Today will be my last big adventure for the trip, so I’m up early at 0500. I plan to head south to Füssen ad then visit the famous Neuschwanstein Castle. But I have a dilemma. The website says to not bring rucksacks and that photography in the castle is not allowed. So I have two choices: 1) go on a tour of the castle and don’t take my good camera or 2) take my good camera and forgo the tour. I decide on that latter. To be honest, I’m more interested in the outside of the castle and the iPhone is not so good for distance photography.

At 0727 I catch the U3 from Marienplatz to the Hauptbahnhof, arriving at 0730.

At 0752 BRB62703 departs Munich calling at: München-Parsing, Geltendorf, Kaufering, Buchloe, Kaufbeuren, Biessenhofen, Ebenhofen, Martktoberdorf, Leuterschach, Lengenwang, Seeg and Weizern-Hopferau.

It’s a long trip. At 0955 we arrive in Füssen. The snow has been getting thicker on the ground as we have progressed. Füssen appears to have had fresh falls and looks magical.

Next I need to get to Hohenschwangau. There is a bus service that I guess normal people would take and I see most of the people from the train head there. But google tells me it’s only a 40 min walk so I decide to give that a go. I have no idea whether it will be suitable for walking though. I head out and find that there is a good walking/bike track connecting the two towns and it’s been cleared recently. The walk is easy and takes me right past massive white fields and forests of snow dusted pine. Good choice Ian!

I get to Hohenschwangau around 1115. It took me a bit longer than 40 min but there were frequent photo stops. On the approach I get a glimpse of grey Neuschwanstein Castle perched on one side and the slightly less glamorous ochre Hohenschwangau Castle perched on the other. The town is all about the castles and there are people buzzing around. I start the 30 min winding walk up to the castle. Interestingly, for me the castle becomes less enchanting the closer I get to it. It was built in the mid 19th century, so in some ways it’s not a “real” castle. This shows in the tidy ness of the block work. Plus, they are doing restoration on the entrance which is covered. This does spoil the fairytale a little. In the end, I prefer the distance images. There are some great views of the surrounding area from the castle though.

I descend and walk back to Füssen. It’s been a good workout; about 6 km round trip not including the walk up the mountain.

As I reach Füssen, I notice that it appears to have a pretty old town but I’m just too tired to explore. Then as I approach the station I glance down to see a glorious street scene and I just have to look a little.

We depart Füssen at 1412. I’m exhausted. I keep starting to doze off, only to be startled by the loud train announcements. I get back to the hotel at about 1640. It’s been a long but great day.

(Title translation: There are castles in the mountains) 

Hohenschwangau Castle. 

Neuschwanstein Castle. 

Back in Füssen. 

As the sun rises I can see it has been snowing. By 0830 it’s lightly snowing again. But I know from the weather report that this is all we’ll see in Munich today. I check the other weather reports and decide to head to Gamisch-Partenkirchen. They have solid snow fall forecast. At 0930, after a couple of false starts, I head out the door. I walk to the Hauptbahnhof so I can experience the soft, whispy snow still falling. I’m unexpectedly hit by a sudden emotional surge and feel quite teary. This is special. I guess experiencing snow was number one on my wish list for this trip, so it’s a bit of a relief.

When I get to the station, the train is waiting. It’s a double decker, so I head up stairs for a better view. The train is busy.

At 1032 RB 59449 leaves calling at Pasing, Tutzing, Weilheim, Murnau, Ohlstadt, Eschenlohe, Oberbau and Farshant. To start with, it’s the same route as Monday, but very different now with a dusting of snow.

We arrive at Garmisch-Partenkirchen at 1154. The town is very busy. I head off, walking through a park and then tracing a river for a while. At times the snow gets a little heavier. It’s so strange. It’s dry; neither me nor my camera are getting wet. And it’s so powdery and fluffy; like walking through really fine polystyrene. It’s a wonderful experience.

I head back into the town. I could catch the next train but decide to stay longer. I walk along the main streets and look in the shops. It’s snowing all the time and there are plenty of “pinch me” moments as I turn each corner to take in a new view.

I return to the station to catch the 1507 train back to Munich. As I settle in my warm seat I notice that the snow is falling more heavily. I consider getting out to spend another hour there but decide against it. As the train pulls out of town I see it’s seriously falling now; probably would not have been so good. I’m glad I decided to leave. It was a magical experience and the best part is I still have a week to go; so I should be able to get plenty more snow-time.

Today‘s weather is forecast to be overcast again. I decide to head northeast to Landshut which is a town mentioned in my guidebook due to it’s colourfully painted buildings. At 1026 I catch the S6 to the Hauptbahnhof. There I buy another Bayern-ticket for the day. The train I had planned to catch is waiting, but it‘s for a different company and goes to Prague. I‘m not sure if my ticket applies, and I can find anyone to ask. To be safe, I decide to wait for the next train. In the meantime I walk through the area around the station. I find the museum area with some galleries and a large monument.

At 1124 I‘m back at the station and on the train to Passau. It will take me to Landshut, calling only at Freising and Moosburg. We arrive at Landshut at 1212. From the large station and 20th Century buildings around it, I start to wonder if I‘ve been led astray by my guidebook. I walk in the direction of the towncentre and things are not looking very colourful at all.

Then, after 20 min walking I come across the Altstadt and lots of colour! There is a massively wide street lined with all manner of colourful and cute shaped buildings as well as a very imposing church. On the hill there‘s also a castle. The small streets off the Main Street are also beautiful, hiding little gems. Being New Year‘s Day, there aren‘t many people around which makes it perfect for photography. There is a light drizzle of rain, but not enough to cause me problems.

