<?xml version="1.0" encoding="UTF-8"?><rss xmlns:dc="http://purl.org/dc/elements/1.1/" xmlns:content="http://purl.org/rss/1.0/modules/content/" xmlns:atom="http://www.w3.org/2005/Atom" version="2.0" xmlns:media="http://search.yahoo.com/mrss/"><channel><title><![CDATA[BusAbout]]></title><description><![CDATA[Travelling the UK on a bus pass]]></description><link>http://busabout.two-drifters.co.uk/</link><image><url>http://busabout.two-drifters.co.uk/favicon.png</url><title>BusAbout</title><link>http://busabout.two-drifters.co.uk/</link></image><generator>Ghost 5.38</generator><lastBuildDate>Wed, 13 May 2026 10:48:33 GMT</lastBuildDate><atom:link href="http://busabout.two-drifters.co.uk/rss/" rel="self" type="application/rss+xml"/><ttl>60</ttl><item><title><![CDATA[Day 7: Letting the train take the strain]]></title><description><![CDATA[<p>Well, all that&apos;s left to do is go back home.</p><!--kg-card-begin: markdown--><table>
<thead>
<tr>
<th>Depart</th>
<th>Time</th>
<th>Arrive</th>
<th>Time</th>
</tr>
</thead>
<tbody>
<tr>
<td>Carlise</td>
<td>09:49</td>
<td>Preston</td>
<td>11.01</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>Preston</td>
<td>11:17</td>
<td>Birmingham NS</td>
<td>12:50</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>Birmingham NS</td>
<td>13:04</td>
<td>Winchester</td>
<td>15:26</td>
</tr>
</tbody>
</table>
<p>Then the Blue Star 1 bus at 15:40 back home</p>
<!--kg-card-end: markdown--><p>Well you can</p>]]></description><link>http://busabout.two-drifters.co.uk/day-7-lettinmg-the-train-take-the-strain/</link><guid isPermaLink="false">640f28dbc5acc01814194324</guid><dc:creator><![CDATA[Brian Jones]]></dc:creator><pubDate>Tue, 10 Mar 2020 11:41:02 GMT</pubDate><media:content url="http://busabout.two-drifters.co.uk/content/images/2020/03/1050647-1.jpg" medium="image"/><content:encoded><![CDATA[<img src="http://busabout.two-drifters.co.uk/content/images/2020/03/1050647-1.jpg" alt="Day 7: Letting the train take the strain"><p>Well, all that&apos;s left to do is go back home.</p><!--kg-card-begin: markdown--><table>
<thead>
<tr>
<th>Depart</th>
<th>Time</th>
<th>Arrive</th>
<th>Time</th>
</tr>
</thead>
<tbody>
<tr>
<td>Carlise</td>
<td>09:49</td>
<td>Preston</td>
<td>11.01</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>Preston</td>
<td>11:17</td>
<td>Birmingham NS</td>
<td>12:50</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>Birmingham NS</td>
<td>13:04</td>
<td>Winchester</td>
<td>15:26</td>
</tr>
</tbody>
</table>
<p>Then the Blue Star 1 bus at 15:40 back home</p>
<!--kg-card-end: markdown--><p>Well you can guess not much chance for photos, especially since the trains are so packed but here&apos;s a couple from Carlisle:</p><figure class="kg-card kg-image-card"><img src="http://busabout.two-drifters.co.uk/content/images/2020/03/1050640.jpg" class="kg-image" alt="Day 7: Letting the train take the strain" loading="lazy"></figure><figure class="kg-card kg-image-card"><img src="http://busabout.two-drifters.co.uk/content/images/2020/03/1050642.jpg" class="kg-image" alt="Day 7: Letting the train take the strain" loading="lazy"></figure><p>And the Carlisle (to Manchester) train rocks in on time and despite not having picked up a coffee cart at Carlisle the thirsty crew get us into Preston just a couple of minutes late.The Birmingham train is waiting - good stuff. But not so good as it slowly loses time and pulls into New Street 10 minutes late. The leaves just 4 minutes to get across platforms. It&apos;s not desperate as there is another Winchester train inn an hour but we have a good reason for trying to make the correct train - if we get the later one the pub in Chandlers Ford may be closed!</p><p>Now a few years ago we visited Tokyo on the way to New Zealand. Liz had obviously remembered the subways there and she elbowed and barged her way across New Street that would make any Japanese journeyman proud. We made our connection. Despite an interesting and somewhat weird shunting manoeuvre at Didcot which involved the driver walking the length of the train to swap driving ends (and a notice over the Tannoy requesting passengers not to talk to him or delay him in any way) we made Winchester just a couple of minutes late.</p><p>Now if I wanted to enter a contest to place a bus route as far away from the train station as possible I&apos;d be hard pressed to beat Winchester and the Blue Star 1 route. Another hustle and bustle scurrying along surprisingly busy Sunday afternoon streets but we make it with 4 minutes to spare. And, as all week, the bus is on time.</p><p>Personally I think it a touch of class to breakfast in Carlisle and then have an afternoon pint in my local 300 miles away!</p><p></p>]]></content:encoded></item><item><title><![CDATA[Day 6: Mission Accomplished]]></title><description><![CDATA[<p>Well, amazingly we&apos;ve made it to Carlisle, our last real destination. And on schedule! Believe me, no one is more surprised than me!</p><p>But, the original idea was to see if we could actually make Scotland. So all that is left is to pop over the border and</p>]]></description><link>http://busabout.two-drifters.co.uk/mission-accomplished/</link><guid isPermaLink="false">640f28dbc5acc01814194323</guid><dc:creator><![CDATA[Brian Jones]]></dc:creator><pubDate>Sat, 07 Mar 2020 18:36:25 GMT</pubDate><media:content url="http://busabout.two-drifters.co.uk/content/images/2020/03/IMG_20200307_104814176.jpg" medium="image"/><content:encoded><![CDATA[<img src="http://busabout.two-drifters.co.uk/content/images/2020/03/IMG_20200307_104814176.jpg" alt="Day 6: Mission Accomplished"><p>Well, amazingly we&apos;ve made it to Carlisle, our last real destination. And on schedule! Believe me, no one is more surprised than me!</p><p>But, the original idea was to see if we could actually make Scotland. So all that is left is to pop over the border and we&apos;ve done it. Nearest place is Gretna, not Gretna Green but the outlet village almost directly on the river border.</p><p>It&apos;s wet, the bus we get is the slow one which tours the estates of Longton</p><figure class="kg-card kg-image-card"><img src="https://lh6.googleusercontent.com/5uXxozUVg8-Zn3_PuAieY9OOnkVwcKSeDOk6afb-5Hq-4lc4UlFIJjYgp_zJHiWKep9nggCHMobzoZSby1YCXgqYgQ2u3hckAg3aeWAYYTQCoESJveNdZ7w48yaITDLXHm2FBOvI" class="kg-image" alt="Day 6: Mission Accomplished" loading="lazy"></figure><p>It eventually gets there, we get the next bus back. It&apos;s too wet to walk down to the &quot;Scotland&quot; border sign so we content ourselves with a snap in the outlet village as proof. That&apos;s the cover photo.</p><p>Now comes the tricky bit, our bus passes don&apos;t work in Scotland, so can I negotiate with the driver to pay the minimal fare to the first stop in England and then get another, free, ticket into Carlisle? Not necessary, somehow Gretna outlet village is still within the English concessionary fare scheme. To get the punters there I suppose, but we&apos;ll settle for a free ride back.</p><p>Just 25 miles round trip, even taking the scenic route</p><figure class="kg-card kg-image-card"><img src="https://lh5.googleusercontent.com/ogpd3ZXpouh-TElSAYxwJMRDnm1VkeDy4pX2DslFv1cfdbICMYjHxzMEGen2u4lew2P0LRB6Bo3h5t_PdmPQYy7ceE4B4EIN5wv3UU0xT5ZsYRKVIADkla4HP20pAgVoJX7sKb9C" class="kg-image" alt="Day 6: Mission Accomplished" loading="lazy"></figure><p>Scotland: be there, done that, got the bus tickets.</p>]]></content:encoded></item><item><title><![CDATA[Day 5: Dales and Lakes]]></title><description><![CDATA[<p>You know the day is going to be &quot;alreet&quot; when you start it with a full Yorkshire breakfast!</p><p>The 580 went from directly outside the farm shop and cafe adjacent to our hotel. In a slight change of plan we caught the earlier bus which terminated at Settle</p>]]></description><link>http://busabout.two-drifters.co.uk/dales-and-lakes/</link><guid isPermaLink="false">640f28dbc5acc01814194322</guid><dc:creator><![CDATA[Brian Jones]]></dc:creator><pubDate>Sat, 07 Mar 2020 18:16:31 GMT</pubDate><media:content url="http://busabout.two-drifters.co.uk/content/images/2020/03/1050619.jpg" medium="image"/><content:encoded><![CDATA[<img src="http://busabout.two-drifters.co.uk/content/images/2020/03/1050619.jpg" alt="Day 5: Dales and Lakes"><p>You know the day is going to be &quot;alreet&quot; when you start it with a full Yorkshire breakfast!</p><p>The 580 went from directly outside the farm shop and cafe adjacent to our hotel. In a slight change of plan we caught the earlier bus which terminated at Settle but connected with our original proposed option an hour later. So a little mooch around the compact centre of Settle and time for a coffee.