Trains in the UK – Less Car, More Life

Gettin Around on a Crowded Island

We’ve been in the UK for a month now exploring the sites, museums, footpaths, parks, and a lot of pubs! Our first house sit in the Windsor area was for new friends that we met in Istanbul last year.

The Grand Union Canal…most canal paths are open to cyclists

The Slough branch of the Grand Union passes over a number of small rivers and streams. Water bridges (aqueducts) are cool!

It was a great chance to catch up with them, as well as settle in, explore the area, and recoup a bit from our hectic 2023 to date*. We also got to meet up with a handful of other friends in the greater London area, as well as some fellow nomads through the GoWithLess Facebook group.

(*2023 Seattle, SF, Tapei, Bangkok, India, Sri Lanka, Japan, Korea, Colorado, SF, France, Switzerland, Germany, Czechia, Austria, Belgium, and the Netherlands….whew!)

Cheryl and Queen Elizabeth in the Windsor Great Park. The Long Walk is a a nearly 3 mile tree lined avenue established by Charles II.

Our summer blackberry refill near the Thames in Datchet.

Windsor is of course dominated by the Windsor castle which seems to be in view no matter where you go. There it is again! Windsor itself gets a lot of tourists, but most are just there to tour the castle and grounds, so it’s easy to find peace and tranquility nearby, especially in the Windsor Great Park and the Thames path. We actually passed on the Castle tour in peak August, as it’s hefty admission price tag (almost $40!) seemed best reserved for a quieter off-season time.

Great beer and atmosphere at Windsor & Eton Brewery, one of our favorite spots away from the tourist hubbub.

It’s also been great to have our new touring bikes here to explore some of the local bike routes and countryside. Their sturdiness and 40mm tires are perfect for the rough roads and varied off-road surfaces of UK cycling.

Cycling through Great Windsor Park to meet friends for a great pub lunch.

This paved section of the Virgina Water in WGP was recently closed to bicycles eliminating a nice loop option. There are two giant car parks at each end of this area.

The restriction on walking your bike through seems silly and just discourages families from getting there by bike.

So after our happy 3+weeks in the London area, we said goodbye to our friends and their lovable cat, and loaded up to ride 25 miles to catch a train in London. Our LNER train took us north to our next house sitting adventure in a small village on the river Tees near Darlington.

Saying goodbye to Peter, Sue, and Bruno, the sweetest cat in the world

Cycling into London via Bath and Great West Roads. The route was not the greatest cycle route ever, but it did get us past Heathrow to Central London mostly separated from traffic.

A few cycle routes in London mean sharing a lane with buses and taxis. Not too bad for experienced cyclists

And finally the great separated infrastructure of a Cycle Superhighway (CS9)

Waiting outside King’s Cross Station. Our discount “Advance Single” tickets were only good on a specific train and time, as well as our two reserved bike hook spots.

We met the very nice family briefly before they set off for a proper sun holiday with their kids in Spain. It’s a lovely house and garden, and they have two cats, a bunch of chickens, Guinea pigs, and some fish. It’s been fun to collect (and eat!) farm fresh eggs daily, and the village has a nice pub down the street, as did our previous house sit, and the sit before that… ok, so there is always a pub down the street in the UK!

The UK public footpath system is awesome.

Canals and pubs in pleasant Ripon at the foot of the Yorkshire Dales.

As in all our transitions this summer, we built in an extra day to get from Windsor to Darlington, and spent the first night nearby at a nice and surprisingly good value historic hotel. Unfortunately, the constant strikes, partial shutdowns, and other uncertainties in the UK rail system can make certain travel days impossible, especially with the complication of transporting bikes on the trains, which always requires a precious bike reservation for long distances.

History is everywhere. We especially love the small village churches.

Christ Church College at Oxford in beautiful sunshine.