I wander up and down and around the streets for a couple of hours before making my way back to the station.

I catch the 1448 train back to Munich. So far on this trip there have been very few people on the trains; this train is full and finding a seat is more challenging than usual.

Yesterday the weather was a bit dreary, so I had a planned rest day where I didn’t get out of my PJs and just worked on a jigsaw puzzle I had bought the day before.

Today is still a bit dreary but I feel I need to make an effort to do something. Many museums and galleries are closed, so I decide on a train trip. I check the weather and everywhere is showing drizzle, but at least Oberammergau has had some recent snow. Maybe some will still be there if I’m lucky.

After researching my travel options and buying a ticket online, I head to the train station. I’ve purchased a Bayern-Ticket which gives me unlimited regional train trips for a day for 37.50€. It’s good value.

I get on the 0830 S7 from Marienplatz to München Hauptbahnhof. It only takes 5 minutes. I was only able to buy a ticket online, not seat reservations. On the web it says I can reserve seats using the machines in the station but I can’t work out how to do it without buying another ticket. I ask at the information desk and they tell me there is no need to reserve seats. As I’m early, I buy a delicious Nussschneke from a kiosk in the station. It’s only a simple verbal exchange but I manage to do it without resorting to any english or “sign language”. It turns out to be the only success of the day, but that’s OK. It’s not a competition.

At 0932 I catch the regional RB 5415 to Murnau, calling at München Pasing, Tutzing, Weilheim, Huglfing and Uffing. When I get to Murnau, the next train is waiting. Up until now it has been drizzling, but now it‘s raining a little more heavily. There is lots of rain on the train windows which means no decent photos on the train. At 1042 train RB 59563 departs to Oberammergau, calling at Murnau Ort, Seeleiten-Berggeist, Grafenaschau, Bad Kohlgrub, Bad Kohlgrub Kurhaus, Saulgrub, Altenau and Untergammerau. Until Murnau the scenery was flat, but now the alpine scenery kicks in, followed by some mist in the forests, followed by … snow! I‘m very excited to see it. The scenery brings back big memories of the very special train ride through the Swiss alps that Emily and I did back in 2010.

We arrive in Oberammergau at 1127. It has been snowing but now it‘s just a light drizzle of rain. The roads and footpaths are turning to ice and slush. I need to be very careful how I walk.

The village is beautiful with many painted buildings. It would look amazing in summer and spring. But even now it has a charm and there are many people around. I wander and look in shops. They are mainly selling wooden souvenirs or beer steins. There is one Christmas shop which has an amazing array of decorations and displays; it‘s Christmas on steroids. On the edge of the village I can see a chairlift going up the side of the mountain and skiers coming down another, wider slope. Fathers and children are walking back into town, presumably from playing on the edges.

I try taking photos with my good camera, but it is challenging. The constant drizzle makes it hard to keep the camera and lens dry. I give up after a while.

I catch the 1329 train back to Murnau and then another back to Munich. By this time, I have wet and cold toes. Next time I will take my better walking boots.

0530 Anxious that I might miraculously oversleep, I’ve set the alarm. It goes off but I am already awake. Yes, it’s a tad early, but I don’t like to risk these things. Time to potter then get fully packed. I need to be out the door straight after breakfast. I have a morning of train travel ahead of me. And as much as I meticulously prepare, I always have a degree of worry that something will go wrong. Today is also a rush because I pre-booked to get advance ticket prices. But it’s locked me into a schedule. I will book the rest of my trips as I go. That should be more relaxed.

0630 I open the curtains. Lots of blue sky for the first time since I’ve been here. I haven’t minded the cloud though.

0700 Time for a very quick breakfast.

0735 I get to the train station in plenty of time.

0756 The train departs. It must be a commuter train because it gets very busy. I start to get anxious that it’s going to be tough getting off. But then it thins before Stockport and it’s all OK.

0850 We arrive at Stockport and I change trains. I make my way to platform 0 as shown on the sign and mentioned in announcements. Then there’s a new announcement that the train is departing from platform 2. Back we go. At platform 2 there’s already a train but I don’t think it’s mine. I let it go with trepidation, but I’m right. The next train is mine. My ticket is for carriage A which I assume will be at the front of the train. No, when the train arrives carriage A is at the back. Dash. There’s not much luggage space onboard but I get by.

0858 We depart a few minutes late. But this is the long leg of the trip and I’m all settled now.

0940 We arrive in Sheffield and lots of people get off. A sign back in Stockport alerted me that I needed to be in one of the front 2 carriages to get to Ely but carriage A was at the back. This did concern me. But then we reverse direction at Sheffield and we’re now at the front. It all makes sense now. Lucky I had a reservation, otherwise I would have sat in the other end.

0955 Chesterfield.

1030 Nottingham.

1110 Grantham.

1130 The train has a trolley service. I love this about trains in the UK. I grab a sandwich.

1140 Peterborough.

1215 We arrive in Ely. I get off to change trains for the last time.

1238 I’m on the train to Cambridge.

1300 We arrive at Cambridge. The hotel is literally next to the station. Very convenient. The hotel room is compact but very comfortable. It will be fine. The weather is still very clear so I decide to head for a walk while I can.

1400 I start walking towards Grantchester. It’s just over 2 miles from Cambridge and the walk follows the river Cam.

Grantchester is a small village. I had hoped for some quaintness but it didn’t quite deliver. Never mind, it was still a nice walk. About 7.5 km in total.

1600 I get back to the station. The walk was easy but my feet are sore. I stop into a Café Nero to try their winter spiced hot chocolate. Delicious!