</p><p>Beautiful dales scenery impossible to catch from a bus window</p><figure class="kg-card kg-image-card"><img src="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/woBG2N4YBZVNwznJ32DCa2IWLTiNcj70-YnOQ0MOB45TiSzJ0g7etm60UUAokkg4tmnIxZ9G6vlBlvTTslEjz_aLEFDwzXGvzf2ksIpT8wC9WqrrK65FEkHQw3fxbwWuVR-TDjQc" class="kg-image" alt="Day 5: Dales and Lakes" loading="lazy"></figure><p>Onwards to Kirby Lonsdale. Now I&apos;d like more time here, it is a pretty village</p><figure class="kg-card kg-image-card"><img src="https://lh6.googleusercontent.com/EISYE5gXhFEqNIemw9hULXXkSQtZM8rsYnrBtp0dCCs9WRuOegtJrdL8Sp9ZA8JHqXNylX36hxX1Vh5UIojrXKv2_q_1_eX_CFu3VJG3b_p9xedpEOEpuh7EVCX5Obo5o6BINFrn" class="kg-image" alt="Day 5: Dales and Lakes" loading="lazy"></figure><p>and the brewery was open</p><figure class="kg-card kg-image-card"><img src="https://lh5.googleusercontent.com/AXPd-_9bb4cZcLwVR2uBlAF9Ps68BbltWsS-qrBUyxiypcu50WwzhsygR-WbwquA_oWVrwia0syEh1OgSbzRnwx9T-idNnF4cD0k_nZF6Flia67SbrG8OIkjNn9D4TsB_tR8hZvA" class="kg-image" alt="Day 5: Dales and Lakes" loading="lazy"></figure><p>But this was the one transfer that worried me most all trip. If we were late in and missed our connections there was no plan B, we wouldn&apos;t make Carlisle today.</p><p>No worries, we were on with enough time for me to ask a local hotel if I could use their facilities, and despite the labyrinth which took me ages to find it and the next bus being on time I still had time to do the necessary.</p><p>One discussion I had with someone prior to this trip was about whether it was right to use/abuse the bus pass for trips of this nature. Well, the 567 from Kirby Lonsdale to Kendal had just 2 other passengers. I hope that Liz and I doubling the numbers help keep the local service alive, particularly during the winter months when tourists are thin in the ground.</p><p>Not enough time in Kendal to do much more than explore the shopping precinct adjacent to the bus station, the bright day was still very cold so getting inside out of the wind was helpful.</p><figure class="kg-card kg-image-card"><img src="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/zNzN-EmRSGdH1prNbDHiwTfONsCrJnPTdk5XRGRMpktifzZWB2wyzaoHNpOYi5ncY8XfO8CkBWhEh1yWgzCzzf-z0QuAugYn5JbOFojW99P_5aWudU1pI65RgFCMe_iCJtLz2xaN" class="kg-image" alt="Day 5: Dales and Lakes" loading="lazy"></figure><p>Now if we thought the ride through the dales was picturesque, the top deck through the lakes trumped it. Again photos were nigh impossible</p><figure class="kg-card kg-image-card"><img src="https://lh4.googleusercontent.com/wd6SaCzE1T-XoIWfQgglxDqa-usuk2vqS7EgTDi-ymMY4ZvBR0e8LoqUiRhPCQIrj6TmwAh_TP6PIGxgoq3hFq69pHWdXmjUU4HtnAxy5D-8ofFKeJiFwdggzHQg_5IgygWnMyuy" class="kg-image" alt="Day 5: Dales and Lakes" loading="lazy"></figure><figure class="kg-card kg-image-card"><img src="https://lh6.googleusercontent.com/K5GuJXFJ86OQj8wTysE-_i9aaJ_5gPFDoxnPfw2s0Dm8KhIEeacjmJ4MfNgar_QjT14nomy7oSVtzSiV-Mm9com6BURleOcszn9PbsYt9xYfvs449lhD4AixJWaQnnuy5HchR4Dv" class="kg-image" alt="Day 5: Dales and Lakes" loading="lazy"></figure><figure class="kg-card kg-image-card"><img src="https://lh5.googleusercontent.com/-kO1VYufkpS_q4r4Z-rdg3wFLB9PtTsQBh-tuAhsp_udgOKhh6S1oPz-_vPYN3BDvTYbn8H8FeTeWP4_Z8mWSDDnJAP6PA0AusWkMYY9yztzW9ezAwiZVERIl3f8yxwAax49LuP-" class="kg-image" alt="Day 5: Dales and Lakes" loading="lazy"></figure><figure class="kg-card kg-image-card"><img src="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/DC5BuD_1ATVnfKc90n9s3HPmu80zTfUtM2zF_CFJlosLQRwHir_r9IOYF9dizRqNiDYssQbqUQtJM38dwNOBIE2aKTG-ebkyr3Q540sP2XQtng_NqXFp30_6sPg8rMeRH_SPr-W6" class="kg-image" alt="Day 5: Dales and Lakes" loading="lazy"></figure><figure class="kg-card kg-image-card"><img src="https://lh5.googleusercontent.com/8XFgwqgsm2BVl0fX_VaWrjTVAZtxEkh0zmZNUFpww0icZb2KowLUX-ZDNQrOuK7V5sTFZ7EdinMV9lhI5YqAkdDKH_0DTsgwVM5hy9k7q7O8EBN6yNaIdwfEs8FI0YuG6a2-cCMy" class="kg-image" alt="Day 5: Dales and Lakes" loading="lazy"></figure><figure class="kg-card kg-image-card"><img src="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/FN8TACJqCkIgJkxT_qEqWUjny8YOVn05FSPGKQPk1E4wwtZ_OSL3gKEs7UxiGqFx7BhZ-oyjw20vIUcnouJPw31WZyrL91-B40sF7yrboq2kEBh5pVgK8GQiuGT8pBWmeTKf243_" class="kg-image" alt="Day 5: Dales and Lakes" loading="lazy"></figure><figure class="kg-card kg-image-card"><img src="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/OO7tKtVyDfQbcmiGBdzcMAC-bUe06w-0SUheW488FBKn1gJfnmoUadv9oq3niI4GCWRCj3QJrlO48hYk8oEQKKm5M9ALCq4CUtCJKY7carFYNWz94ICwonf8wmsVK8eU_SN6ATWf" class="kg-image" alt="Day 5: Dales and Lakes" loading="lazy"></figure><p>The 554 service from Keswick to Carlisle only runs about every 4 hours so there was no way we could have got Keswick to connect with any service other than the last 17:30 one. So, 2 hours mooching around Keswick. Lots of outdoor clothing shops but other than some merino glove liners we weren&apos;t tempted.</p><p>Of course, the downside of such a late departure is the fact that pretty much all of the journey was in the dark. So we saw little of the top end of the lakes and it was very dark by the time we got to Wigton. Carlisle seems to deliberately have reduced street lighting so despite it being city centre we were navigating dark streets to our hotel.</p><p>Despite the cold, Friday night Wetherspoons was full of young women out for the evening without full winter wear!</p><p>103 very scenic miles today</p><figure class="kg-card kg-image-card"><img src="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/E2NqTT48vxnJF2Z_TiSJ3C5S3_wMmoL7A479M3bUnF14_NVvLcO_n-VvxpNAZmPHcz2FOWemR9oYtHVl5fcYuBHAmNivtf74i_UVW7ci6QWIC5s43DAyeR0GrYShHniWiAKMdIu4" class="kg-image" alt="Day 5: Dales and Lakes" loading="lazy"></figure>]]></content:encoded></item><item><title><![CDATA[Day 4: White Roses at that]]></title><description><![CDATA[<p>It&apos;s a cold start. Still the hotel is adjacent to Derby bus station. And the Chesterfield bus is bang on time</p><figure class="kg-card kg-image-card"><img src="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/1iizbtNloISmHtLYY2KlBvUmx_JO4-znV0jFZKsYdQMQHR2QW8ev4Q9_TIe-F_Fu6cN7FZCMyR9nsu8ncvpvqc6SBTmZ5gNvvos8QBJ40t1Yf39qbWryXzczkBgoeDcCJUKpBWlC" class="kg-image" alt loading="lazy"></figure><p>A pleasant ride through Derby&apos;s former mining communities, Ripley, Alftreton, Clay Cross etc. And you can see the heritage in the people, stocky, well-built men</p>]]></description><link>http://busabout.two-drifters.co.uk/oop-north/</link><guid isPermaLink="false">640f28dbc5acc01814194321</guid><dc:creator><![CDATA[Brian Jones]]></dc:creator><pubDate>Fri, 06 Mar 2020 22:58:13 GMT</pubDate><media:content url="http://busabout.two-drifters.co.uk/content/images/2020/03/101-1017647_clipart-big-image-png-yorkshire-rose-vector-free.png" medium="image"/><content:encoded><![CDATA[<img src="http://busabout.two-drifters.co.uk/content/images/2020/03/101-1017647_clipart-big-image-png-yorkshire-rose-vector-free.png" alt="Day 4: White Roses at that"><p>It&apos;s a cold start. Still the hotel is adjacent to Derby bus station. And the Chesterfield bus is bang on time</p><figure class="kg-card kg-image-card"><img src="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/1iizbtNloISmHtLYY2KlBvUmx_JO4-znV0jFZKsYdQMQHR2QW8ev4Q9_TIe-F_Fu6cN7FZCMyR9nsu8ncvpvqc6SBTmZ5gNvvos8QBJ40t1Yf39qbWryXzczkBgoeDcCJUKpBWlC" class="kg-image" alt="Day 4: White Roses at that" loading="lazy"></figure><p>A pleasant ride through Derby&apos;s former mining communities, Ripley, Alftreton, Clay Cross etc. And you can see the heritage in the people, stocky, well-built men with faces of leather and accents just a tad less rounded than their city counterparts.</p><p>Despite the sun coming out there are no real photo opportunities, just a pleasant meander on roads new to us. Still we pull into Chesterfield almost on time, just a couple of minutes late.</p><p>30 minutes wait here, so a quick mooch and toilet break in the small shopping centre adjacent. Mainly to escape the cold wind. We get back to the bus stop 10 minutes early and the bus is ready and waiting.</p><figure class="kg-card kg-image-card"><img src="https://lh5.googleusercontent.com/4nnm_mukYp7a5UDvQYCYpZGUxn0lU02xkbjJomn93N7caymeG67ZcLicZn4WvHY17iAkXqBUtZkgAnbagNcpugOk4S3_VzHgKClFcNG4gZ-2gjuBlxQjd_ECixTUgyS8OOZmMmy1" class="kg-image" alt="Day 4: White Roses at that" loading="lazy"></figure><p>Yes, the hood was needed!</p><p>Onwards, to the real North. Sheffield with this bit of street art</p><figure class="kg-card kg-image-card"><img src="https://lh6.googleusercontent.com/1oQDd98MLEmTXv1BSQ7rDoS38Z5Smw1vK1mRKH4cdGpYpioXvzY2kdSyUzp2R5KZcAE4n3u86Y4qo4E-yA3-_M-rI1XJJHn8jGAHKvSt8qxpJtBhs_vfIK1kYaH4XClSYbpbaF34" class="kg-image" alt="Day 4: White Roses at that" loading="lazy"></figure><p>To be honest there were others and better but it&apos;s not easy from a bus!</p><p>But Sheffield is not real North. How about Barnsley? We didn&apos;t see anything of the town, which I&apos;ll always associate with Kes, but moved quickly on at the interchange to catch the bus to proper North - Leeds!</p><p>One thing I hadn&apos;t expected was to be sat on a regular bus overtaking lorries on the motorway! Both the bus to Barnsley and the one on to Leeds used the M1 as part of the route.</p><p>Leeds will be a nice city when it&apos;s finished. Road works are making the city centre a real mess and our onward bus requires a bit of a hike through Kirkland market, up the shopping area, past Harvey Nicks to the theatre area. We&apos;ve a little wait so we pop into a hotel bar advertising afternoon tea or coffee and cake for that special occasion. So we were a tad nonplussed when the request for two coffees came back with the reply &quot;Instant alright?