There were 5 strike days in July and another 3 in August, as well as an extended ban and dispute on OT work on 15 of 17 operating companies limiting schedule. Good fun for passengers who have little say in improving the workers wages and funding except through occasional voting. Oh, and yup, there are 17 major train operating companies, often overlapping in service along corridors. Sometimes your ticket can work on any carrier, sometimes it doesn’t.

A semi-private bridge in Hurworth, Yorkshire.

Cycling joy to see this on a 40-mile loop.

Ingenious dairy automat in Yorkshire. The chocolate shake was amazing!

The good news is that the system is pretty extensive, and a lot of upgrades have been made to stations, rolling stock and infrastructure recently. Much of the system is great and when there are not network or labor issue, it carries a ton of people at a very low carbon load. Raíl travel here is not cheap, but advance discounts are available, as well as rail cards. We generally travel off-peak and use a “Two together” railcard to knock 30% off most fares when we are indeed “two together” (which is almost always-:).

Windsor Great Park is indeed pretty great with magnificent heritage trees.

The mighty Thames Estuary from the Blackfriars Bridge in London.

We loved our reliable Southwestern Railway service to London which took us from Datchet on a one seat ride to Waterloo Station for about $15 r/t each. The recently opened Elizabeth line (aka CrossRail) has also improved east-west connectivity across London and even allows bikes at most hours and stations!

A 14 mile loop from Henley-on-Thames Station was a good challenge in a bit of heat, sun, and the always lingering mud in the low valleys.

An ominous forrest portal in the late afternoon. We could catch the train from Windsor/Slough to many lovely destinations.

But traveling to the less populated North has reminded us how darn crowded the greater London area is. In fact, Southeast England has about a third of the UK population, including the 10 Million in Metro London.

Ok, walking and cycling may not always be the best, but a Sunday roast complete
with Yorkshire pudding at our local pub is great. (Cheryl had a veggie Wellington.)

So trains are essential, and excessive car travel unsustainable. However, outside the London core, most infrastructure has been heavily engineered to move vehicles, at the great expense to those who want to walk or cycle to a destination. Or just want a peaceful town to walk about and exist.

This sign sums up the national cycling psyche.

Cycling conditions outside of the reimagined London cycle superhighways and traffic limited cores are dismal. Spending so much time on the continent the past 2 years, has made us realize that it could all be different with some strong leadership, pricing, and a common vision. It’s a stark contrast and feels like a overwhelming lift to change the status quo that has developed over the past 50-75 years.

An overnight visit to a friend allowed an early morning stroll in historic and lively Oxford

The mind blowing Pitt Rivers Museum in the Oxford Natural History Museum. You could populate 10 museums with all the artifacts.

Cars have the right of way almost everywhere except the somewhat rare zebra crossings. There are curb cuts and islands many places, but no right of way associated with them. And crossing a side street while walking along a Main Street still imparts limited rights. So car drivers often come flying out around corners with no expectation a pedestrian would dare cross (and most don’t) and are solely concerned with whether they can merge with other vehicles on the new road. So crossing the street is often a long wait, a dash, or a hopeful glance to a car for a pity stop along with a slight intent to cross. We do this a lot, and it often works, but most locals defer to cars and jut wait. And wait.

Oxford is a bright spot in transportation cycling in the UK. Great facilities, limited car traffic, and lots of bikes. Yay!

Broad Street in Oxford is another example of reclaiming space for people to enjoy the magnificent architecture and ambience .

Oxford does need to improve the pedestrian access from the train station.

It makes us extremely sad to see walking reduced to a last priority, especially in a dense, compact place that was developed at its core to be walkable. People used to walk everywhere. Now people feel they need to drive short distances (to car parks) just to get a few groceries or take a walk with their kids or dogs in a safe place. Parents clutch their kids for dear life on narrow sidewalks next to high speed traffic often inches away. It’s a downward spiral.

The sad High Street of Yarm in North Yorkshire The entire street is a parking lot on both sides. It is geographically constrained but this is a horrible condition for a village.

Putting out the cutest guinea pigs for the day will always cheer you up.

