UK & Ireland Tour
As it turns out, "all roads lead to Base Camp Europe" is not entirely true - you can forgive me for fudging things somewhat artistically with the previous page.
When I do officially become jobless and homeless, my first ports of call (some bonifide ports included) should be some much neglected friends and family whom I may not see again for a good few years.
Who knows how things will pan out, but for now I am imagining setting off from where the heart has been for over 15 years...home.
*If you've read Base Camp UK you shall have ascertained that things didn't pan out as planned! Typical! Not to fret though...I shall be departing from my ManCave instead and pretend I am Batman in the process*
ENGLAND ROUTE (miles):
Base Camp UK to Winchester = 60
... to Taunton via Amesbury = 100 (30+70)
... to Bath = 50 ... to Beguildy = 120
... to Welshpool = 25
... to Shrewsbury = 20
... to Newport = 20
... to Sheffield via Buxton [Peak District] = 75
... to Ambleside [Lake District] via Leeds & Cray = 135
... to Whitehaven = 35
... to Carlisle via Keswick = 60
... to Alnwick via Otterburn = 85
... to Whitby via Middlesborough = 110
... to Kings Lynn via York/Grimsby/Lincoln = 220
... to Ely via Cromer/Yarmouth/Ipswich = 190
... to Sheppey = 115
... to Brighton via Margate/Folkstone/Romney/Hastings = 165
... to Base Camp UK = 40
TOTAL = 1685miles
Each location does have some significance - a friend, family member, attraction etc. I've already done a 3 day tour of the South West with my cousin and his father-in-law. We took tents with us and the enduring memory is hearing (in a Newcastle accent) "I'm never going fookin camping again!" - as the father-in-law struggled to put his tent up in a sloping site...the slope meaning my cousin and I ended up waking in a huddled heap in one corner of our own tent the next morning - sleeping bags on ground sheets make for a slipper sleeping experience!
Given that the UK can fit inside California, which I crossed (and then some) on a rather small Harley Davidson (check out the blog here...when it's finished), I am never going to be so far away from Wales that a trip up (or down, depending) with a jaunt over to the land of the leprechauns can't be accommodated.
WALES ROUTE (miles):
I've not yet decided which way around I shall make this trip.
Start in the north and head south, or the other way around.
The same goes for Ireland. I'll just let the Gods decide this one.
•Fishguard & Holyhead Ferry Terminals are 160miles apart
-via Aberystwyth (central) & Portmeirion/Snowdonia (north)
Route:-
Base Camp UK to Brecon Beacons = 180
... to Pembroke = 80
... to Fishguard = 35
-Fishguard to/from Ireland
-Holyhead to/from Ireland
... to Caernarfon Castle via Anglesey = 30
.. to Betws-y-Coed via Conwy & Llandudno = 50
... to Meols via Druid & Chester = 80
... to somewhere else...
TOTAL = 615miles
I hear there is a wall to negotiate in order to get in to Scotland...could be interesting! Once beyond that obstacle I am told that the scenery is breathtaking and progress slows to near snail's pace - owing to the countless number of narrow windy roads as opposed to mundane highways. Before I get there I best be on my A game to negotiate them and still enjoy the experience.
SCOTLAND ROUTE (miles):
Carlisle to Edinburgh = 100
... to Inverness (via Cairngorms Park) = 160
... to John O Groats = 120
... to Fort William (via Loch Ness Monster) = 185
... to Glasgow = 110
... to Carlisle = 100
... to another place...
TOTAL = 775miles
That just leaves Ireland! I mice freely trip over there, and back, to be enjoyed too. I've already taken my bike to Ireland (back in 2009). Yet another crazy adventure where I was cursed and it caused me to crash (fun blog to be written). I was only in the south for a couple of days (a friend's wedding), so saw but a smattering of the Emerald Isle. The roads were great...well surfaced and pretty clear of traffic - looking forward to being there again...this time minus any incidents!
As with the Wales Route, it is yet undecided which way round this trip will work best.
IRELAND ROUTE (miles):
•Ferry from Fishguard to Rosslare Rosslare to Cork = 120
... to Kinsale (return) = 60
... to Limerick via Dingle = 185
... to Galway via Doolin = 95
... to Sligo via Ballycroy = 155
... to Glenveagh (National Park) = 85
... to Giant's Causeway = 80
... to Belfast = 60
... to Dublin via Cooley Peninsula = 120
TOTAL = 960miles
UK & IRELAND GRAND TOUR TOTAL = 4,035miles