&quot;. Two halves of mediocre but local beer later we find the bus waiting</p><figure class="kg-card kg-image-card"><img src="https://lh6.googleusercontent.com/pkYzFVfwC5rFJHP5OdzZZZ3qhIFWJ5jPNYx1c1iIp_aB8nJk4w3iqwYqBvCcC7AwtnjUrsBb_AzRukRr8sDUMpfcPNBsskd7MVqcmhj2ozgraXzbVZPaYllzkPFVwEhO0JssXhVa" class="kg-image" alt="Day 4: White Roses at that" loading="lazy"></figure><p>Boy, is it tedious getting out of Leeds to Headingley and beyond! Stop/start traffic all the way. But Otley looks well worth a visit sometime. The bus had a heating problem, the heating fan was very noisy; so it was distinctly chilly by the time we got to Ilkley. Despite my ears feeling the cold, tradition dictated the time was not right for putting my hat on!</p><p>Remember that tedious stop/start our of Leeds? It was amazing that the bus rocked into Skipton dead on time, despite detouring to every village en route.</p><p>A quick taxi ride to the Holiday Inn on the outskirts (we&apos;d have walked but it was quite chilly, and uphill!) and then bus back to town.</p><p>The Early Hours micropub shuts at 8 so a quick pre-prandial pint there before the obligatory birthday dinner. Liz will hate me for this photo because she doesn&apos;t look happy (she was, honestly) but the one with her smiling has an horrid colour balance</p><figure class="kg-card kg-image-card"><img src="https://lh5.googleusercontent.com/hu3wtd_X4WhXf8jI-OYlN6X5YtXqTBNJwSf_KqIcsmjlL1LaUsSyS_837OJAv5G8VHiU23ymq0i7_xambf5lOpXgd9DJN7VhgblRr22HAbUaFIrDsWNqYfD_euzeQ38SzvtQMTEQ" class="kg-image" alt="Day 4: White Roses at that" loading="lazy"></figure><p>Both food and wine were excellent!</p><p>Happy Birthday Liz!</p><p>Here&apos;s the 96 miles</p><figure class="kg-card kg-image-card"><img src="https://lh6.googleusercontent.com/ZCTrKwPyEMrtTsGEvcd2SOy-4jZDdDe8JBK-0UaQL_uYpSIfrR6OYrmeRqf2wexik2c7fw6gWunifHlf9QjcUK6X5lNoqE3HisDVjhLu-RF71OcbwHy5iW0n5xqqAXaIOCsCSEF9" class="kg-image" alt="Day 4: White Roses at that" loading="lazy"></figure>]]></content:encoded></item><item><title><![CDATA[Day 3: Roses]]></title><description><![CDATA[<p>A deliberate break today. The plan is to explore Leicester, in particular the Richard III visitors&apos; centre which has been built over the carpark, which was built over the school, which was built over the house, which was built over the friary which housed his remains.</p><p>Let&apos;s</p>]]></description><link>http://busabout.two-drifters.co.uk/roses/</link><guid isPermaLink="false">640f28dbc5acc01814194320</guid><dc:creator><![CDATA[Brian Jones]]></dc:creator><pubDate>Wed, 04 Mar 2020 22:30:06 GMT</pubDate><media:content url="http://busabout.two-drifters.co.uk/content/images/2020/03/1050590.jpg" medium="image"/><content:encoded><![CDATA[<img src="http://busabout.two-drifters.co.uk/content/images/2020/03/1050590.jpg" alt="Day 3: Roses"><p>A deliberate break today. The plan is to explore Leicester, in particular the Richard III visitors&apos; centre which has been built over the carpark, which was built over the school, which was built over the house, which was built over the friary which housed his remains.</p><p>Let&apos;s start off with a statue to the man outside the cathedral, which now houses the remains (which were found under the friary, which was under the school, which was under the &#x2026;, I&apos;m sure you get the gist)</p><figure class="kg-card kg-image-card"><img src="https://lh4.googleusercontent.com/rbN_ToMY-jy_KmJu-YKLQgkztdaZJq9gmel3aVlCl-37I5tm63tgU746cxnBKurO2KoRyM3eteZeI0MnenmeCFkZZq-m2dlyvjK0sEymjf4M0O0SOi5auD8TtWbGF0PzL8JxNJW8" class="kg-image" alt="Day 3: Roses" loading="lazy"></figure><p>The visitors&apos; centre is done well, lots of multimedia stuff but still way too much to read. It doesn&apos;t help we&apos;ve coincided with a local peak in tourist traffic, including a bemasked Chinese contingency. It is surprisingly busy. Part of the exhibition tries to succinctly explain the War of the Roses, something in my opinion that is far too complicated to ever be explained succinctly.</p><p>But the real story is the research and archaeology behind the dig and then the science behind verifying the remains are, beyond reasonable doubt, those of the long lost king. Fascinating. The story is well worth the entrance price</p><p>Onwards, across the road to the cathedral</p><figure class="kg-card kg-image-card"><img src="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/rxz6fdmW_43vt3MZb1AqCWU-97jWygPvYfBtQfBXOpNXnN83X-mL_r_VpK9C6lIPUT_UHJHXtrsSmZsBYiugm0m79QXBaKDDIS5DBVLHTvgdeqB5Ip5YKDT18pBIjgNECxmlI8ZD" class="kg-image" alt="Day 3: Roses" loading="lazy"></figure><p>and the tomb itself</p><figure class="kg-card kg-image-card"><img src="https://lh6.googleusercontent.com/X4QyTr83HNchJx5teReP42GHBzvfmBou9M1kLLGyIxvMvyWfnFKMmgQu0pbjiPulMRp4p5ai3KIjEigevx0Z4FLaEQxBuQzEaV0FNb59NQ0a2BfLCvgSnM6zkCKhUjuCFyFNZEHK" class="kg-image" alt="Day 3: Roses" loading="lazy"></figure><p>The cathedral is heavily focused on the tomb. To be honest it&apos;s because it has little else going for it. Pleasant enough, some nice carvings</p><figure class="kg-card kg-image-card"><img src="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/Ik7ENReGoqOEP0fSf12GC_-091WR4mept5usQlf2zquwWrB81iq1R6qIAv1fVCliNYnxXHYmvQdAIAqsXM0l6hXa-W6yS64Qa2ojIDdxmVNXVxB-1-n1hbhbehAhI8zfN7_nd-Vq" class="kg-image" alt="Day 3: Roses" loading="lazy"></figure><p>and ceiling bosses</p><figure class="kg-card kg-image-card"><img src="https://lh5.googleusercontent.com/F_RTUjwVbFBch4xOeYTvFDHH5AnrGCLst4rDS6FB_LPl-Pf8PdbA4X5uVMypWYrIhmDVg75BTQCCwvmhcrUzjCXtYsqlUzo24sVlvN-mjqNoJQ-7I7tu3d2dBSDAYbDGYTtJQMKM" class="kg-image" alt="Day 3: Roses" loading="lazy"></figure><p>and new stained glass dedicated to Richard</p><figure class="kg-card kg-image-card"><img src="https://lh5.googleusercontent.com/4FgULPB0D1gFgB8MMXM_kRr5CwVyG3EGseCE-_2ozF93KHnH6i4Hq0kE1MiWUJioip4ivRgKsFPymavvcUuRtCVHOuDjaREwfd8m4BxE93H0NTEVb1mYKwWYOzfdiwvzqDIrJhr6" class="kg-image" alt="Day 3: Roses" loading="lazy"></figure><p>but little else outstanding</p><p>Back to the hotel to collect our bags before the rain. We pass this suffragette, Alice Hawkins, amusingly outside the food hall, so perhaps she was doing the weekly shop</p><figure class="kg-card kg-image-card"><img src="https://lh6.googleusercontent.com/381rN7SMpQBIcYVTB2-pU_NEVA5F3e6P3DSopthxUBv8nQsZ3DtpMzqzVFw_e92bGOFqJmLRKWRGTaD_bE1I8HA1QIQJ9Q-pVyTSNEAaNHZclBKqhyWPSgmTkKAcrBi6_Tr0UUi5" class="kg-image" alt="Day 3: Roses" loading="lazy"></figure><p>We fail to avoid the rain and are quite wet as we alight the Skylink. Still we&apos;re a couple of hours ahead of schedule so should make Derby in good time.</p><p>The journey up through Loughborough and on to the East Midlands Airport is pleasant, more than enough scenery to distract me from blogging or reading.</p><figure class="kg-card kg-image-card"><img src="https://lh4.googleusercontent.com/xL7k9keUQJwis_RtD-s6jM2YOsvV2uPZlOHMNZl9v2VeC3DP_r1CXH85JyKdQTq6xdYmd2tUJXvfVYpFzOzP7jx-Q4kUo27c1djXVlVCCffXUAD69uCSGWHqucw9h6JZ28jXAsVh" class="kg-image" alt="Day 3: Roses" loading="lazy"></figure><p>Beers a plenty this evening as we sample just three of Derby&apos;s many excellent alehouses. Still two brewery taps and the area pub of the year isn&apos;t a bad evening&apos;s pub crawl.</p><p>Here&apos;s today&apos;s 33 miles, all on the one bus</p><figure class="kg-card kg-image-card"><img src="https://lh6.googleusercontent.com/TF2qQ5cVnTqMLFHIYDI0lACDxlutExCvS6tiO5A9RrkNxcBtCM1gjNLqaXYBrm-Ujqow1xvk75dyHoMeiWwQRMY6o2xhkLkGsUQmJMqM12rdcmgpcPD5RM7_j_Cwv84ODnrjj_gW" class="kg-image" alt="Day 3: Roses" loading="lazy"></figure>]]></content:encoded></item><item><title><![CDATA[Evening 2: Drinkers' Leicester]]></title><description><![CDATA[<p>No trip to Leicester ought really miss an Everard&apos;s pub. The CAMRA Good Beer Guide suggests The Globe which dates back to 1720. It&apos;s only a few minutes (cold) walk from the hotel and obviously a popular pub for a meal after work. Good range of</p>]]></description><link>http://busabout.two-drifters.co.uk/drinkers-leicester/</link><guid isPermaLink="false">640f28dbc5acc0181419431f</guid><dc:creator><![CDATA[Brian Jones]]></dc:creator><pubDate>Wed, 04 Mar 2020 19:11:19 GMT</pubDate><media:content url="http://busabout.two-drifters.co.uk/content/images/2020/03/IMG_20200303_202514195.jpg" medium="image"/><content:encoded><![CDATA[<img src="http://busabout.two-drifters.co.uk/content/images/2020/03/IMG_20200303_202514195.jpg" alt="Evening 2: Drinkers&apos; Leicester"><p>No trip to Leicester ought really miss an Everard&apos;s pub. The CAMRA Good Beer Guide suggests The Globe which dates back to 1720. It&apos;s only a few minutes (cold) walk from the hotel and obviously a popular pub for a meal after work. Good range of beers</p><figure class="kg-card kg-image-card"><img src="https://lh6.googleusercontent.com/TObS6HK3yHi7wOg4iWFZuQCU_0p0YSojFUHABxPisuRVjgVhv7X7etb2qB_PoWnQmzfuyBUYpYh6HawE47FEcGi3FEuTUVepsnDW2TBbEPph_8FTcnCM0VA1P_YpAOh87Y-eeqfO" class="kg-image" alt="Evening 2: Drinkers&apos; Leicester" loading="lazy"></figure><p>Food was good too. Typical but good pub grub done better than many, and reasonably priced.