We’ve also noticed the pedestrian conditions vary widely by area and city, but for the most part, the cars-first attitude permeates all public space behavior. So we do our best to assert our rights (some new from Feb 2022 law) and lead by example, and we have noticed strong resistance to some of the traffic sewer streets by protest notices in a few towns.

An ok cycle lane, but they are often overgrown and 99% have bumpy pavement. The intersections are tedious and tough to negotiate. The B Road adjacent has nice smooth pavement. Maybe I should drive?

Hilarious design stupidity with narrow chicanes at the top of a bike/pedestrian bridge in addition to two at each end just to ensure that cycling is not too great an option.

It’s not an easy fix, but if you start with making more pedestrian and bike routes and crossings, then people will have more options and a virtuous cycle can begin. No pain, no gain. I realize I made some similar observations in our 2022 summer stay here, but that’s because as avid walkers and former activists, it’s always a shock how discouraging the traffic system truly is.

More ridiculousness…the supposed safety devices are unique to British cycling…other parts of Europe seem to want cyclists to be able to ride places.

This bike bridge should be 100% ridable, so why this again!? Cheryl wished she had a hack saw and blow torch -;)

We barely saw a scooter motorcycle in 3 weeks, yet these squeeze chutes were common.

This clever setup ensures that you will smash a pedal, pannier, or shin. Or all three.

And what does Cheryl think of this set up?

Yup, these cycling deterrent devices are on the National Cycle Network. We may have had 20 dismounts on a 25 mile loop ride….

Luckily, some obstacles can be overcome as this path was blocked by a pub…so we went through and had lunch there!

Riding the Thames path near Bourne End. There is great joy cycling here despite the frequent challenges.

But we love our housesitting adventures as each one is so different. New pets, new sights to see, and new pathways to explore. We can focus a bit more on history and background reading without the constant logistics of more mobile travel. Not to mention it gives me ample time to plan our next cycle touring adventures and fall travels.

A stained glass homage to James Alfred Wright (aka James Herriot) at the wonderful museum dedicated to his life and “All Creatures Great and Small” in Thirsk.

We stumbled upon the unique Kingsgate Pedestrian Bridge over the river Wear in Durham, designed by Sir Ove Arup.

Ove Arup was visionary and the bridge stands the test of time, although it’s a bold design with very thin concrete cantilever supports. I hope they are checking for rebar corrosion.

But as we plan trips through the fall and back to the US, it also makes us miss our family and friends even more; despite frequent electronic contact. For me, this nomadic adventure is not just about travel, but about adjusting to a new reality of early retirement. I have somewhat adjusted, but we do both wonder what it will be like when we settle down again. Serious hobbies will need to be reactivated as well as local civic engagement. New friends and old. And of course, travel planning -;)

The awe inspiring Durham Cathedral with an impressive reminder of our earth’s peril.

The beautiful North York Moors are close enough to explore by bike.

But the UK has been a perfect place to spend the summer as it’s been cool, a bit rainy, but generally just perfect for active walking and cycling. And so green and lush! We had our fill of heat this year in South Asia and cycle touring during a very warm June on the continent. (It was warmer here too in June.) However, after a month, I do understand why many British feel a strong need to get a sun holiday, even in August!

And yes, exploring the North York Moors means mandatory pub lunch.

Bright paint to contrast with the gray summer

Warm with my sweetheart at Saltburn by the Sea.

We have a few more days left in the North and then load up our bikes again to head south and west to another house sit in the former coal country of Wales. We’re always excited to explore a new area and we know the Welsh are so friendly, so it should be great. And so far the trains look to be on time.

Happy Travels!

Leaning in to slow travel.

In front of the big board at Bristol Temple Mead Station.

As we wait to sort out our booster records we’ve really started to take delight in our snap travel decisions. Our last booked evening in Bristol Rich asked, where should we go next? My reply was “How easy to get to the Jurassic Coast? Looks fairly close.”

