h2g2 The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy: Earth Edition

Entry: Travelling from Edinburgh to London (and back again) - A87810672
Author: Woolly Mammoth - U5132676

I've been meaning to write this to the Guide for ages. I hope it's ok.

I like it,. I thought you did a good job explaining it to dumb Yanks who have other problems due to the scale of country to be covered. And it its present form by sticking to the relative expenses, you make it good and not needing an update for a number of years (unless Scotland votes for independence in April). I think that even then, the border will be fairly permeable.

This is lovely. I like the direct, breezy tone. And it told me all I'd need to know about travelling from Edinburgh to London.Useful for a traveller or a writer, say, intent on moving a character about.

'Deinately' should be spelled 'definitely', I think.

I know you're concentrating on public transport, but would it be worth adding a couple of lines about attempting the journey in a car, if only to show how impractical it is (7 hour minimum one-way journey, weekend motorway road works overrunning into a Monday morning, arriving just in time for rush-hour, trying to pay the congestion charge, finding parking, etc.).

Excellent entry.

The one comment I would have is don't forget cycling! National Cycle Route 1 goes from Dover to the Shetland Islands, via London and Edinburgh. It's part of the North Sea Cycle Route, a 6,000km route that goes from Norway, Sweden, Denmark, Germany, the Netherlands, Belgium, England and Scotland - officially the world's longest cycle route.

I've not done it myself, but the option of cycling from London to Edinburgh is there. Might be worth a little mention?

<BB<

I like this.

My son works at Stirling University and regularly takes the night bus from Glasgow, arriving in Victoria early in the morning.

My only worry is whether you should mention the brand names EasyJet and Megabus.

Nice entry

The title mentions travelling back again, so please advise on the times you will need to leave London in each case (and any other reverse-direction tips you might have)

In fact, this would be an even more useful entry if it also covered the day trip from London to Edinburgh. American tourists would appreciate that, I'm sure.

I like the range of options, but it would be easier to compare them if you gave an indicative journey time/staying time in each case.

Needs a bit of sub-editing, this one: non-standard headings, typos, grammar, etc.

Icy

I like this entry. It is brief and to the point.

You have "(and back again)" in the title, but you don't actually say anything about the return journey. Is it a foregone conclusion that you would use the same route back?

I think it is worth mentioning for those outside of the UK that Edinburgh and London are 530km apart as the crow flies. That's about the same distance as London to Frankfurt, New York to Toronto, or San Francisco to Los Angeles.

Do you have any response to those suggestions, Woolly ?

<BB<

Woolly Mammoth hasn't posted to this thread since March, and not posted at all for 5 weeks. We don't want to see an and Flea Market situation...

<BB<

I think it is well worth mentioning that one of the advantages of travelling by rail (and to a lesser extent by coach) during the day are the splendid views - Norwich Cathedral+, York Minster+, the Angel of the North, Durham Cathedral (best view from train), Newcastle+, Banburough Castle, Holy Island/Lindisfarne, Anwick Castle*, Bass Rock, Arthurs Seat and the stunning coast from the border to Dunbar.

+ train only * coach only

Something else worth mentioning is that you can get up and wonder round on the train whereas you have to stay strapped into your seat on the coach, except for a single stop at a grotty service station, that coaches do not allow hot food or alcohol (you can by overpriced hot food and drinks on a train), and that smoking is banned on all trains coaches, planes, stations and airports in the UK.

It is also worth mentioning there are three coach routes the direct route up the eastern side of the country and longer routes via Birmingham (yuk), the Lake District (beautiful), Carlisle and then either Glasgow or Lockable.

Also it is far cheaper to take food and drink with you rather than paying extortionate train or motorway services prices.

You might struggle to get a glimpse of Norwich Cathedral from the train or coach unless you have over-the-horizon eyesight. You could get good views of Ely and Peterborough cathedrals from the train (if you start at Liverpool St and change at Cambridge and then Peterborough). That might even be a "permitted route" but it will add about 2 hours to the journey.

I'm sure it will be no problem to get WM to have a look in and pronounce the entry ready or not.

My bad - I meant Peterborough

Shame to see this languishing, as it seems worthy of going to the next stage.

I'll go and poke WM ... and see if he has time to come back and check over the PR thread at least.

Still a good entry, we just need Woolly to acknowledge the comments in Peer Review.

<BB<

Well now I seem to be back I'll see what I can do.

Excellent!

Good to see you btw