</p><p>Leicester pub scene seems pretty vibrant but The Blue Boar just a 100m or so away seems an obvious pick for a choice of real ale from smaller brewers. I wonder why it had just won Leicester CAMRA&apos;s city pub of the year for the third year running?</p><figure class="kg-card kg-image-card"><img src="https://lh6.googleusercontent.com/KByqBdqyyIUr_FMZqqCbuWvQXIVk2i-JfKC12obnFAZVpagYHXzxGKTtD4UwsVI3k3Vp4teaW5hoMnGbg_OYK44Ck2kHDtUXg0YjfRYlXKsckGu-bXGUXvHB8s5z8U3DLESDi-Cn" class="kg-image" alt="Evening 2: Drinkers&apos; Leicester" loading="lazy"></figure><p>For the actual hand pumps see the cover image of this post. The barman is both welcoming and knowledgeable but with such a good range of dark beers we need little help choosing. Prices are good too, their basic beers are just &#xA3;3.30 a pint.</p><p>We stay for a second (well, fourth for me since I&apos;m drinking halves). I would liked to have sneaked in a swift half of that Dubbel but a couple of the locals are, if not exactly drunk, in their cups.We try to avoid conversation but inevitably get sucked in. I&apos;m OK(ish) but Liz is always uncomfortable in these situations, and anyway we&apos;ve had enough really. Let&apos;s leave before the conversation turns to politics!</p>]]></content:encoded></item><item><title><![CDATA[Afternoon 2: Reconciliation not Retribution]]></title><description><![CDATA[<p>I was probably 9 or 10 when I first read (probably in Look and Learn) about Coventry Cathedral and how, despite the city and the cathedral itself being firebombed to the ground in 1941, the cathedral had become internationally renowned for its peace efforts. Scroll forward a few years to</p>]]></description><link>http://busabout.two-drifters.co.uk/reconciliation/</link><guid isPermaLink="false">640f28dbc5acc0181419431e</guid><dc:creator><![CDATA[Brian Jones]]></dc:creator><pubDate>Wed, 04 Mar 2020 18:21:14 GMT</pubDate><media:content url="http://busabout.two-drifters.co.uk/content/images/2020/03/1050542-1.jpg" medium="image"/><content:encoded><![CDATA[<img src="http://busabout.two-drifters.co.uk/content/images/2020/03/1050542-1.jpg" alt="Afternoon 2: Reconciliation not Retribution"><p>I was probably 9 or 10 when I first read (probably in Look and Learn) about Coventry Cathedral and how, despite the city and the cathedral itself being firebombed to the ground in 1941, the cathedral had become internationally renowned for its peace efforts. Scroll forward a few years to late teens spent in the shadow of the Vietnam war and the naivety of John Lennon politics and Coventry Cathedral became a place I had always wanted to pilgrimage to. Something that become even more of a priority after visiting Dresden a couple of years ago.</p><p>It&apos;s taken more than 50 years to get here!</p><figure class="kg-card kg-image-card"><img src="https://lh4.googleusercontent.com/ZhQrM7U5qYiKhBRZArGNAu_NthMia491ER5xOND2x9lmm7eqJObQGQoNtb6CouvY4opWafBO3cvRnu6wPIE5QzgbSd2QOx85PaCrPNkmxj_ci3wbZPREwFIMzzu7wXUtMkEOdkkX" class="kg-image" alt="Afternoon 2: Reconciliation not Retribution" loading="lazy"></figure><figure class="kg-card kg-image-card"><img src="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/EJPjUCiluroVdRZa-mXLU_JrCOLL3hz30K0l9NAvepQZwO5DkiTpCCN8Or_cQtbj62XRygkxwaESSdKJGmI4ptIIMVKjvdyO_YBAmQuaFBoeASgTEkPRoKT0V5J30M70-tzwIgZM" class="kg-image" alt="Afternoon 2: Reconciliation not Retribution" loading="lazy"></figure><figure class="kg-card kg-image-card"><img src="https://lh5.googleusercontent.com/P0HamDRMVRwVNJhH80a75KfBDTxC48hWJQ2VgSMYZvMhm_jmvZ-a5-P6OJhCA8rMvdMMyokJSz0t9nw3SJndJNF2px4ikMMKrbemwQ5Mk9d2WvpVFGTIaqPkoPhWXSH356J0Tlv6" class="kg-image" alt="Afternoon 2: Reconciliation not Retribution" loading="lazy"></figure><figure class="kg-card kg-image-card"><img src="https://lh6.googleusercontent.com/xPmYC0Lv_vfuHKYhobvRVPavtqTAm8KY5YviWyfGkdUEXuUISDijsPynskbUH6i_zLVKrpxfmQTmW73GJTS40-DqGDT68n5fDhO7ksja-ts3r2_REx3NG48ZX6wPEyUFTmrj6bxZ" class="kg-image" alt="Afternoon 2: Reconciliation not Retribution" loading="lazy"></figure><figure class="kg-card kg-image-card"><img src="https://lh6.googleusercontent.com/XbxnE3_T7TWe9i5P6cCmiu98nr8namJjmPNdicu7tzfMiFQF4V9yc6HimSsLLe4CGPaWi4nAbNhU4Ex8G0vbH9VRjrihxbrzwU_WT8lJo1NR-Jmyv19ZQpeKv61cpM-KETM9P4bp" class="kg-image" alt="Afternoon 2: Reconciliation not Retribution" loading="lazy"></figure><p>The remains of the old cathedral are poignant and the statues evocative. A very moving experience.</p><p>The new building is all about light</p><figure class="kg-card kg-image-card"><img src="https://lh4.googleusercontent.com/fXVzFf7txgBp1YqmqLFXvjuBqWojKcV_AbYTxJBnuiPrd2q7P6GfJ4xwkVGrRX3Q1Jyt7-diSMYzluP0XvEsED7PLkFFqd6zH0TJJs7rWhRjxHaDoeW0f-ZAqTyKwXnKEL5_sEZB" class="kg-image" alt="Afternoon 2: Reconciliation not Retribution" loading="lazy"></figure><p>And modernity</p><figure class="kg-card kg-image-card"><img src="https://lh5.googleusercontent.com/oztVZPfdUHAs2sF68zzUuk-u5IFikU1Cb5AtKVz6wPP7pyGpT_y8sBGhMgjvE1qy4NePvdzqgriosSJLu1w3e-AiML9avf02VsFrKR74ZXR_PVZmKwkiNbsstDg_jPjXJnPruT2c" class="kg-image" alt="Afternoon 2: Reconciliation not Retribution" loading="lazy"></figure><figure class="kg-card kg-image-card"><img src="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/pg2PpyxVNrT7K9_qO4V-JgWRHpsGauxcTkgd9kTxkwn5ySqZparSbA1nmwbRg8AmzxAtSAB5AvWNraizgkaJcoF-yvjvPGIutbWQY0hOMeDwdkM1NQCarMOdJ51q6UdkHxnJtBJl" class="kg-image" alt="Afternoon 2: Reconciliation not Retribution" loading="lazy"></figure><p>Although even here there are echoes of the past</p><figure class="kg-card kg-image-card"><img src="https://lh4.googleusercontent.com/eJQ3xqdI7ZDD_wVTFgkayKKy4_dZO5t4F1G1b0M6ue-6sNNz_yWqs5fhVeqkCh0F8IGFbxRcnVJy4_B-WBzG9IMClQD_Xx-v1XkljhECdyDbn7v6-KWpiOX-_B-A-_gjbinfUiIc" class="kg-image" alt="Afternoon 2: Reconciliation not Retribution" loading="lazy"></figure><figure class="kg-card kg-image-card"><img src="https://lh5.googleusercontent.com/--j81La9FKgGXNlIr43R92xEV0P0THC4LMZTADwbrrmJsAZeBx_pjTUMv3-Yr2e_radS-uCQhMw6rRtmOHORsYEv9X905OoH7FjOciQlQ608ZewK5oTXw9U5T3znQN7KFvL0hO_p" class="kg-image" alt="Afternoon 2: Reconciliation not Retribution" loading="lazy"></figure><p>Now I know this is a house of God, and a house of Christian worship but I couldn&apos;t but help thinking that an opportunity had been missed. Everywhere were the inevitable Bible quotes but wouldn&apos;t it have been wonderful if these could have been toned down and, in many places, replaced by simple, non-denominational, non-religious messages of peace. To bring people of all faiths and none to a common goal of reconciliation rather than retribution.</p><figure class="kg-card kg-image-card"><img src="https://lh5.googleusercontent.com/M6S9_sWx-AomA8mReaUS0njkai7_7__kEbVu2I8qaefonFg6xKVHjVlfatuWx9r1--BNA5fJ_ZU-eNpepF97aRQaKExouSfF4Oj12T0PeSX5_ryZmaHkyM7szJKGqD1rv5orEwkh" class="kg-image" alt="Afternoon 2: Reconciliation not Retribution" loading="lazy"></figure><p>All we are saying, is &quot;Give peace a chance&quot;</p>]]></content:encoded></item><item><title><![CDATA[Day2: The Midland Heartlands]]></title><description><![CDATA[<p>Before catching the bus let&apos;s finish the Tewkesbury photoshoot. </p><p>The flooding has apparently subsided significantly but it still looks bad to me</p><figure class="kg-card kg-image-card"><img src="https://lh5.googleusercontent.com/U1OFCXnL8NfE0DSSm3Neu3ICD5Yu2yyWOm0BxVam3fDxs39MHmYbEdxa2TmiPSixpciRWMgUFVXzpyQ577f-IuAAuwmA90DnKtAu7riWYzzuEJMmaWF2HNLCiWaUxeAesFU3YSft" class="kg-image" alt loading="lazy"></figure><p>Saddening to walk down small side roads with doors barricaded by sandbags</p><p>And, of course, a photo of the abbey must be mandatory for every visit</p>]]></description><link>http://busabout.two-drifters.co.uk/copy-of-the-midland-heartland/</link><guid isPermaLink="false">640f28dbc5acc0181419431d</guid><dc:creator><![CDATA[Brian Jones]]></dc:creator><pubDate>Tue, 03 Mar 2020 20:08:23 GMT</pubDate><media:content url="http://busabout.two-drifters.co.uk/content/images/2020/03/17276955644_a043723e29_b-1.jpg" medium="image"/><content:encoded><![CDATA[<img src="http://busabout.two-drifters.co.uk/content/images/2020/03/17276955644_a043723e29_b-1.jpg" alt="Day2: The Midland Heartlands"><p>Before catching the bus let&apos;s finish the Tewkesbury photoshoot. </p><p>The flooding has apparently subsided significantly but it still looks bad to me</p><figure class="kg-card kg-image-card"><img src="https://lh5.googleusercontent.com/U1OFCXnL8NfE0DSSm3Neu3ICD5Yu2yyWOm0BxVam3fDxs39MHmYbEdxa2TmiPSixpciRWMgUFVXzpyQ577f-IuAAuwmA90DnKtAu7riWYzzuEJMmaWF2HNLCiWaUxeAesFU3YSft" class="kg-image" alt="Day2: The Midland Heartlands" loading="lazy"></figure><p>Saddening to walk down small side roads with doors barricaded by sandbags</p><p>And, of course, a photo of the abbey must be mandatory for every visit to Tewkesbury</p><figure class="kg-card kg-image-card"><img src="https://lh6.googleusercontent.com/jkh1SEGvbeASH4d9wHsGl6Iz__XXsduuJ-0aqgdRPbAYBsyGmxFZbm7UCOOJkViAls9xnfqOtqyCZ8xa2eosgMJ0NUEJBqhwT_pE3xG32xFWmWlzf4aj4NBqv2F2bRNUnborie-U" class="kg-image" alt="Day2: The Midland Heartlands" loading="lazy"></figure><p></p><p>Not such a great start to the day. No disasters but a catalog of small mistakes. All of our own making but part caused by annoying little usability glitches. Firstly my mistake completely. I set the GPS tracking phone as I went down for breakfast and checking it before we left I must have turned it off. Fortunately we&apos;d only gone a few miles to village of Bredon before I realised and corrected the error. I&apos;ll manually correct it when I get home and have access to a real computer - it might be a tad tricky just using the phone</p><p>Then there was forgetting to take a picture of Liz getting on the 540 bus out of Tewkesbury. That was, in part, our uncertainty of being at the correct bus stop. It had to be correct, there was no other option but it had several bus timetables showing but no hint of the 540.