Stop for salads from the M&S fine foods. We try to never board a train without snacks or lunch.

And the travel planner makes it happen. I’ve wanted to visit Lyme Regis since reading the novel Remarkable Creatures, about Mary Anning, the renowned fossilist.

At Axminster station, about to catch the bus to Lyme Regis.

Wheeling and walking from the bus to our guest house.

Lyme Regis is the heart of the Jurassic Coast. We had a lovely day and a half of hiking, which I now realize we could have spent fossil hunting. Oh yes, I caught the fossil bug. I caught it bad.

The old train viaduct at Uplyme. A lovely afternoon hike. Could have been hunting fossils.

Beautiful houses in Lyme Regis on a street that slopes down to the fossil beach.

Goofing around on the Cobb, of French Lieutenant’s Woman and Jane Austin’s Persuasion fame – just up from the fossil beach.

The Lyme Regis museum, built on the site of Mary Anning’s house, offers a fossil talk and walk. We bought tickets for Friday, our last day in town, thinking we had plenty of time to do that and catch our bus to the train station.

Apparently her house flooded with high tides and storms. A new sea wall changed that allowing the museum to be built.

The fossil talk was amazing, we learned so much. I learned we didn’t leave enough time for actual fossil hunting.

The wonderful geologist who talked us through what to expect and look for. And answered all the whys of this area.

Fossil hunting. Everyone has their gaze turned towards the sand. There really are fossils just laying on the sand.

The limestone cliffs where the fossils are before they landslide onto the beach. And my intrepid fossil hunter.

The best time to fossil hunt is after a big storm has caused land slips and churned up the beach. We were on the beach after days of mild weather, so not prime fossil time. And it was still amazing. Apparently after a storm the professionals are at the beach before dawn with headlamps and hammers. There are no prohibitions about hunting, just warnings. As our geologist told us, if you don’t get the fossils the ocean will. But don’t let the cliffs get you. They let loose on a regular basis. He kept us away from the cliff bases and focused on the tidal zone.

Two different versions of fossilized ammenonites. The small partial one is iron pyritized.

I’ll let wiki explain how these jewel like fossils happen: Organisms may become pyritized when they are in marine sediments saturated with iron sulfides. (Pyrite is iron sulfide.) As organic matter decays it releases sulfide which reacts with dissolved iron in the surrounding waters. … Some pyritized fossils include Precambrian microfossils, marine arthropods and plants.

A tribute to Mary Anning on the coast path. Her dog Tray and a Plesiosaurus skeleton in metal on a section of fence.

Sadly, we only had a short time on the beach before we had to leave to catch our bus to the train. But we will definitely be back to fossil hunt again.

The happy travelers take a sunset usie. Should have been fossil hunting.

Our next snap travel decision was to go on to Plymouth by train. Since we were so far down SW England, why not go farther? so we did. We’re in an apartment in Plymouth for a while. Where will we go next? And how will we get there? Stay tuned.

Doing the Booster Limbo

We left the beautiful and empty lake district via an easy one connection train trip to western Wales, and have been enjoying a lovely week in Tenby, courtesy again of our endlessly generous friends.

The moist and green footpaths around Tenby

The weather has been favorable as well, with little rain, and temperatures pushing 50 most days, as this is often one of the warmest locations in the UK.

Daffodils reminding us that spring is on the way!

The nicely renovated Manchester Piccadilly Station – our only transfer from Kendal to Carmarthen, Wales

We even had the opportunity to part ways for a few days, as Cheryl went to Cheltenham in the Cotswolds with our host, and another old friend for a ladies getaway, while the guys stayed behind in Tenby.

Although we almost always enjoy each other’s company, It was good for both of us to have some independent time for a change, and a bit of an odd sensation after so much intense time together the past 6 months.

