Model Railway Forum

Walkingthedog wrote: ↑Sat Aug 17, 2019 1:08 pm I reckon I’d base myself near York. A fantastic City, NRM, North Yorkshire Moor Railway plus many other places of interest and the Lake District not far away. And that is coming from a southerner.

+1 for York as above you are also within striking distance of KWVR and of course the Settle to Carlisle line and if you time it right a steam hauled excursion along it.

Richard

Have you considered the Welsh Border Towns ie Shrewsbury or Ludlow, they are both close to Severn Valley and Llangollen railways and not far from Churnet Vale Railway also close by rail are the Welsh narrow gauge railways via one of the nicest rail journeys the central Wales.there is also the World Heritage site of Ironbridge with it numerous Museums.
Given the above advice I would certainly take a couple of day in York, brilliant museums ,this is also a nice rail trip from Welsh border via Manchester and then to York over and under the Penines.
Wherever you choose don’t do the today it Shrewsbury and tomorrow it’s York next day London tour as although you visit them you don’t experience them much better to confine your area this time and come back again another year to visit another area.
Good luck Roger O

More fascinating ideas. I wanted to avoid London, but then as I
saw some of the museums there, it would be very, very hard to
miss. I particularly like the idea of the bike tours; it's going to
be so hard to figure out what to leave in, what to leave out.
I think perhaps the six month idea is the best idea, unfortunately
my employer might disagree.

Canadian by birth, American by naturalization, I still hold
Canadian citizenship. In my darker moods I ponder packing
it all in and returning to the land of my ancestors. Actually,
the land of my ancestors is the Outer Hebrides, Berra to be
exact. I really suppose it would be too much to try to fit in
a visit there. Maybe year after next. The vacation fund is
building up nicely, hope to have a good time fulfilling this
bucket list wish.

York. Another ancient citadel and city. Lakes District. I am
getting dizzy.

Much to dwell on here, I am leaning towards the York as base of operations right now. Having seen a few Youtube glimpses of
the British Museum of History in London, that has to go on the list, so London I shall go. That and the Transportation Museum.
Haven't been there since maybe 1967, must be good.

Binge Watching "Time Team" on YouTube. 200,000 years of inhabitation, not bad, not bad. I only have another 180,000 years
to go before I catch up to the Saxon period. In the States we go back maybe 12,000 years, and precious little of that remains
scattered about in odd localities. My wife, from Mexico, traces her DNA back to some rather interesting Sapien fossils, and to
our surprise 25% "Native American." That definition is a little loose as what constitutes a "Native American" ranges from the Ysleta
people in El Paso to Eskimos and their numerous sub-divisions. She is enthralled as I to see GB.

Myself, lot of English and Scotch, maybe why I yearn to return to this remarkable island. Not a trace of Native American, but
loads of Neanderthal. Explains much, I am sure. At any rate the vacation fund is steadily building up, like a balloon...

Anyways, on the home front, the Mursey-on-the-Smurf* Royal Society of Ladies for the Preservation of the Monster(s) of Loch
Ness are taking a tour... I feel one of my turns coming on... time for a new Loch Ness viddy.

*The "Mursey-on-the-Smurf" reference is plagiarized from the most excellent TV series, "The Avengers." I am much a fan.

Problem is Chops. You could visit the UK and even with a whole lifetime, not see everything interesting. Ummm. So much potential to see and do.. You're spoilt for choice.

As someone remarked, "spoilt for choice." Wonder if the company would mind me taking a year or two off.

Does this make any sense?

Day 1 London: wife wants to see the changing of the guards. Maybe I could squeeze in the London Transport Museum while they
stand in the rain. Done plenty of marching in circles, and whilst the Brits do it better, I've had my share.

Day 2 &3: York. What I saw on Youtube, looks to have a decent mix of history, gardens, and shopping for the ladies. The interactive museum
looks to be brilliant. Not sure I could be dragged out of there too quickly. Watching "Time Team's" excavations makes me want to pack a spade.

Day 3,4,5: Lakes District. Biking, Hiking.

Day 6,7,8: Brighton Beach, or I have been told that Cornwall is most inviting. More biking, beach walking.

Day 9 Back to London, or Manchester, fly back to US.

I am told that a Rail pass has advantages, and is cheaper for tourists, and I am eager to sample British rail travel. Honestly, rail travel in the US is frightfully expensive and a bit exotic. I am concerned I am packing too much in, and I am sure London would be a fascination, even though I am not keen on the city life.

For lodging, does anyone have a view regarding Bed and Breakfast, and what has become quite popular stateside, "Air BNB."

My UK travel account is growing nicely. Hope nothing blows up in my face between now and then.

2021: Wales and Scotland.

You've not left much time for travelling between locations.

All day in London, then off to York the next day.

Consider axing one location (Brighton will be most difficult to get to from the Lake District (of course it depends where in the LD you are) as travelling to a mainline station then down to Brighton will probably take most of a day! From Manchester to Brighton involves travelling through and changing in London, including using the Tube (or Taxi). The journey time alone is between 3.5h and 4h. You would need to get to Manchester first from somewhere in the Lake District so it will be an arduous journey.

Cornwall will present similar difficulties. It is a 7h plus journey with potentially 2 or more changes of train.

Not sure why anybody would want to visit Brighton beach. No sand just pebbles.

Walkingthedog wrote: ↑Tue Sep 17, 2019 9:20 am Not sure why anybody would want to visit Brighton beach. No sand just pebbles.

+1

It always puzzles me why visitors from the USA & Canada seem to want to go to the Lake District. Whilst it is a spectacular and beautiful area of the UK and I am not knocking it, the fact is that it is an area of lakes and mountains and I would have thought there were more than enough to marvel at in N. America and probably some even more spectacular. However, if you are keen to see somebody else's mountains and lakes or you are into Wordsworth and daffodils then if you base yourself in York I again refer you to the Settle to Carlisle line which skirts the Lake District. Carlisle it self is nothing special but is the western end of Hadrian's wall and also is within hire car striking distance to the Lake District.

Richard

It’s a big place North America. You could live there all your life and not see anything like the Lake District, especially in El Paso.