</p><p>Then there was the getting on the wrong bus at Evesham. A 10 minute turnaround but we needed to dive into the local Wetherspoons for a comfort break. Several confusing factors, firstly the X18 got to the stand 9 minutes early, almost immediately after we alighted the inbound 540, so we panicked a bit before working out we actually did have time to dive into Wetherspoons. Secondly there is no bus station at Evesham, despite what timetables state; it&apos;s just stands on either side of the high street. Thirdly the bus we wanted the X18 to Coventry was timetabled to leave at 10:55, exactly the same time as the X18 which just runs around Evesham estates to Morrisons superstore. In the height of this confusion we rushed out of Wetherspoons and jumped on the Morrisons bus by mistake. No big deal, it loops around and becomes the next Coventry bus but it was annoying to lose 30 minutes just because of rushing.</p><p>Still it was nice seeing all the new-born lambs on the route to Coventry, some looked very new-born indeed.</p><p>Here&apos;s the Coventry bus -</p><figure class="kg-card kg-image-card"><img src="https://lh4.googleusercontent.com/UiWALNxdE5DZugvugh5du_ibJndhv7NquQVaC66clBAPVaLwbgDd5jU7Nc0y9LT8UBBfh23ckLQ_pj2bz2eb04W-Rxq8sNzFEVXtWTvsQmdi9eJiONW9dCWF5kQFhPjZbm1WNLiK" class="kg-image" alt="Day2: The Midland Heartlands" loading="lazy"></figure><p>I tried for a couple of snaps en route but the phone&apos;s shutter is too slow for a moving bus. Here&apos;s Warwick Castle just disappearing out of frame</p><figure class="kg-card kg-image-card"><img src="https://lh5.googleusercontent.com/c_zHqbolosq4XXxgPBc3-kQOj1LINI378im53Ob79pxJrMjwUUDLpEG-zzKjVLQoyyPS4BtwdOdvzRjZnxT9eHtzkoUzf2AdgEAXe3zh-velfYlQ3_mtebGFaW9P_RzTMP8bK09i" class="kg-image" alt="Day2: The Midland Heartlands" loading="lazy"></figure><p>And by the time I&apos;d for my camera ready the bus pulled out of the stop adjacent to the lovely art deco Leamington Spa station</p><figure class="kg-card kg-image-card"><img src="https://lh4.googleusercontent.com/3yP33_WqrXaT39mXnzSgRo8FxM59Y11kqKDLLcTlBMFpm6MkGkesVjVbgWlUJUsjmmJb7KmLQnNmZaElx2ZocWJVYiS9QdF6STyp5iKTN-D4KI5Odn7WwwAiwCgKDnxFS_CXC61y" class="kg-image" alt="Day2: The Midland Heartlands" loading="lazy"></figure><p>The bus made good time to Coventry but with the detour via Evesham Morrisons it was nearly a two and a half hour trip. Definitely needed a break at Coventry. I&apos;ll make a separate post to host my cathedral photos.</p><p>Of we thought that leg was long and slightly tedious it was nothing compared to the almost three hours on the bus to Leicester. I&apos;m sure even the locals would agree that meandering around Nuneaton and Hinckley is hardly the most scenic part of the UK.</p><figure class="kg-card kg-image-card"><img src="https://lh6.googleusercontent.com/o6ap-xz3M306vHhFvqRiuSRHf2vV7PFq3UZQdMM9XW39gBBlfYnfFHSd8tDXIM11pXNvqAozzMyHEcdMI4WHwumFFuWNcDrWwj4VhdmhqzgtoKiA6K9ysirxcrRzru-ABcIDSjb9" class="kg-image" alt="Day2: The Midland Heartlands" loading="lazy"></figure><p>Traffic was horribly slow around Nuneaton, an accident perhaps, so the bus was delayed a few minutes. Despite the driver not sparing any of the horses whenever he had the open road we finally pulled into Leicester about 20 minutes late. Still all the buses has started on time and all bar the last one, caught up in traffic and then rush hour, all arrived on time. This is going surprisingly well, Although my derriere is numb after two such long bus legs. Three hours on a regular bus is a looooong time</p><p>Here&apos;s today&apos;s 84 miles.</p><figure class="kg-card kg-image-card"><img src="http://busabout.two-drifters.co.uk/content/images/2020/03/Screenshot_20200310-104448.png" class="kg-image" alt="Day2: The Midland Heartlands" loading="lazy"></figure><p><strong>Note:</strong> I have since manually amended the GPS track so it now does start accurately from the bus stop in Tewkesbury and reflects the correct mileage.</p>]]></content:encoded></item><item><title><![CDATA[Evening 1: Mediaeval Art]]></title><description><![CDATA[<p>We knew the Royal Hop Pole hotel has history and had heard about a discovered 16th century banqueting hall in its midst. OK, so it&apos;s not been at its most impressive since they stuck a chimney right through the middle of it back in the 17th century but</p>]]></description><link>http://busabout.two-drifters.co.uk/mediaeval-art/</link><guid isPermaLink="false">640f28dbc5acc0181419431c</guid><dc:creator><![CDATA[Brian Jones]]></dc:creator><pubDate>Tue, 03 Mar 2020 19:43:51 GMT</pubDate><media:content url="http://busabout.two-drifters.co.uk/content/images/2020/03/IMG_20200302_220247832.jpg" medium="image"/><content:encoded><![CDATA[<img src="http://busabout.two-drifters.co.uk/content/images/2020/03/IMG_20200302_220247832.jpg" alt="Evening 1: Mediaeval Art"><p>We knew the Royal Hop Pole hotel has history and had heard about a discovered 16th century banqueting hall in its midst. OK, so it&apos;s not been at its most impressive since they stuck a chimney right through the middle of it back in the 17th century but it is still a beautiful find in the middle of the hotel, complete with original painted woodwork.</p><figure class="kg-card kg-image-card"><img src="https://lh4.googleusercontent.com/zQyKF3KzvYGq9X-6k70K4aTZYA22HtnRvUYJY2WLZwR5mMFgnylAidzj7tUDSn9Z73jGsNen2bDXMcQAK3YbI8ZgoHtJKOA3Jr7FeLhdC3ud9oSx6xJyqE4rv0KBR9b18ZEYqCKQ" class="kg-image" alt="Evening 1: Mediaeval Art" loading="lazy"></figure><figure class="kg-card kg-image-card"><img src="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/q2N1yPNVWHJybyE2oNdHuia27Aw9nGoXHlSwfF_WchAK7CP0npxnfN4ueeQIyEXJeqNgTV6R4JiQr5_i2PX5ERw1NgsLGKZWpbJTmNPxcNpIGVCfXHIeKcm0722xDTLQZCMUtLzU" class="kg-image" alt="Evening 1: Mediaeval Art" loading="lazy"></figure><p>A couple of rooms next door have some original mediaeval painted plaster. This fragment is on the corridor wall</p><figure class="kg-card kg-image-card"><img src="https://lh5.googleusercontent.com/PxZr_MjnMOY-lq8qf6Klel_UlNMULj6KAOmYTQ20CVp7hk93TVowvxGo7W-Uy_HPXkjap6r9wC2sXuPHg3Q83JqHFDmszcJP2lXAPFurGZJvvWcEvBBECfgDgtZYFaJ8aNGxLFWq" class="kg-image" alt="Evening 1: Mediaeval Art" loading="lazy"></figure><p>So the decision to stay at the Royal Hop Pole was a good one.</p><p>Just down the road is another restored mediaeval house, the Cross House, which, almost a year ago, opened as a micropub. A lovely snug room at the back</p><figure class="kg-card kg-image-card"><img src="https://lh4.googleusercontent.com/Gn10BaJ8CgTecWQdVEoSIjAkxHNTpCD_Z1iMgzfr8XsKwrVxP_PLQv6XbEpdeqYq4qwThoaYLaz4N0ThJa6wvKaVk_M6DIEXT3ZsQh_gYMpcIWNhnB9m19rODl18WDuX2AZhDVon" class="kg-image" alt="Evening 1: Mediaeval Art" loading="lazy"></figure><p>And, of course, a well stocked bar</p><figure class="kg-card kg-image-card"><img src="https://lh4.googleusercontent.com/3xXvNGlPn6ADWHZChnLxeIyfqihlrjz_x2p-oTVhwHDVlY_r8jLej7hyELnahlJo1dnwaG31QvEW89JdftyxWosv0ICiHmMiNCG7J_OBBQfd1Sszdje3Szh1Id55e6T6de17X9Xn" class="kg-image" alt="Evening 1: Mediaeval Art" loading="lazy"></figure><p>Since I failed to get any exterior photos here&apos;s a random Tewkesbury house, a bit further up the street</p><figure class="kg-card kg-image-card"><img src="https://lh5.googleusercontent.com/MbgGQe1Rkkn2jeBH6czTWzvi4BYiyhzZLP640qoVvQE756-jX4p22uNH617Dh1Ln8QbncIvS_eJ2JfB8G17MStGWbiXQgHFZf9bpZuV7ukS09ssZSD8GXFO0BFAxQOf5UbpNnemL" class="kg-image" alt="Evening 1: Mediaeval Art" loading="lazy"></figure><p>Beers were good. The highlight being the strong (6%), dark, bitter porter with just a hint of fruit sweetness, Sloe Burner from the Inferno Brewery which I was reliably informed was someone&apos;s garage a few houses up the road! All I can say is that it travels well :-)</p>]]></content:encoded></item><item><title><![CDATA[Day1: First steps]]></title><description><![CDATA[<p>Well, they say even the longest journey starts with the first step. In our case it starts with the first 2,000 or so steps up to the bus station. That&apos;s 2,000 carefully timed steps as we get to the bus stop at 09:29, one minute</p>]]></description><link>http://busabout.two-drifters.co.uk/first-steps/</link><guid isPermaLink="false">640f28dbc5acc0181419431b</guid><dc:creator><![CDATA[Brian Jones]]></dc:creator><pubDate>Mon, 02 Mar 2020 20:49:46 GMT</pubDate><media:content url="http://busabout.two-drifters.co.uk/content/images/2020/03/IMG_20200302_090501370.jpg" medium="image"/><content:encoded><![CDATA[<img src="http://busabout.two-drifters.co.uk/content/images/2020/03/IMG_20200302_090501370.jpg" alt="Day1: First steps"><p>Well, they say even the longest journey starts with the first step. In our case it starts with the first 2,000 or so steps up to the bus station. That&apos;s 2,000 carefully timed steps as we get to the bus stop at 09:29, one minute before we can use our bus pass. We use the wait for a selfy.