The boys on a beautiful day on the Pembrokeshire Coast

Long term travel with a partner definitely requires a special relationship, and a lot of give and take. Luckily this comes naturally to Cheryl and I, but we still have to both respect each other’s personal space, independent desires, and known quirks (Just mine of course, Cheryl is perfect -;)

Meanwhile the world continues to spin and adjust to Omicron, although we are happily past the early January peak in the UK. We certainly hope that the world gets to some endemic normalcy in 2022, but there are a lot of challenges, including proper global vaccination supply. As for us, we know we are lucky to be traveling at all and are still so thankful to the NHS for providing us a booster shot in December, as this allowed us to continue our travels with more protection and in a responsible manner.

Freshwater West Beach – a favorite of surfers and kite surfers (yes, it’s often breezy)

However, since we weren’t registered in the NHS system, we only have small hand written vaccine cards recording our booster. We were given a heads up that this could be an issue going forward, especially for travel documentation, and indeed this month, we have found that our electronic (EU) COVID passports have now expired in most countries, as there has been a new standardization around a 270 day (9 month) validity from original vaccines without a booster.

Walking alone along the cliffs near Tenby reminded me not to get too lost in that podcast

So we need to get our booster vaccines we received in December into a more usable electronic format. We think we have found a solution as you can actually register with a local GP surgery in England as a non-resident, and access the record after being assigned an NHS number. We could have registered in Wales in theory, but the health systems are actually quite separate and we were warned that the transfer of the record from England could be fairly quick or take months…something that wouldn’t work for our desired onward travels to France and Italy.

The Fresh Ponds of the Stackpole Estate. Back when you just made ponds for your amusement, but now a perfect habitat for migratory bids

So we set off to Bristol, England yesterday to try to get registered in the area after some initial success online and with some phone calls to various practices that are still accepting new patients. Many are full or shut off due to COVID and/or ongoing GP shortage issues in the UK. Health systems are strained everywhere.

Up and down the coast path to Saundersfoot

As a bonus, we had a bit of an adventurous day getting to Bristol, England yesterday due to signaling issues disrupting a west wales Main line. When our first train leg was cancelled (and next train in 4 hours!) we quickly booked a taxi to the next transfer station, where our onward journey was still shown on time; however, then found out that the problem was still down the line. Doh!

Luckily, after some confusion, Transport for Wales did manage to rustle up a few small mini buses to get us past the issue. And in fact, the friendly driver offered to drive the 20 or so of us to a more convenient station for quicker connections and we ultimately got to Bristol an hour earlier than scheduled, by catching a connecting train with two minutes to spare. Small travel win!

Two full hands in Cardiff; happy transfer after making our trains to Bristol

But we are in a sort of limbo while we try to sort out our booster record, but we will try to make the best of it. And it’s interesting to return to the Bristol-Bath, an area that we really enjoyed in our first visit last fall. You so often say in travel life, “we should come back here some time to see more, etc….” But you rarely do. This is one revelation we discuss as we travel new places now; do you think we’ll come back here someday? Yes, no, maybe….but always realizing that regardless, travel to a place is always a snapshot in time, and a unique experience.

The Hanoi we fell in love with in 2007 was not the same Hanoi in our 2017 return. Of course, the UK does have many places that haven’t changed much 500 (or 5000) years, but the country is still a very different place than 5 years ago, as it has a whole different vibe post-Brexit, and mid-pandemic. The travel experience is a complex blend of a place’s physical infrastructure, social, political, and environmental influences, all filtered though the lens of your personal attitude and biases.

Back in cool Bristol, cool brew pubs and bike bridges included

So what next? Excellent question. On our 7 hour train ride last week from the Lake District, we had some time to think about 2022 and develop some broad scenarios. The challenge is to parse out our 90 allowed Schengen days in the prime spring/summer/fall. Some of the goals include more bike touring in Northern Europe, Scandinavia, and the Baltics….tied to the Grand Depart of the 2022 Tour de France in Denmark on July 1st. (Hotel reserved a year ago -:).