1800 I head downstairs for some dinner. It’s not a restaurant, more a café but it looks good and feels relaxed. The hotel feels relaxed in general. There wasn’t a reception desk, instead there are roaming staff members who check you in. The hotel and the surrounding area feel very different to Buxton.

1930 I’m going to lie in bed and watch some TV.

View fullsize

View fullsize

View fullsize

View fullsize

View fullsize

View fullsize

View fullsize

View fullsize

View fullsize

View fullsize

View fullsize

View fullsize

View fullsize

View fullsize

0600 I was in bed by about 0800 last night. No dinner; just bed. The travelling had finally caught up and I desperately needed sleep. The bed in the hotel is so soft and comfortable. Perfect for drifting off. I have a number of deep sleeps until I wake at 0230 fairly alert but definitely groggy. After that I drift on the edge; trying not to think too much to avoid fully waking up.

The hotel is part of the same chain as the hotel I stayed at in Oxford last year. They have great 1 cup coffee filter “bags”, so I make myself a brew while I check up on social media and start to think about the day. This has become part of my holiday routine for the last few trips.

0730 While planning my day I discover news of industrial action on the line when I check train times. It shouldn’t cause too much trouble but limits my choices. I‘ll aim for the 0924 train.

0800 I head down to breakfast. I go for the full English to stoke the fires for the day.

0850 After a quick repack I‘m ready to check out. Luckily the station is only 5 min walk from the hotel. It‘s overcast and slighly breezy. It’s cold but while I‘m walking I‘m easily warm enough in jacket and t-shirt, as expected.

0924 On board the Northern line train to Buxton. Stopping at Stockport, Davenport, Woodsmoor, Hazel Grove, Middlewood (when the countryside begins), Disley, New Mills Newtown, Furness Vale, Whaley Bridge, Chapel-en-le-Frith, Dove Holes and Buxton. There are only a few people on the train. I use the bike carriage for my luggage as they don‘t appear to have luggage racks on the other carriages.

The leaves haven‘t finished falling yet, so there is some colour around. I try to get some photos from the train but the windows are dirty and light is not so good.

1024 We arrive at Buxton. It’s a short walk up the hill to the hotel. A bit more effort than I had expected, but not too bad. I check in early and my room is ready. In fact, they move me to a better room that has a view of the park (the first 3 photos are of the hotel and my view).

1100 I head to the Pavilion where there is an information centre. I want to find details of walks. I buy a couple of maps that should help me to plan my stay here. There is a market in the pavilion selling food and craft. I buy a delicious sultana and cherry treacle slice for a late morning tea.

1230 I have chosen a short walk that should give me some views of the area. I head off. Early into the walk I‘m not happy with my photos; they’re too washed out. I play with the light settings on the camera and change to overcast. Massive improvement; I never realised it would make such a difference.

I‘m following a simple map and written description of the walk. After a while, things look wrong. I retrace my steps and follow what I now think is right. It takes me on a narrow trail through the woods. I like it very much, but I don’t think it’s the right one. Eventually, I meet what must be the trail described in my guide. So many of the trees are golden. I head towards Solomon‘s Temple, not having any idea what it is. Then I see this small tower at the top of the hill. The wind is blowing a gale. I shelter behind a brick wall to try and take some photos for a panorama. Another person joins me at the spot to take a photo.

I walk up to the top of the tower and it‘s even more blustery. It reminds me of the day Em and I climbed the tower at the Cliffs of Moher. After the tower, I head back through the woods. There are lot‘s of people strolling about. It‘s so beautiful.

1500 I‘m back at the Pavilion at the end of my walk. I drop by the market to get another treat. This time forest fruit treacle slice. I‘m feeling a little tired; it was a very strenuous walk and climb. But I‘m not feeling any significant jet lag. My feet are sore though. Walking around the town in this late autumnal weather was delightful.

1530 The clouds are heavy and it‘s starting to look dubious. I decide I‘ve given it a good go today and head back to the hotel to look at my photos and write this blog entry.

1800 I decide to try out the restaurant in the hotel for dinner. I have tomato and Aubergine soup, chicken breast with cannelloni beans and honey tart. It’s all very nice; I will dine there again.

During dinner there are ever increasing bangs outside. I have no idea what’s going on until I overhear a discussion. Tonight is Bonfire Night. I remember that from years ago. And the local fireworks are being set off just in front of the hotel. After dinner I look out the window of my room to catch the show. It’s only small but the fireworks go on for a very long time.

2000 I’m feeling tired now. It was an active day and I think it’s time to get to bed. I might listen to some music first.

View fullsize

View fullsize

View fullsize

View fullsize

View fullsize

View fullsize

View fullsize

View fullsize

View fullsize

View fullsize

View fullsize

View fullsize

View fullsize

View fullsize

View fullsize

View fullsize

View fullsize

View fullsize

View fullsize

View fullsize

View fullsize

View fullsize

View fullsize

View fullsize

View fullsize

View fullsize

View fullsize

View fullsize

View fullsize

View fullsize

View fullsize

View fullsize

View fullsize

View fullsize

0200 (ADELAIDE TIME) Time for bed. The first 3 hours I sleep quite deeply for an hour at a time. After that it gets bumpy and I’m just drifting on the edge of sleep. At times it’s REALLY bumpy; strap in! Generally the cabin temperature is good. Cool. I can crank up my air vent if I want and this is good for sleeping.

0800 For the last hour of rest I listen to my iPod. I bought lots of music before I left and it’s nice to lay quietly and discover. Albums include Singularity (Jon Hopkins), Soyuz (Gazpacho), Colour Bomb (Colour Bomb), In a Desperate Moment (The Kite String Tangle), re:member (Olafur Arnolds), Boy Afraid (Saro).