</p><figure class="kg-card kg-image-card"><img src="https://lh6.googleusercontent.com/q4uCK64Q1Du0c_6tWyEOllYh5cH6TLB16jgBEbLt9BjHALr77cqgcVCND7aSDDmvAT8iLgO6agi99GLi4mLkxfn90YTJhXsHHGUjuX8JMBqmG72dYoG2CfQv3v6PHn4gll-HwAbu" class="kg-image" alt="Day1: First steps" loading="lazy"></figure><p>Bus #1, literally, is exactly on time 11 minutes later.</p><figure class="kg-card kg-image-card"><img src="https://lh6.googleusercontent.com/XH3ToetAfTd5iDwMav86A-rg_UQ43VzR1LpnCtkVOmkNJ37Gs0Y4Djl-JGh2F6ttbQsRzhAAGW-GGdknaLgj9XWbr66EPD7RJiFKuALY7HtZoJC53WIdlG5GCk-BuVdMzjLG_av1" class="kg-image" alt="Day1: First steps" loading="lazy"></figure><p>[^2]</p><p>Despite being the &apos;bus pass special&apos;, first bus after 09:30, stopping at almost every stop to pick up pensioners along with the usual students and shoppers, as well as the road works en route it makes excellent time and gets to Southampton 2 minutes early.</p><p>And what a great 2 minutes! We make the connection to the X7 one hour earlier than expected! Oh, an auspicious start indeed!</p><figure class="kg-card kg-image-card"><img src="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/WWvUAtQhUz8ftY4YZO9O2qOVeOWQEZDtqx425xya2Umk2xt7bKIpk52lVvRNEeOg8zptKg8ms-sQxSCP00yxK1pkF5IXlO-CuyYx7q6QzUmO3p9WfWgnEhaTjDhQ4uKOGVz-ug-k" class="kg-image" alt="Day1: First steps" loading="lazy"></figure><p>Well one route sidetrack I wasn&apos;t expecting was going into the car park of Peppa Pig World!!!</p><p>Next bit of excitement - the bus pulls in for an elongated stop at Romsey bus station and on his return the driver announces that there are road works ahead and he believes the road is closed. Are all the passengers OK with an alternative route if need be? But he&apos;s gonna give the original route a try. Road works, but the road is still passable. Thought for a moment we were going to get our first unscheduled diversion. We don&apos;t care too much, we&apos;re already an hour up on schedule and have an hour wait in Salisbury so that&apos;s quite a buffer. Am I tempting fate?</p><p>There&apos;s a fair bit of flood water on the fields as we approach Salisbury. I&apos;m sure we&apos;ll (unfortunately) see far worse today though.</p><figure class="kg-card kg-image-card"><img src="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/tQVgOaMU8P4_s-4O3QBNuMaJfVYyS0dyEmMJYAq3Ke17YKWkB-SWMX9JmMwqTHmuvbdj8-YVCkAJi8pMEWrz6hvL238vGejs5UauCf8aNuKZNU9QvPVZ6AUNdH67gJTSCyXeHNQI" class="kg-image" alt="Day1: First steps" loading="lazy"></figure><p>Coffee and the, oh so important &apos;comfort break&apos; in Salisbury. And even enough time to shop for lunch. I decided on one of Pritchett&apos;s &apos;small&apos; pork pies.</p><figure class="kg-card kg-image-card"><img src="https://lh5.googleusercontent.com/c5_CV1L_AHalwJ3De3P3WjEoDuDeNmzvhmweksCTGCErQvYnVZfQ7doyWLl9t5xZcl0pTr_KvDYh5Pao44jpvSOG8t11Arr9EERy_epbBJQjgkJb7l8qN5kFvEh146VCLpyk0KrN" class="kg-image" alt="Day1: First steps" loading="lazy"></figure><p>They assured me this two-lunch jobbie, was indeed their small version. Still at &#xA3;2.50 it&apos;s cracking value and will probably do tomorrow&apos;s lunch too.</p><p>Next bus is a bit of a worry, we want to go to Swindon but it&apos;s only signed to Pewsey.</p><figure class="kg-card kg-image-card"><img src="https://lh5.googleusercontent.com/-k0JPHC3a9OQ65hdmLTPfwp1z7uC4OIi9StzF6I7d44wfJ3CUmaPGe8QeOupOXPOVNdOe5iQf8y8os1Fa2Tru7UeTIp5gb1ssyvY_S_nmDwgTzIpHBTCykso4dXbfe-hj0KRqGrt" class="kg-image" alt="Day1: First steps" loading="lazy"></figure><p>Still, we&apos;ve been assured by the driver that the bus continues (although he doesn&apos;t). Pleasant scenery to Pewsey as the bus meanders through the Wiltshire villages resplendent with far more thatched cottages than the main road route would lead you to expect. Drivers change just outside the pretty village/town of Pewsey but from Marlborough onward the route is the same boring main road we&apos;ve travelled so many times in the car. Even the elevation of a double-decker doesn&apos;t make it exciting. Although we do get to see Swindon&apos;s sites - all together no &quot;do do du do-doo.. &apos;time for bed&apos; said Zebedee&quot;</p><figure class="kg-card kg-image-card"><img src="http://busabout.two-drifters.co.uk/content/images/2020/03/PhotoPictureResizer_200302_184543124_crop_1938x2400.jpg" class="kg-image" alt="Day1: First steps" loading="lazy"></figure><p>This morning&apos;s auspicious start fails to maintain itself, the hour earlier than we&apos;d planned Chippenham bus is pulling out at we pull into Swindon Bus Station. Still that would have made us two hours up, we&apos;re still one hour up so can&apos;t complain. And last week&apos;s trip to Swindon train station means I know where a Costa is for coffee and &apos;comfort break&apos;.</p><figure class="kg-card kg-image-card"><img src="https://lh6.googleusercontent.com/VBHIDCl_LxSlAIwsHUZrVCESu5paFpyZc3wt_qchOkOtLwWfvjw3pPvRtY5LzAPYgiGa9z02B4pwNSv18D9damEepJNlVc4Y7Se0YO2UqT0RnUJvympoIQOv-4LR0B2WuaLjng2X" class="kg-image" alt="Day1: First steps" loading="lazy"></figure><p>The Cotswolds are pretty. Initially the houses look old, oatmeal grey stone but as we approach Cirencester the golden honey Cotswold stone of new builds becomes more in evidence.</p><p>A nice clock in Criklade.</p><figure class="kg-card kg-image-card"><img src="https://lh5.googleusercontent.com/p3YAa9QwY-3gqvFWmSj_RAgW7uqJwIIIvE5xrNba4VAVCgxSWIuE6kq65i0_6Gd2FJkFyMLofVtH2LoqmPe-n_xJF1t50NoFdH9YLc4huLPQwoVDp2aFJLgUMuDqC4TtCfzW-4Yq" class="kg-image" alt="Day1: First steps" loading="lazy"></figure><p>(A bit of a blurry snap from a moving bus)</p><p>Despite picking up half a bus load of students at Cirencester and horribly slow traffic on the approaches to Cheltenham the bus still manages to keep to it&apos;s timetable, allowing enough time to snap a local landmark, despite only having an 8 minute bus change and not being exactly sure of where it stops.</p><figure class="kg-card kg-image-card"><img src="https://lh4.googleusercontent.com/rTJr97ioPFrb9IP1kqGrWUi1aSMP7qeXZMmqmtdut90USDoPyy57qSf1mvrPSqA56otmMXsF9rudJ32pySJR-ZRWDR7fOhmfbcpUaYCR_1pmtk9VAmeIKJg4AR4tdtPtNu_Lufc-" class="kg-image" alt="Day1: First steps" loading="lazy"></figure><p>And the Tewkesbury bus leaves on time too. Slow out of Cheltenham but it makes good time and arrives at it&apos;s destination bang on schedule. Sadly it&apos;s the only single-decker of the day and it&apos;s fairy full, so we can&apos;t snap the horrendous flooding as we come in to Tewkesbury.</p><p>Remember I said there was a short turn around at Cheltenham. No time to snap Liz boarding so here&apos;s her ending the day at Tewkesbury.</p><figure class="kg-card kg-image-card"><img src="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/YCeCEiQxKVUreXcXGjqM7oUC3cG7cRvqC3JtDik5q0NXj4bkRQVLteKRS5eeTC56KRPlncufQmA5p_nGTDmXKqxjNrb6qsZdk6RU3jbWv2d5ZI5qjhm84MLZbSbgC2u9QMwJOT4s" class="kg-image" alt="Day1: First steps" loading="lazy"></figure><p>Now the more astute reader will have realised ALL THE BUSES RAN ON TIME! Not only that but the first bus, being 2 minutes ahead of schedule enabled us to claw back an hour. Add that to the really pleasant weather all day (just one short shower as we left Cirencester) and I think we have to pronounce it a VERY GOOD DAY!</p><p>Here&apos;s the map</p><figure class="kg-card kg-image-card"><img src="https://lh5.googleusercontent.com/kBbRM8P-DpRBh44v96xt24xS3SsJv8R-Yz4T9isQl1natmS7VXpYnuc4WV02DoDuuHcYolBcWglNjR0xEUJ7KzwIk-6NDDQxEcP575pvK03S9R-2pyZ4r0NZe2PzfkaZIAHjPY8q" class="kg-image" alt="Day1: First steps" loading="lazy"></figure><p>Just under 118 miles from leaving our house at 09:00 to arriving, 5 buses later at Tewkesbury at 17:55</p>]]></content:encoded></item><item><title><![CDATA[Only here for the beer]]></title><description><![CDATA[<p>Any readers who might not know me might be wondering why each of the blog posts feature an Evening section why always has one or two pubs, usually micropubs, listed as places we hope to visit. Fear not, gentle reader, our goal is not to get hopelessly drunk in towns</p>]]></description><link>http://busabout.two-drifters.co.uk/only-here-for-the-beer/</link><guid isPermaLink="false">640f28dbc5acc01814194317</guid><dc:creator><![CDATA[Brian Jones]]></dc:creator><pubDate>Fri, 28 Feb 2020 15:40:00 GMT</pubDate><media:content url="http://busabout.two-drifters.co.uk/content/images/2020/02/beer-tasting.jpg" medium="image"/><content:encoded><![CDATA[<img src="http://busabout.two-drifters.co.uk/content/images/2020/02/beer-tasting.jpg" alt="Only here for the beer"><p>Any readers who might not know me might be wondering why each of the blog posts feature an Evening section why always has one or two pubs, usually micropubs, listed as places we hope to visit. Fear not, gentle reader, our goal is not to get hopelessly drunk in towns anew.