Our friend Gary’s dog Misty on the way to the pub lunch at the Stackpole Inn

In the nearer term, we are looking to do some more exploring in Italy, perhaps walking some of the beaten tourist routes more off-season, such as the Cinque Terre, or Venice. Then “home” to the US of a for a month to see as many friends and families as we can ( and consume as many burritos as humanly possible!)…..then back across the pond to explore Turkey for a month, a place we have long wanted to visit, before swapping out for our bikes again. Central and Southern Africa are also on the short list for later in the year, as well as the Camino Del Norte in the fall. Of course, these are all subject to quick pivot as needed based on the state of the world.

So hopefully the blizzards are clearing and the sun is starting to shine a bit more wherever you are, as we emerge from a long dark winter, and the burdens of a pandemic. For now we move on in the UK with the uncertainty that has become a way of life.

Happy travels!

How to have fun in the UK while staying safe? Stay outside.

The Tower Bridge and the recently boostered travelers.

The Eurostar from Paris to London delivered us to a world where Omicron was causing worry and rising cases. Our first task was our required COVID test, and our next task was to find a place to get our booster shots. A bit of on line searching led us to Guys St. Thomas hospital, some standing in line and some waiting in chairs, and two hours later we were boosted.

The unassuming site of our boosters. There was no charge even for foreigners, so we went on line and donated money to the hospital.

While we wait the seven days for our immune systems to ramp up their responses we stay out in the fresh, healthy, bracing, clean, cold, brisk outside.

Family! So lucky to have these two to spend time with. Walking the Regents Canal.

We visit outdoor beer gardens and order pizza, bundled up.

Order your pizza and meet their bicycle delivery person out front.

Walking on Hampstead Heath, the view from Parliament Hill.

Pint of cider at lunch in another pub garden.

Take out dinner in our hotel room. The glamorous side of travel during COVID. This made me feel for everyone who has quarantined in a hotel room during the time of COVID.

Masked up, windows open, enjoying the top deck of a London bus.

No lie, it freaks us out to see pubs and restaurants full of unmasked people enjoying themselves in London. We watch the COVID numbers rise and retreat even further into our safe behavior. With our Christmas plans shifting and changing we get on the tube and to the train station to head to Edinburgh.

The numbers of transit riders are down again in this new wave of Omicron.

At Kings Cross Station to get on a train to Edinburgh.

The Happy Travelers out in the fresh air of Scotland.

Merry Christmas, Happy Holidays and stay safe all.

West Sussex in Autumn

Once again we are so thankful to have friends to visit and stay with. Would we have done this amazing coastal walk without our generous friends having us to stay and spending a day driving to the trailhead at Birling Gap and hiking with us? Probably not, and we’re so glad we got to see this coastline on a sunny day.

To my eyes it looks as if a giant ripped the edge off the land.

When hiking somewhere with amazing geology try to go with two world class geologists. You certainly learn a lot.

And if there is a calm Labrador along, all the better. Lunch break on the way to Cuckmere Haven.

Tide going out. Not far enough to walk back along the beach though. No desire to chance being caught.

The walk back was through woods and fields. Better then getting caught by the tide.

Arundel Castle, beautiful and the site of an audacious heist in May 2021 of Mary Queen of Scots rosary beads, carried to her execution in 1587. Folks arrested, but where is the loot?

Waiting for one of the four trains it took us to get to our friends (rerouted due to previous‘incident’. It would have been only two trains if we’d transited through London, but Rich loves a travel challenge.

As I’ve mentioned before, our car free travel in the UK is facilitated by friends willing to pick us up and drop us off at various train stations. We appreciate it so much.

Gazing with adoring eyes. Or, just hoping for breakfast?

The Midlands

Leicester, you had me at your statues of women. Alice Hawkins.

“Alice Hawkins was a leading English suffragette among the boot and shoe machinists of Leicester. She went to prison five times for acts committed as part of the Women’s Social and Political Union militant campaign.” Five times to prison. That is commitment and bravery. Is that what we all need to do to force action on climate change?