0900 Time for some breakfast. I would have held off a bit longer but most of the other passengers are starting to eat and the aroma is too tempting. I don’t want too much and settle for apple and ginger juice followed by scrambled eggs and crushed avocado. The food on this flight has been outstanding; the best airline food I’ve had.

I look at the flight tracker and get another little buzz.

The flight has onboard WiFi so I get the complimentary 30 min. The connection is quite good and I get my updates and email. The bank has put a hold on one of my credit cards due to a transaction. Luckily its not one of the cards I’m travelling with and it’s a legitimate transaction. I will sort it out when I get to Doha.

0950 After brushing my teeth and freshening up, I sit back to listen to more of my new music. I feel VERY relaxed.

1114 The lights come on and we commence our descent. The flight attendant who took care of me for most of the flight was so delightful. She was just very friendly without being intrusive.

0420 (DOHA TIME) We land in Doha and it’s still dark. The airport is huge and nicer than I remember. I SO want to take some photos but dare not here. Doesn’t feel right. It’s 24 degrees but it must be humid because I’m sweating already. I wander around the duty free. On the plane I saw an ad for noise cancelling ear plugs. Sounds like a great idea but I don’t find any.

There’s a really mesmerising massive digital artwork on one of the walls. People walking towards and then away from the viewer and disappearing into the desert haze.

0450 I make my way to the business lounge.

0509 I call the bank to sort out my credit card. They don’t have a record of my UK trip either. Might be my mistake but I’m glad I fixed it in case they do the same to any of the cards I DO need.

0550 I’m feeling hungry again. I guess breakfast was a few hours ago. There is a dining area but I don’t want a full blown meal. I wander around and discover there are stations with various treats around the lounge. I find some savoury treats followed by mini pastries and a coffee. That’s enough to fill the gap.

0644 The lounge was almost deserted when I arrived. Now it’s light, there are people everywhere.

0745 Time to go to the departure gate.

0818 Flight QR7, B777-300ER, Seat 1K. I’m on board. This plane is fitted with Q-Suites. Every seat is essentially a mini-suite, with door. Fancy! So much room and storage. Because of the configuration, I‘m sitting backward. It feels a little odd. We‘re delayed on the tarmac due to air traffic.

0910 Departed. The developments we pass over on the way out are spectacular. So much luxury construction.

I‘m feeling a little tired but still quite fresh.

0930 I watch a movie; “The Shape of Water”. The main meal on this flight is breakfast. What the heck; I order carrot juice, Greek yoghurt with granola and scrambled eggs with chicken skewer.

1030 Flying over some very dramatic and barren landscape. We fly over a circular city; I think it is Erbil. It looks unusually shaped in its context.

1130 We‘re crossing over the border into Turkey.

1140 I try to get some more sleep.

1300 I wake up! I managed to get to sleep quite easily and slept very solidly. I could probably sleep longer but feel refreshed enough and want to keep retraining my body clock. I ask for a coffee. It comes with some delicious stem ginger cookies.

1310 We‘re flying over Bucharest. There is quite thick cloud with occasional clear patches.

1330 I take advantage of the quiet in the cabin to go freshen up and change my t-shirt; avoid the landing rush.

1350 All the flight it‘s been really smooth. Now, over Hungary, it suddenly gets really bumpy.

1415 The cloud briefly clears over the Czech Republic.

1437 It’s clearer over Germany. We fly over Coburg.

1510 I get excited as I catch my first glimpse of the English Channel.

1540 We’re tracking the Thames inland. From my calculation, London will be on the left side of the plane but I’m sitting on the right. Then we change direction and before I know it we’re flying slowly right over the centre of the city. The plane banks at just the right time to see everything. It’s a clear day and the view is amazing!

1250 (UK TIME) We’ve landed. I’ve been to London many times and this one of the first it hasn’t been drizzling on arrival.

1315 I make my way to border control. The UK passport queue is empty and I go through the electronic gates just like a local. Cool. Of course, my fellow business class passengers get to luggage at the same time thanks to their fast track passes, but it’s the principle!

1330 I need to catch the train to terminal 2 so I can catch the Heathrow Express. The next one is 18 min away.

1404 I’m on the Heathrow Express. Next stop London.

1416 I arrive at Paddington station and need to catch the tube to get to Euston. First the Bakerloo line (southbound) to Oxford Circus, then the Victoria line (northbound) to Euston. I had been nervous that it might be tricky changing trains with all my luggage but it all goes pretty smoothly with only a couple of stairs.

I instantly recognise all the sights and sounds of the underground and the trains. Aside from the “city” smells, there’s a distinct smell to the trains here.

1440 I get to Euston in plenty of time for my train to Manchester. There’s a lounge where I can get a drink and snack while I wait.

1600 We depart for Manchester. Nearly there now and I can fully relax. You’ve done well Ian.

1815 The train arrives in Manchester. I was starting to vague out by the end of the trip. The hotel is within sight of the train station so I walk. There are lots of people out. It’s dark but still early. Tonight is just a bed to recover before continuing to my final destination tomorrow morning. I think I’ll head to bed super early, after a lovely shower.

View fullsize

View fullsize

View fullsize

View fullsize

View fullsize

View fullsize

View fullsize

View fullsize

View fullsize

View fullsize

View fullsize

View fullsize

View fullsize

View fullsize

Today it was time to move on to my final destination in this adventure, London. Unfortunately I didn't plan today's journey very well. I purchased the train tickets first back in March in order to secure advance first class tickets at a good price. I purposely chose trains towards the end of the day so I could maximise my stay in the Lake District by doing an activity this morning. However, when it came to booking a car I found myself having to return the car before 1:00pm because it's a Saturday. That was nearly 3 hours ahead of my train departure. 