</p><p>Britain has lost it&apos;s local character. Wander down any local high street and it is increasingly difficult to ascertain what area of the country you are in, let alone what town. Local shops are gone, replaced with the chain stores such as WHSmith, Boots, Toymaster, Argos and of course, Poundland. Local butchers and greengrocers have been, for much part, forced out of business by the edge of town supermarkets and local bakers replaced by Greggs. Coffee is now from the anodyne, mediocre Costa or Starbucks rather than the lovely little tea rooms and milk bars of my youth and the local fish&apos;n&apos;chippy is more often a McDonalds. </p><p>Pubs were heading that way too, the huge brewing companies like AB Inbev have snaffled up smaller national, and often local breweries, and beers of my youth are no longer to be found. Pubs are closing at about 18 per week as the traditional boozer can&apos;t compete with the JD Wetherspoons changes and the Beefeater style eateries. Or, more likely, as the pub owners realise that the building and land is worth more sold as building land than the profit that can be eeked from a tenant landlord trying to keep a viable business afloat.</p><p>Still, one thing is bucking this trend, micro-breweries and micropubs. Small regional breweries are popping up (there&apos;s 24 alone in Bristol), they have a small brew capacity and their distribution is often restricted to the local area, hence the role of the micropub. Micropubs are often older buildings repurposed as small pubs, owned not leased by the landlord with a large range of beers sold from small quantity casks and kegs, thus ensuring fast turn-around, a key element of good beer. Here in Chandlers Ford we have an excellent micropub on the premises of an former bank (well, half the premises, to reduce business rates, the other half is an Escape Room). Nearby Eastleigh has an excellent micro-brewery, which also happens to have it&apos;s own micropub taphouse.</p><p>Micro-brewies and micropubs are not just good news for beer drinkers but are good news for anyone who is interested in local produce; not only is the beer local, but the walls are likely to be decorated with local themes, food and snacks are likely to be locally sourced. At last an antidote to Costa, Starbucks, Subway, and McDonalds and one I certainly plan to endorse - mind you it helps I enjoy beer a bit too!</p><p></p><p></p>]]></content:encoded></item><item><title><![CDATA[Planning: All my bags are packed, I'm ready to go]]></title><description><![CDATA[<p>Everything has to be carried. It&apos;s going to be cold and wet. So basically we will both carry a small 22l backpack and Liz will take a handbag slung over her shoulder whilst I will use a waist pack (bum-bag/fanny-pack) to carry the easy-access stuff.</p><p>Did I</p>]]></description><link>http://busabout.two-drifters.co.uk/all-my-bags-are-packed-im-ready-to-go/</link><guid isPermaLink="false">640f28dbc5acc0181419431a</guid><dc:creator><![CDATA[Brian Jones]]></dc:creator><pubDate>Fri, 28 Feb 2020 14:36:48 GMT</pubDate><media:content url="http://busabout.two-drifters.co.uk/content/images/2020/02/download.jpeg" medium="image"/><content:encoded><![CDATA[<img src="http://busabout.two-drifters.co.uk/content/images/2020/02/download.jpeg" alt="Planning: All my bags are packed, I&apos;m ready to go"><p>Everything has to be carried. It&apos;s going to be cold and wet. So basically we will both carry a small 22l backpack and Liz will take a handbag slung over her shoulder whilst I will use a waist pack (bum-bag/fanny-pack) to carry the easy-access stuff.</p><p>Did I mention that it&apos;s gonna be wet! All of the clothing and electric items will be in IKEA ziplock bags inside the bags just to make sure they stay nice and dry throughout the trip. They bags also give us a place to coalesce dirty laundry. If we see &apos;must-buy&apos; stuff on the trip, one thought is to post the dirty laundry home!! </p><!--kg-card-begin: markdown--><h3 id="backpackchecklist">Backpack Checklist</h3>
<ul>
<li>[x] Underwear (x6 + 1 spare)</li>
<li>[x] Socks (x6 + 1 spare)</li>
<li>[x] Base layers tee-shirts (x3)</li>
<li>[x] Merino base layer tee-shirt</li>
<li>[x] Spare Fleece</li>
<li>[x] Spare Trousers</li>
<li>[x] Waterproof Overtrousers</li>
<li>[x] Medication (+ Hearing Aid)</li>
<li>[x] Camera</li>
<li>[x] Water Bottle</li>
<li>[x] Umbrella</li>
<li>[x] Phone Charger + Leads</li>
<li>[x] Spare phone to use as GPS tracker</li>
<li>[x] Spare battery and SD card for camera</li>
<li>[x] Toothbrushes <sup class="footnote-ref"><a href="#fn1" id="fnref1">[1]</a></sup></li>
</ul>
<hr class="footnotes-sep">
<section class="footnotes">
<ol class="footnotes-list">
<li id="fn1" class="footnote-item"><p>Relying on the hotels for soap, shampoo, towels etc. <a href="#fnref1" class="footnote-backref">&#x21A9;&#xFE0E;</a></p>
</li>
</ol>
</section>
<!--kg-card-end: markdown--><!--kg-card-begin: markdown--><h3 id="waistpackhandbagpocketschecklist">Waist-pack/Handbag/Pockets Checklist</h3>
<ul>
<li>[ ] <s>Kindle</s><sup class="footnote-ref"><a href="#fn1" id="fnref1">[1]</a></sup></li>
<li>[x] Keys</li>
<li>[x] Wallet (including bus-pass!)</li>
<li>[x] Mobile Phone</li>
<li>[x] Small Torch</li>
<li>[x] Biro</li>
<li>[x] Bag Of Change For Public Toilets</li>
<li>[x] RADAR Toilet key <sup class="footnote-ref"><a href="#fn2" id="fnref2">[2]</a></sup></li>
<li>[x] Tissues</li>
<li>[x] Wet Wipes</li>
<li>[x] Microfibre Cloth (to clean condensation from bus windows)</li>
<li>[x] Small Snack Bag (nts, dried fruit)</li>
<li>[x] Itinerary/Timetables</li>
<li>[x] CAMRA Discount Vouchers</li>
<li>[x] Train Tickets</li>
</ul>
<hr class="footnotes-sep">
<section class="footnotes">
<ol class="footnotes-list">
<li id="fn1" class="footnote-item"><p>The plan was to take Kindles but then we decided the Kindle app on our phones ought suffice and save some space <a href="#fnref1" class="footnote-backref">&#x21A9;&#xFE0E;</a></p>
</li>
<li id="fn2" class="footnote-item"><p>I don&apos;t really approve of using a RADAR key if you are not disabled and have never used the one we bought &apos;just in case&apos; but this trip it does seem prudent to carry it. <a href="#fnref2" class="footnote-backref">&#x21A9;&#xFE0E;</a></p>
</li>
</ol>
</section>
<!--kg-card-end: markdown--><!--kg-card-begin: markdown--><h3 id="onourperson">On Our Person</h3>
<ul>
<li>[x] Walking Shoes</li>
<li>[x] Waterproof Coat</li>
<li>[x] Down-filled Coat (alternative to waterproof coat)</li>
<li>[x] Hat</li>
<li>[x] Gloves</li>
<li>[x] Buff Neck-warmer.</li>
</ul>
<!--kg-card-end: markdown--><!--kg-card-begin: markdown--><p>We have good 22l daysacks which are just about enough to hold all our clothing. One assumption is that we will always wear one coat and the other will be in a stuff-sack. Our folding sitters have velco loops which means they can be attached to the grap hands of the daysacks and waterbottles and brollies will fit in the elasticated pockets.</p>
<p>I also have a 3l bum bag and liz has her handbag. my small camera will live in the bum bag along with a few other bits and bobs and, as always, liz&apos;s handbag will be filled with all manner of wondrous stuff.</p>
<!--kg-card-end: markdown-->]]></content:encoded></item><item><title><![CDATA[Planning: Day 7 Letting the train take the strain]]></title><description><![CDATA[<!--kg-card-begin: markdown--><h3 id="timetable">Timetable</h3>
<table>
<thead>
<tr>
<th>Location</th>
<th>Depart</th>
<th>Location</th>
<th>Arrive</th>
<th>Seats</th>
</tr>
</thead>
<tbody>
<tr>
<td>Carlisle</td>
<td>09:49</td>
<td>Preston</td>
<td>11:01</td>
<td>D/09A+10A</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>Preston</td>
<td>11:17</td>
<td>Birmingham NS</td>
<td>12:50</td>
<td>B/39+40</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>Birmingham NS</td>
<td>13:04</td>
<td>Winchester</td>
<td>15:26</td>
<td>F/31A+32A</td>
</tr>
</tbody>
</table>
<!--kg-card-end: markdown--><!--kg-card-begin: markdown--><p>Well, just a quick trip back, under 6 hours if all the trains run on</p>]]></description><link>http://busabout.two-drifters.co.uk/day-7-letting-the-train-take-the-strain/</link><guid isPermaLink="false">640f28dbc5acc01814194319</guid><dc:creator><![CDATA[Brian Jones]]></dc:creator><pubDate>Fri, 28 Feb 2020 13:01:45 GMT</pubDate><media:content url="http://busabout.two-drifters.co.uk/content/images/2020/02/1719226_194e06af.jpg" medium="image"/><content:encoded><![CDATA[<!--kg-card-begin: markdown--><h3 id="timetable">Timetable</h3>