Honoring the female workforce of Leicester, this seamstress works tirelessly on a stocking seam. Hosiery was an important part of Leicester manufacturing.

Our niece picked us up at the train station and we walked The New Walk, a 200 year old pedestrian street.

Very impressed that this lovely promenade never fell to the incessant demands of car traffic.

It is a lovely way to walk and connects Leicester University with the downtown.

Closer to the University. Looking very autumnal. And yes, Rich added for scale.

We took a day trip into Nottingham, only 20 minutes on the fast train, and did what we do wherever we are: walked. In this case along the canal for more of a favorite activity, narrow boat peeping. There are no boats on the move right now but plenty moored up.

Castle Marina. Where narrow boats spend the fall and winter.

Lunch at Ye Olde Trip to Jerusalem. Built into the sandstone walls surrounding the castle. Nottingham has quite a cave thing going on.

And back in Leicester we saw the statue of Thomas Cook, a name well known to travelers, holiday package bookers, and high street strollers. The man who first sent travelers off on package tours was indeed born and started his business in Leicester. The first trip he organized was to Nottingham. From Leicester. He was also a temperance man, so you can be sure those first tours were not big partying tours.

There is a nice display about Mr. Cook in the Leicester museum.

At the University of Leicester, happy travelers.

So thank you Midlands, there is more to you than most people might expect. And now, back to London for one night and off to Morocco. And thank you to our niece for having us to stay.

Wales

We are so fortunate to have good friends who live in Wales. Staying with them allows us to see another side of this beautiful green coastal area.

The Pembrokeshire Coastal Path. Cute puffins and challenging Welsh language.

Green fields means rain. Rain means rainbows. We have not been disappointed by the quantity of stunning rainbows.

A nice blue sky background for this one.

Full Tenby South Beach rainbow with Rich added for scale.

For anyone who hasn’t heard a Welsh accent, find the UK series – Gavin & Stacey, a Welsh and English comedy television series written by James Corden and Ruth Jones about two families: one in Billericay, Essex; one in Barry, South Wales. (From Wikipedia.) A really fun series.

All the signs are in Welsh and English, pronunciation is tough.

Walking on the coastal path is one of our favorite things to do. Be ready for wind and rain this time of year, and be ready to be blown away by the geology. It helps to have someone drop you off at one spot, and you either hike back to home, or they generously pick you up hours later.

Looks like the setting for a good gothic novel.

Terrifying view down to the ocean down a slot.

This area cries out for a geologist guide to accompany you.

So how did we get here and still stick to our car lite car free ethos? Train from London to Swansea – a minus one minute transfer there where most of the train passengers started dashing to the connection to Camarthen- it was held but no one told us all that so it was a bit of a mad scramble. Our wonderful friends picked us up by car in Camarthen. There is a line to Tenby but there was no connection we could make that day.

On the busy train to Camarthen. Nice to see the trains busy.

It reminds us that to replace car use, alternatives need to be reliable, affordable, and easy to figure out. The UK has a much better passenger train system than most of the US, but when driving and flying are still cheaper and easier options, or you don’t have someone to help you out with a ride, it can be tricky to rely on trains. We’re slow traveling so we don’t mind lots of train time, but to sacrifice time and more money is a non starter for most. Non peak hours trains are much cheaper, not traveling on a Friday or Sunday – much cheaper. But if you need to travel on peak or are meeting usual office hours, you will pay more and it’s not cheap. For us, not having to rent a car (yet), and having friends who don’t mind picking us up at train stations (yet), and being willing to walk from train stations wearing our rucksacks to hotels 20 or 30 minutes from the station, means we can be as car free as we have managed. Long may we continue this.

Happy to have the flexibility to travel the way we love.

And happy and lucky to have friends who live in lovely Tenby who have us to stay..

Next up? Bath, Bristol, friends in West Sussex, Leicester, and then Morocco. Rich will write about the travel planning during COVID challenges. Happy travels.