As there was very little point in returning the car earlier, I took my time getting ready this morning, aiming to check out close to 11:00am. Packing was the usual challenge and one holiday experience I won't miss. 

I headed back to Carlisle shortly before 11:00am. I decided that I would take the route with major roads this time following the A66 and then the M6. This provided a very easy and pleasant driving experience. 

After returning the car I headed to the train station. I decided to enquire whether I could exchange my tickets for an earlier service. Unfortunately, because I had managed to get such cheap advance tickets in the first place, to change them now would have been ridiculously expensive. Also unfortunately, Carlisle railway station doesn't have any facility for leaving your luggage so you can head off for a bit. My only choice was to wait it out at the station. But at least that was a nice opportunity to read over the notes I've been keeping for this trip and skim through some of the books I've purchased. 

This weekend there is maintenance on the west coast line which seemed to cause some chaos at Carlisle with bus services and announcements going off all over the place. When I first purchased my tickets there had been a note that the service might be affected by maintenance, but luckily for me the east cost line I had selected escaped the works. 

The first train from Carlisle to Leeds departed at 3:49pm. The train arrived in Leeds on time despite having to stop for a fallen branch across the line. At Leeds I transferred to the 6:45pm Virgin Trains service to London Kings Cross.  All up, that's nearly 5 1/2 hours of train travel.

Funnily, the first train, which was a Northern service, was a very ordinary train but smooth ride. The second train, which was the much swisher Virgin Trains service, was really bumpy. Of course, I think it was a much faster train, but surprising all the same.

To my surprise my legs felt OK this morning after yesterday's trek. Today was a travel day so I needed to be up early. I had a rotten night's sleep, so that was quite easy. I took at taxi to the train station well in time to catch my 8:50am Trans-Pennine Express to Leeds. This was the same route I took to get to Scarborough. From Leeds I caught the 10:49am Northern service to Carlisle. 

The weather in Scarborough had been mild with blue sky. From Leeds it got grey and chilly before finally clearing up at Carlisle.  

The countryside started with the familiar fields before changing to a more barren landscape in the Yorkshire Dales and then returning to more pastoral.

I arrived in Carlisle around 1:30pm. Next task was to pick up my hire car. I'm not fond of driving while on holiday, but I decided that having a car would provide me with more interesting adventure opportunities in the Lake District. I remember public transport being quite restrictive last year.

After figuring out how to start it (new cars!) I made my way first to Keswick. The lady in the car hire place asked if I needed help getting to Grasmere. I explained the path I planned to take. She suggested an alternative which would be much more scenic. I decided to take her advice. She was right, but it was distractingly scenic! With a new car and driving in England to contend with already, having the magnificent mountains and lakes in my peripheral vision made it even harder. But I managed OK.

I plan to explore Keswick in more detail later so I only stayed long enough for some refreshment and a couple of snaps. 

From Keswick it was just a 15min drive to my final destination Grasmere where the hotel is. 

Today was another one of those days that turned out quite different from the original plan. The day got off to a good start after a less noisy night and a better sleep. I went for the buckwheat pancakes and berry compote for breakfast and they were fantastic. As I enjoyed my breakfast I reflected on how it feels like I have been away for an eternity. That's a really nice feeling to have. And there's still just over a week to go! 

I also reflected on a funny trend I've noticed. The few times I've engaged in conversation with locals I've often remarked on how beautiful I think the UK is. The standard response has been along the lines of "yes, but you have better weather". Like they can't recognise what they have. When I respond that I'm not a fan of the hot weather they don't know what to say next. 

I headed off quite early. I needed to get to Pickering at one end of the North Yorkshire Moors Railway. I briskly walked the 10min to the train station where the 128 bus to Pickering departed. I was there in plenty of time for the 9:10am bus. Pickering isn't that far if you travel direct but the bus did dart in and out of a few villages, something I was very happy with as it gave me more insight into the area. We passed through more green fields and villages with lovely stone cottages. The bus was a double decker and I decided to be brave and sit up top at the front. I say brave because last time I did that was in a bus from Windermere to Bowness last year and I really didn't enjoy the experience. But this time was OK and I got a great view. 

Pickering is a small town with a generally vintage feel. There was an open air market with a variety of things on sale, but nothing I was overly interested in. 

I headed straight away to the train station to get my bearings and secure a ticket. The station and surrounding areas purposely appear frozen in time, like this tea room. 

After wandering around Pickering for a little while I decided to head back to the station. My train was due to leave at 12:00pm and I got back there just as the 11:00am train was departing. 

The platform is decked out in 1930s style. Others on the line reflect other eras including the Goathland station which has been used for the Heartbeat TV series and first Harry Potter movie. 

I had some morning tea in the tea rooms at the station and bought a book from the gift shop while waiting for the train. Shortly after 12:00pm toots heralded the train as it rounded the bend into the station. 

This train was more substantial than those on the North Wales railways. The sound of the steam as the engine gained speed was so iconic. We even got a free fine layer of soot blown in through the windows.

The scenery along the line was quite varied. There were buildings dotted though the countryside and green fields. 

As well as stretches through the barren North Yorkshire Moors. 

This row of houses appeared out of nowhere with no evidence of other buildings to form a village. 

Part way along the trip I noticed a "passenger" hitch hiking on the outside of the window. He held on for quite some time, helped by the leisurely pace of the train. 

All up the journey took about 1.5hr. Towards the end the train went under the massive Larpool Viaduct. I wasn't able to get a great photo from the train but that led to the changes in the rest of the day. 