<table>
<thead>
<tr>
<th>Location</th>
<th>Depart</th>
<th>Location</th>
<th>Arrive</th>
<th>Seats</th>
</tr>
</thead>
<tbody>
<tr>
<td>Carlisle</td>
<td>09:49</td>
<td>Preston</td>
<td>11:01</td>
<td>D/09A+10A</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>Preston</td>
<td>11:17</td>
<td>Birmingham NS</td>
<td>12:50</td>
<td>B/39+40</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>Birmingham NS</td>
<td>13:04</td>
<td>Winchester</td>
<td>15:26</td>
<td>F/31A+32A</td>
</tr>
</tbody>
</table>
<!--kg-card-end: markdown--><!--kg-card-begin: markdown--><img src="http://busabout.two-drifters.co.uk/content/images/2020/02/1719226_194e06af.jpg" alt="Planning: Day 7 Letting the train take the strain"><p>Well, just a quick trip back, under 6 hours if all the trains run on time. But this is a Sunday, there is a huge amount of water lying around on tracks and elsewhere. I wonder what time we&apos;ll get back?</p>
<!--kg-card-end: markdown-->]]></content:encoded></item><item><title><![CDATA[Planning: Day 6 - Popping Over the border]]></title><description><![CDATA[<p>No planning for this post as Day 6 is mainly about seeing Carlisle&apos;s attractions but we ought pop over to Scotland, just to complete the trip. No planned bus, we&apos;ll take it as the day goes, and as the weather dictates. </p><p>Remember the English Concessionary Bus</p>]]></description><link>http://busabout.two-drifters.co.uk/day-6-popping-over-the-border/</link><guid isPermaLink="false">640f28dbc5acc01814194318</guid><dc:creator><![CDATA[Brian Jones]]></dc:creator><pubDate>Fri, 28 Feb 2020 11:44:23 GMT</pubDate><media:content url="http://busabout.two-drifters.co.uk/content/images/2020/02/Gretna_Green.jpg" medium="image"/><content:encoded><![CDATA[<img src="http://busabout.two-drifters.co.uk/content/images/2020/02/Gretna_Green.jpg" alt="Planning: Day 6 - Popping Over the border"><p>No planning for this post as Day 6 is mainly about seeing Carlisle&apos;s attractions but we ought pop over to Scotland, just to complete the trip. No planned bus, we&apos;ll take it as the day goes, and as the weather dictates. </p><p>Remember the English Concessionary Bus Pass cannot be used in Scotland (nor Wales) but it can be used for journeys originating in England and crossing the border; so, we can get into Gretna or free on our bus pass but will need to pay to come back!</p><p>The original plan was to alight at the first stop in Gretna and then walk back to catch the bus back into Carlisle from the first stop on the English side of the border. Whilst this sounds a good skinflint plan it looks as if the first bus stop in England is at Blackbank, 1.7 miles away from the nearest one in Gretna (Gretna Gateway Outlet Village) along the A6071 which doesn&apos;t appear to have a footpath. Maybe taking a bus back will be the safest option.</p><p>I wonder if the Scottish bus driver will be amused if we ask for &quot;A single to the first stop England, where we plan to get off and then on again using our English bus pass&quot;!</p><!--kg-card-begin: markdown--><h3 id="timetables">Timetables</h3>
<p><a href="http://busabout.two-drifters.co.uk/static/79_179%20A4%200302%20WEB.pdf">Stagecoach 79/179</a>  <sup class="footnote-ref"><a href="#fn1" id="fnref1">[1]</a></sup><br>
<a href="http://busabout.two-drifters.co.uk/static/382_for_web.pdf">Stagecoach 382</a></p>
<hr class="footnotes-sep">
<section class="footnotes">
<ol class="footnotes-list">
<li id="fn1" class="footnote-item"><p>Note: Temporary bus timetable currently in operation <a href="#fnref1" class="footnote-backref">&#x21A9;&#xFE0E;</a></p>
</li>
</ol>
</section>
<!--kg-card-end: markdown--><p></p><p> &#xA0;</p>]]></content:encoded></item><item><title><![CDATA[Planning: Day 5 - Skipton to Carlisle]]></title><description><![CDATA[<!--kg-card-begin: markdown--><table>
<thead>
<tr>
<th>Bus Company</th>
<th>Service</th>
<th>Depart</th>
<th>Depart Time</th>
<th>Arrive</th>
<th>Arrive Time</th>
<th>Journey Time</th>
<th>Stops</th>
<th>Wait Time</th>
</tr>
</thead>
<tbody>
<tr>
<td>Kirkby Lonsdale Coaches</td>
<td>580/581</td>
<td>Skipton, Market Place</td>
<td>10:35</td>
<td>Kirkby Lonsdale, Booths</td>
<td>12:13</td>
<td>1:38</td>
<td>44</td>
<td>0</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>Stagecoach</td>
<td>567</td>
<td>Kirkby Lonsdale New Road</td>
<td>12:30</td>
<td>Kendal Bus Station</td>
<td>13:05</td>
<td>0:35</td>
<td>22</td>
<td>0:</td></tr></tbody></table>]]></description><link>http://busabout.two-drifters.co.uk/day-5-skipton-to-carlisle/</link><guid isPermaLink="false">640f28dbc5acc01814194316</guid><dc:creator><![CDATA[Brian Jones]]></dc:creator><pubDate>Sun, 02 Feb 2020 13:23:01 GMT</pubDate><media:content url="http://busabout.two-drifters.co.uk/content/images/2020/02/Carlisle-Cumbria-1.jpg" medium="image"/><content:encoded><![CDATA[<!--kg-card-begin: markdown--><table>
<thead>
<tr>
<th>Bus Company</th>
<th>Service</th>
<th>Depart</th>
<th>Depart Time</th>
<th>Arrive</th>
<th>Arrive Time</th>
<th>Journey Time</th>
<th>Stops</th>
<th>Wait Time</th>
</tr>
</thead>
<tbody>
<tr>
<td>Kirkby Lonsdale Coaches</td>
<td>580/581</td>
<td>Skipton, Market Place</td>
<td>10:35</td>
<td>Kirkby Lonsdale, Booths</td>
<td>12:13</td>
<td>1:38</td>
<td>44</td>
<td>0</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>Stagecoach</td>
<td>567</td>
<td>Kirkby Lonsdale New Road</td>
<td>12:30</td>
<td>Kendal Bus Station</td>
<td>13:05</td>
<td>0:35</td>
<td>22</td>
<td>0:17</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>Stagecoach</td>
<td>555</td>
<td>Kendal Bus Station</td>
<td>13:40</td>
<td>Keswick Bus Station</td>
<td>15:14</td>
<td>1:34</td>
<td>53</td>
<td>0:35</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>Stagecoach</td>
<td>554</td>
<td>Keswick Bus Station</td>
<td>17:30</td>
<td>Carlisle Bus Station</td>
<td>18:46</td>
<td>1:16</td>
<td>53</td>
<td>2:06</td>
</tr>
</tbody>
</table>
<!--kg-card-end: markdown--><figure class="kg-card kg-image-card"><img src="http://busabout.two-drifters.co.uk/content/images/2020/02/Screenshot-from-2020-02-02-12-53-45.png" class="kg-image" alt="Planning: Day 5 - Skipton to Carlisle" loading="lazy"></figure><figure class="kg-card kg-image-card"><img src="http://busabout.two-drifters.co.uk/content/images/2020/02/Screenshot-from-2020-02-02-13-02-39.png" class="kg-image" alt="Planning: Day 5 - Skipton to Carlisle" loading="lazy"></figure><!--kg-card-begin: markdown--><h3 id="data">Data</h3>
<!--kg-card-end: markdown--><!--kg-card-begin: markdown--><h3 id="comments">Comments</h3>
<img src="http://busabout.two-drifters.co.uk/content/images/2020/02/Carlisle-Cumbria-1.jpg" alt="Planning: Day 5 - Skipton to Carlisle"><p>The late bus out of Keswick is a pain - the earlier one leaves at 13:20 and so can&apos;t be made. However it does give a good buffer - arriving in Kendal as late as 15:40 ought connect but the 14:40 Stagecoach 555 would be the most prudent alternative.</p>
<p>The connection in Kirkby Lonsadale is tight but an alternative would be the very slightly later 12:38 Stage Coach 81 as 12:40 into Lancaster and connect with the 14:15 (from Lancaster) arriving in Keswick at 17:14, leaving a tight connection for the Carlisle bus.</p>
<p>Let&apos;s just hope the KL 580/581 is on time</p>
<!--kg-card-end: markdown--><!--kg-card-begin: markdown--><h3 id="timetables">Timetables</h3>
<p><a href="http://busabout.two-drifters.co.uk/static/Timetable-580_581_582.pdf">Kirkby Lonsdale 580-581</a><br>
<a href="http://busabout.two-drifters.co.uk/static/567_1019.pdf">Stagecoach 567</a><br>
<a href="http://busabout.two-drifters.co.uk/static/555%20Winter%2019.pdf">Stagecoach 555</a><br>
<a href="http://busabout.two-drifters.co.uk/static/554%20Winter%2019.pdf">Stagecoach 554</a><br>
<a href="http://busabout.two-drifters.co.uk/static/80_81_V2_0919.pdf">Stagecoach 81</a></p>
<!--kg-card-end: markdown--><!--kg-card-begin: markdown--><h3 id="hotel">Hotel</h3>
<p>County Hotel, Carlisle</p>
<!--kg-card-end: markdown--><!--kg-card-begin: markdown--><h3 id="evening">Evening</h3>
<p>The Fat Gadgie, 5 Devonshire St, Carlisle CA3 8LG<br>
The Kings Head, 31 Fisher St, Carlisle CA3 8RF<br>
301 Miles From London, Platform 4, Citadel Station, Carlisle CA1 1QZ<br>
The Spinners Arms, Cummersdale, Carlisle CA2 6BD<br>
Food at either the County Hotel or The Kings Head (lunchtime only) or wherever</p>
<p>The bus situation to Cummersdale is difficult and unlikely to run in the evening (it is hard to work out the weekend routes as buses seemed to bge routed differently). It may be walking or taxi. But, this is one of my favourite pubs in the UK - see <a href="https://travels.two-drifters.co.uk/wed_eve_england_my_england/?ref=busabout">https://travels.two-drifters.co.uk/wed_eve_england_my_england/</a></p>
<!--kg-card-end: markdown--><!--kg-card-begin: markdown--><h3 id="tovisit">To Visit</h3>
<p>Tullie House Museum, Castle St, Carlisle CA3 8TP<br>
Carlisle Cathedral<br>
Carlsile Castle</p>
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