weather warnings!

Posted on by insightndes

A journey to the south which almost didn’t happen. It’s Monday 5th February. The last train of the day from the far north already cancelled the previous day, in anticipation of bad weather. The early afternoon train also gets cancelled on the day, due to landslides on the Far North line. No trains from Inverness to Edinburgh due to flooding near Kingussie. All looking bleak for a journey south.

This is the result of the rain forecast, the first yellow weather warning of the trip.

A lift to Inverness followed by a replacement bus to Edinburgh means I get to board the sleeper just before midnight. I am then woken up for breakfast at 0415 ready to get off at Crewe. Sleep deprivation!

More weather warnings: rain in South England, snow in mid to North England, snow in North Scotland, ready for the return trip.

Wet! At Didcot.

The cycle to Didcot on Thursday is wet, as is the ride across London from Paddington to Euston. My feet are soaked.

Outside the new Caledonian Sleeper guest lounge.

This is my first time in the Caledonian Sleeper guest lounge. Limited choice of food, but some is complimentary. A chance to change to dry footwear and use the toilet. There is also speedy boarding passes, making getting on the sleeper far easier. A big plus.

I wake up to have breakfast in the snowy Highlands.
Carrbridge
Arrived on time in Inverness.

On with the journey on the far north line, which appears to be running. There are more snowy views.

Lairg
Rogart
The sea near Helmsdale is wild.
Snowy flow country
Thurso River

Despite the multiple weather warnings the trip back is without issue.

0
Travel

Frosty Elgin-Inverness-Far north

Posted on by insightndes

A beautiful frosty day.

Elgin Cathedral

At Elgin station there was no sign of the 1236 train to Inverness on the displays and confusingly the ScotRail app showed the train already at Forres. It turns out that the train shuttles back and forth between Elgin and Inverness.

The Inverness train arriving at Elgin from Inverness .
A sunny but frosty day
Arriving at Inverness
The frosty journey continues from Inverness
Frost covered tree at Lairg
Sun has set and the windows are dirty
0
Travel

Edinburgh-Aberdeen-Elgin

Posted on by insightndes
The racks on the Edinburgh trams being put to good use.
Setting off from Haymarket
Crossing the Forth
Yellow tinged Aberdeen station

A cold morning in Edinburgh, cold in Aberdeen and even colder in Elgin.

0
Travel

Far North to Didcot via Inverness, Aberdeen and London

Posted on by insightndes

A beautiful day in the far north of Scotland as I set off.

The Flow Country
Snow on some of the hills
Bright and sunny
Frost still on one side of the valley

Arrived in Inverness in the dark- took the train to Aberdeen to catch the sleeper service there as no cabins available on the service from Aberdeen.

Breakfast on the sleeper at Rugby
Arrived to a grey day at Euston
Made it to Paddington just after eight.

Each time I come to London the traffic flows a bit better and the air tastes better. ULEZ doing its job.

0
Environment, Travel

Kings Cross to the Far North

Posted on by insightndes
Stayed at the Hub by Premier Inn at Kings Cross. Small but perfectly fine.
The room has a Brompton drawer.
First time of traveling from London to the Far North on daytime trains, starting at Kings Cross.
Passing through Durham.
And Newcastle.
Berwick
Change at Edinburgh. It’s busy.
On my way again.
Murrayfield
Edinburgh tram
Second change in Inverness
Beginning to darken.

A long day on the train. Scheduled times, 4:42 Kings Cross to Edinburgh, 3:35 Edinburgh to Inverness and the final leg 3:51. Distances 631km, 181 km and 130km. Trains getting slower as I travel north.

0
Environment, Travel

Didcot to Paddington plus ULEZ

Posted on by insightndes
Didcot Parkway
Crossing the Thames

Caught a long delayed train instead of the one that I was meant to catch so I thought I’d get to London early. But further delays due to signal issues resulted in long delays on the way into London. But got there in the end. The train was 47 mins late according to the announcements. I was only 20 mins late.

Anecdotally the ULEZ is a success. London smells better. The traffic moves more freely. Pollution has reduced in London and I wonder if the pollution outside London has reduced. Pollution rises into the atmosphere in London and then comes down in Oxfordshire. Has anyone measured this?

In last weeks election the Conservative Party made much of the ULEZ. Unfortunately the primacy of the car still exists for a lot of people and is considered a vote winner. To me health and the environment trumps-why do we still think that poisoning people is acceptable?

0
Travel

Poole to Didcot

Posted on by insightndes
Early start at Poole.
Back through the New Forest.
View of Southampton docks again
A fault with the train led to a quick change in Southampton
Basingstoke
Reading
View from the bike ride
0
Travel

Cholsey-Poole

Posted on by insightndes

It’s a sunny warm day for the cycle to Cholsey station. Two changes at Reading and then Basingstoke.

Cholsey Station
Reading Station
Basingstoke Station

The train from Basingstoke had ten carriages but only the front five going onto Poole. I made sure I got on the right half of the train.

Southampton
Southampton view of the docks
New Forrest
Poole Station

Lots of interesting things to see on this trip including a view of St Mary’s Stadium, a view of Southampton Port, the New Forrest and various Dorset coastal towns.

0
Travel

The far north to London in July

Posted on by insightndes
Setting off

A sunny but cool day for the trip on the far north line.

Train arriving

And then on to the Caledonian Sleeper at Inverness.

Dinner

All very civilised, dinner (overpriced) and breakfast in the buffet car.

Breakfast cuppa

This is a very effective way to get to London, set off at 1632 from Thurso, arrive in 0800, 30 minutes earlier than expected. There were meant to be delays due to engineering works.

Arrival at Euston

After leaving Euston station I encountered action by people dressed in orange tabards, who I believe were Just Stop Oil protestors. This did not affect me for two reasons. I was cycling and I was heading in the opposite direction to the blocked carriage way. Traffic stationary on the other side of the road. A minute later I spotted a single police car trying to make its way through the traffic. Then another few minutes on half a dozen police vans with sirens blaring. The vans were struggling to get through the stationary traffic so they crossed over to my side of the carriage way. All very exciting. Why did they not travel from the opposite direction in the first place ?

0