I only had a relatively short stay in Manchester. I could definitely find plenty of other things to do there, so it would be nice to come back and spend some more time at some stage. I packed my bag last night, so this morning was pretty easy going. I had hoped to sleep in until around 7:00am but unfortunately I was wide awake at 5:00am.  

The weather was clear and blue and it did occur to me that I could pop outside and take advantage of the weather and Saturday morning to do some photography. But I just didn't feel like it - and I'm trying not to feel guilty about it.

I got to the railway station in plenty of time for my 10:11am train. I had purchased a advance first class ticket which was a very reasonable price. First class can be a bit hit and miss depending on the train company and whether you're travelling during the week or on the weekend. In this instance it was just right. Very comfortable, a single window seat and tea/coffee service to your seat.

Sitting diagonally opposite me for most of the trip were two women. They seemed lovely but didn't stop talking for the whole trip. That doesn't bother me at all, I just don't understand how anyone can keep talking that long. I'd find it exhausting! 

The terrain was varied, much of the same lush green pastures and fields I have seen on other trips. I tried to take a few photos but, as usual, timing was critical. This photo was a perfect example of getting the timing wrong! 

The journey was just over two hours long and we arrived around 12:30pm.  About 1/2 hour before arriving, the lady who had been quietly sitting directly opposite me said something and a conversation ensued. That was lovely, though it soon descended into a long list of bad accommodation experiences she and her family have had. Luckily I'm not staying in the Grand Hotel! That place sounded diabolical - though I doubt it could have been as bad as she made out.

I chose Scarborough as a base to explore some towns and villages on the Yorkshire coast. If time permits, there's a steam railway I hope to try also. 

I've been starting to feel a little gloomy at the thought that this adventure is starting to slip away. I know it's silly to waste my time with these thoughts but it's hard to break the habit. But this morning I did the maths and realised that today is day #14 in the UK and I still have 15 days left to go! That was a bit of a surprise as I mentioned in my blog that I passed the midway point a day or two a go. What a wally. It was a good wake up call and I need to make sure I don't slip into that mindset too easily again.

Today was the end of my stay in North Wales and time to move on to Manchester. I knew that check-in time in Manchester wasn't until 4:00pm so there was no point in rushing. So I had another leisurely breakfast and took my time to repack. Speaking of which, I had to expand the suitcase today. I don't really understand why though. I haven't really bought that much. Is it due to those purchases or just poor packing? I guess I'll work it out on my next re-pack. 

The weather in Llandudno was clear when I first looked out the window this morning but turned to high white cloud by breakfast.  

I checked out just before 11:00am and made the 10min walk to the station. I am noticing a slight lowering of my walking pace which is a sign that I'm starting to wind down a bit. That's good. 

I caught the 11:44am train to Manchester Picaddilly station. The train started from Llandudno which meant I could choose my seat. Unfortunately, it was quite an old train with no luggage rack. There was, however, an area with folding chairs that provided space for my luggage so that was OK.

When we got to Llandudno Junction a man got on with a walking frame. He sat beside me as there was space for his frame and I think it's the first time I've shared a seat on public transport this trip. He was keen to chat and had a great knowledge of places around the UK due to his own travels in his more mobile days. He was very keen to give me his tips for the places I have yet to visit and I was very grateful. I probably have more to see than time will permit, but it's good to have choices (and left overs for next time).  This did mean that I didn't take any photos of the journey. I noticed a couple of scenes I would have ordinarily snapped, but it was no great loss and a pleasure to chat with Antony. 

By the time we reached Manchester around 1:30pm it was raining lightly. I found some lunch at the station before making the 5min walk to the apartment. For the first time this trip I'm staying in an apartment instead of a hotel, mainly so I can have a bit of personal space and so I can catch up on washing. They upgraded me to a 2 bedroom apartment - I don't need a second bedroom but I assume it's generally roomier. 

I popped out straight away to have a look around and do some grocery shopping. I took my camera but the constant drissle made photography a challenge and wandering around not really fun. I decided to do my shopping and head back to the apartment to plan the next couple of days instead (plus figure out how to use the washing machine).

Manchester was selected as another regional base. My plans for the next 2 days will be dependent on the weather. Luckily I am spoilt for choice.  

One of my "must do" activities in Wales was to ride on one of the heritage steam trains through Snowdonia. The weather would have been perfect on Sunday, however limited public transport options made it almost impossible for me. I had to wait until today. Even then it involved getting on the number 5/5C bus to Caernarfon at 7:30am in order to get there in time to catch the 10:00am train.  

There were two steam railways I was interested in. One goes between Caernarfon and Porthmadog and the other goes between Porthmaog and Blaenau Ffestiniog. The route maps are at the end of this post. Rather than choose one line and make a return trip it was possible to create a kind of circuit by travelling one way on both. To complete the loop there is a mainline train from Blaenau Ffestiniog back to Llandudno.

I got to Caernarfon in plenty of time to get a ticket and find a good seat, though I had no way of knowing which would be the best side. Plus, single seats were only on one side so I didn't really have much of a choice. The weather at the start was grey and lightly spotting with rain. Not ideal, but OK. 

There was a sense of excitement as the train arrived at the station. 

The initial landscape was similar to what I've already seen though there was a lot of a rust coloured grass that was a nice contrast against all of the green. 

About 1/2 hour in it began getting more mountainous. Unfortunately the weather started getting worse. The combination of misty mountains, rain on the windows, smoke from the train and generally low light made photography very difficult.

I wasn't able to get any good shots of the really dramatic mountain tops. It would be spectacular on a clear day. 

We ran by and crossed a number of rapidly flowing streams and rivers. 

Towards the end of the first line the area had clearly flooded as the water level was coming up to the top of the fence line. 

The first trip took just over two hours. It was definitely a case of the "pensioner express" which made me feel a little bit younger than usual. I managed to get a shot of the carriage as we were alighting. 

As well as a better picture of the engine. 

And the full train. 

I had roughly an hour and a half in Porthmadog before the return trip but the weather wasn't all that pleasant. I did a quick trip down the high street. I noticed that the clouds/mist was slowly coming down the hills at the back of the town. 

Good to see the tide in for a change. 

At 1:35pm the second trip began on a different train. Again, I wasn't really on the best side for photographs of the dramatic landscape but there were other things to capture. 

Polution aside, it was quite mystical to see the train smoke occasionally wafting between the trees. 

Or when another train approached. 

At one stage the line loops over itself. 

Which gave me my best opportunity to get a shot of the front of our train in motion. 

There were a number of dramatic waterfalls down the sides of the mountains. Unfortunately, I wasn't able to capture the largest ones. 

The second train journey took about an hour and a half. In theory that would leave 20min before the next mainline train to Llandudno. We must have been running late though and there was a train waiting and ready to depart. We needed to dash to make it because the next one was over 2 hours later. 

All in all it was a great journey and I'm really glad I did it. It's the first serious steam engine I can remember going on and the scenery was spectacular. It would have been so much better in clearer weather or combined with some walking at one or more of the stops. In summer the trains are more frequent which would make getting off to walk for an hour more viable.

Today it was time to move on from Oxford and the Cotswolds to my new destination - North Wales. 

I woke up early to pack after a really restless night from an uncomfortably warm room. The morning was grey and it had rained overnight. After breakfast I spent some time downloading timetables for the trains and buses I would need in Wales - just in case the wi-fi at the next hotel was not as good as this one. 

I got to the station early to catch the 9:39am to Birmingham New Street station. The scenery at the start of the journey was very familiar but misty.

At Birmingham I changed to the 11:25am train to Llandudno Junction. From Birmingham to Wolverhampton the scenery was all industrial. But after Wolverhampton the country returned, eventually becoming hillier.  

By the time we reached Chester it was raining lightly. Shortly after leaving Chester we reached the coast of the North of Wales at Flint. 

As well as this curious "beached" ship. 

The train had wi-fi, which was excellent because my daughter Emily emailed me to tell me she had just won Best Documentary at the South Australian Screen Awards. Modern technology immediately allowed me to then share the wonderful news from the other side of the world! 

From Llandudno Junction I had a 20min wait before the final 10min train trip to take me to Llandudno itself. 

All together the journey took nearly 5 hours. The Birmingham to Llandudno Junction part was particularly slow because it had so many stops. There may have been a faster route but this was heading through country I hadn't seen before so I didn't mind.

Even though I didn't get back from Singing with Nightingales until nearly 1:00am I wanted to get up and out fairly early this morning. The alarm woke me at 7:30am after a solid sleep and I headed down to breakfast. 

After my first repack for the trip - everything still fits in the suitcase - I headed to the station to catch the 10:43am high speed train to St Pancras station. From there I caught the Circle line to Baker Street followed by the Bakerloo line to Marylebone Station. Being a Sunday morning, neither of the tube lines were busy and there was no trouble getting my luggage on or off. Although navigating from one line to the other at Baker Street was a bit tricky - up and down stairs and through a maze of walkways. Finally I was able to get on the 12:35pm train to Oxford after pausing for a quick lunch. 

The train took about an hour. After the cool grey skys of Ashford, Oxford greeted me with blue skys and scattered high cloud. By mid afternoon it was even t-shirt temperature. 

My pre-prepared map isn't correct as the train I caught went through High Wycombe instead.

I've chosen Oxford as a base to further explore the Cotswolds, this year from the east. I had considered staying in the middle, but didn't want to be constrained to one area.

As with Kent, there are more places on my wish list than I could possibly fit into 4 days. I'll just see how I feel each day. 

The weather settled down last night so I was up early to see what the lake would offer me this morning. She didn't disappoint. I could have spent hours taking photos as the light changed. 

But I had an appointment with a train to London. Before leaving, I took some photos of the light from the skylights in the hotel. 

The trip was a little convoluted due to maintenance work. I had a bus trip from Windermere to Oxenholme. Another from Oxenholme to Lancaster. Then finally the train to London. It was express for more than half the journey and very comfortable. The scenery was a mix of what I've seen so far. I took this photo on the bus.

The train was operated by Virgin. Nice to see Virgin still have a sense of humour over here. I think Virgin Australia have lost that, which is a shame because I feel it gave them a point of difference to the competition.

My final hotel is in Earls Court. Very handy location. The room is tiny, but very funky and cosy. Will do nicely for the end of my trip. 

Today it was time to leave York and head to my final destination before returning to London then home. It had rained quite a lot overnight and was still drizzling in the morning. It would have been an inside kind of day anyway. 

I got to the station early and my train was in time. 

The first train was to Manchester. Then a change to Oxenholme Lake District. Finally a change to Windermere. The first train was relatively empty. The second was busier. The last train was packed. We passed a beautiful selection of countryside.

Unfortunately I wasn't able to get shots of the last leg because I wasn't by a window. The landscape was distinctly different. Hopefully I can get some photos later.

Windermere was packed with people. Much busier than I'd expected. The taxi driver told me this is nothing compared to mid summer. My hotel is out of Windermere and nicely secluded. It reminds me of a hotel Emily and I stayed in in Ireland. I have a window with a fantastic view of the lake.

The hotel is a converted manor house.

After having a sandwich in the Drawing Room (take note Emily) I got my things together to start exploring. I walked to the nearest town Bowness-on-Windermere. It took just under 45min. It was getting late when I got there, already 4:00pm but they were still running lake cruises. The weather had improved greatly so I seized the opportunity to do a short one.

The light on the walk back to the hotel was perfect for taking some more pictures. 

Just enough time to freshen up and have dinner with the lake as backdrop. Sun very slowly fading. Occasional swan gliding by. Amazing food and wine. A lovely end to the day.

Part of my plan for coming here was to wind down. I'll probably do a little exploring tomorrow, but then I think some lazing around the hotel will be in order.

I woke up after one of the best sleeps I've had on this holiday. It's was early, but I felt refreshed. After breakfast my first plan was to have one last go at photographing some of the older buildings in the city and then explore some more of the wall. 

Capturing the feel of the buildings is challenging. The streets are so narrow its often difficult to fit the whole building in and the streets are so dark that the contrast created by any light makes getting the right light balance tedious. I got some shots that I think will come out all right in post processing, but these two are OK as they are. The second one is meant to show just how ramshackle some of the buildings are. 

I picked up the wall from the eastern side and followed it around. It was still early in the morning and there were some great views. The wall is fascinating to walk and it's punctuated by gates and towers.

It was a beautiful clear morning and by the time I'd walked around the wall I was getting warm so I popped back to the apartment to change into lighter clothes. Then it was back to visit the Merchants Hall I had seen on my wall walk. It was built in the 1400s and was a guild hall for merchants. 

Somewhere on my walks I came across these cute goslings. There are quite a few geese in the rivers of York. I'm not fond of geese so I always make sure to keep my distance. 

From the Merchant Hall I made my way to Clifford's Tower. This used to be part of a castle. 

After grabbing some lunch I made my way to the main destination for the day - the National Railway Museum. 

They have a series of Royal carriages. This was the setting inside one of them.  Luxury.

They even have an authentic bullet train from Japan.

And some historic British trains. 

Probably the most fascinating was this cutaway steam train. I never realised that the round tank at the front contained all those pipes. I'd assumed it was just hollow. 

I spent quite a few hours wandering around before buying some great things from the shop. One is a book of transit system maps from around the world. It may sound a bit boring but I think some of these maps are mini works of art. I've always been a fan.

After popping back to the apartment again to drop of my purchases I walked my aching feet to one last destination - the York Museum. I had considered giving it a miss but I figure tomorrow is a train day and my feet can rest then. 

The museum was really well presented and gave a great insight into the history of York from prehistory, to Roman, Viking, Anglo and Norman. I took a photo of this tile because of the stamp. It just made it a whole lot more personal and real to think that someone placed that stamp there 2,000 years ago. 

That was a jam packed day. My feet aren't talking to me right now but I will rest them. Tomorrow I head on to the Lake District. 

Today I visited the National Railway Museum. At numerous times I experienced a feeling of nostalgia. Seeing this picture was just one of those occasions. The rounded booths selling newspapers and refreshments seem so familiar. But the reality is I've probably never seen them in real life.

As a kid I was into trains and making models. The catalogues all contained English and European railway scenes and I think I grew up with those scenes imprinted in my memory rather than those of Australia. 

It felt weird to feel so nostalgic about something I've only experienced secondhand. 

My stay in Cheltenham and the Cotswolds has come to an end and today it was time to head north to York. After yesterday's troubles I checked the train website first thing in the morning. Everything was running on time. My train didn't depart until 1:10pm so I had some time spare. I was still up early - I'm not usually one to lay around in bed. It meant I could have a quiet breakfast in the restaurant before the hordes arrived. Then I stepped out into the beautiful clear crisp morning to take some snaps of Cheltenham. Funny but I found it difficult to find much that I really wanted to photograph. It's not that Cheltenham is an ugly town - quite the opposite - it's just a bit vanilla. 

The train arrived more or less on time. But unlike the train from Plymouth a few days ago, this one was packed due to the line damage and maintenance works. When I boarded there was someone already in my seat. It's possible to buy a ticket without reserving a seat. That just means you look for unreserved seats when you get on. Clearly mine was showing as reserved but he thought he'd try his luck. All good though, he was very polite about it and I was in my reserved seat in no time. 

I took some photos on the journey just to document the changing landscape but it didn't actually change all that much. We passed through a couple of major cities: Birmingham, Sheffield and Leeds.  Overall though, I didn't enjoy the journey as much as my last one.

The train arrived in York on time and I hurriedly got my bearings through the very impressive building. I will come back to take photos later. Finding the apartment was quite easy and only about 15min walk. It's basic, but will do for this stay. I'm really looking forward to some simple food and getting heaps of washing done. 

After a quick dash to the supermarket for supplies, I headed out to explore before it got too dark. By this time it was already gone 5:00pm. At first I thought it was odd that the city was so quiet but then I realised it's Sunday - I've kind of lost track of days. 

I took a few photos. I won't try to post many because I think the wifi here is going to be a bit problematic. 

Two impressive features of York are the towering York Minster and the wall that surrounds much of the old city. I walked along some of the wall today. I will visit York Minster tomorrow.  

First impressions are that its going to be a very photogenic city. 

On my way back to the apartment I passed a little pub tucked away in a side street, so I popped into The Achorne for a pint of "beardo" golden ale. 

This morning as I was heading to the train station it occurred to me that it had been only a week ago (last Saturday) that I got back from Scandinavia. It feels so much longer. I guess I've packed an awful lot into the last week. That's a good feeling.