Author Topic: Public transport is terrible  (Read 6399 times)

Dovegirl

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Re: Public transport is terrible
« Reply #15 on: 21:19:49, 24/10/18 »
Its always a problem with linear walks in general. The last thing you need after a long day's walk is 3 hours of changing buses and trains.
I agree that a direct train or bus is preferable but I suppose what it comes down to is how much you want to do the walk    :)
Being carfree and using public transport I do many linear walks and I like the scope and flexibility they offer. 

fernman

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Re: Public transport is terrible
« Reply #16 on: 22:55:45, 24/10/18 »
Earlier this year I totalled the car and we are now officially carless, we are designing our backpacks around PT

Was it a ban, finances or choice, I wonder? If anything happened to my car, bought new in 2005, I would never be able to afford another one. In the summer I made a £864 claim after thieves cut off my exhaust for the catalytic converter, and I'm still rather surprised the insurer paid out on a 13 y.o. car (it cost me £150 excess). What I'm dreading is the next renewal, it will probably go sky high and I might not be able to afford it as I can barely run the car now.

I am fortunate to have excellent public transport here near the edge of NW London where it's rare to wait more than a few minutes for one of a number of buses or tube trains are no more than ten minutes apart, and they're all free with my travel pass. I would still be able to get out to the countryside for circular or linear walks, it will just mean a longer day. However, I think it would be goodbye for my 250 mile trips to North Wales and elsewhere, for I rely on the car to store additional camping equipment, clean clolthes, etc.
« Last Edit: 22:59:54, 24/10/18 by fernman »

April

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Re: Public transport is terrible
« Reply #17 on: 08:37:58, 25/10/18 »
However, I think it would be goodbye for my 250 mile trips to North Wales and elsewhere, for I rely on the car to store additional camping equipment, clean clolthes, etc.

You can still go, it just takes longer to get there and you have to carry less gear, maybe do shorter trips. I had to give up my car because I couldn't afford to run it and have used PT for about 6 years. It isn't perfect but if you want to get out on a hike, with good planning it is still possible.

Being carfree and using public transport I do many linear walks and I like the scope and flexibility they offer. 

It does have advantages, you are right Dovegirl  :) I would never have done the routes I have done over the last few years if I'd been tied to returning to a car.
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richardh1905

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Re: Public transport is terrible
« Reply #18 on: 08:57:53, 25/10/18 »
To catch the bus in the corner of rural Cumbria where I lived we did not use our watches - a calendar was good enough.  The bus to Hawes went on a Tuesday, the one to Barnard Castle went on Wednesdays.  Proper old fashioned buses too - run by Cumbria Classic Coaches.



Earlier this year I fantasised about travelling from Orkney to Durness for a few days, using public transport to eliminate the considerable cost of taking the car on the ferry.


One look at the Durness bus timetable killed that idea - one bus a week from Thurso to Durness!
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Dovegirl

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Re: Public transport is terrible
« Reply #19 on: 09:04:02, 25/10/18 »
I am fortunate to have excellent public transport here near the edge of NW London where it's rare to wait more than a few minutes for one of a number of buses or tube trains are no more than ten minutes apart, and they're all free with my travel pass.
The Saturday Walkers Club has many walks accessed by train from London, which can be downloaded

https://www.walkingclub.org.uk/walk/

vghikers

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Re: Public transport is terrible
« Reply #20 on: 09:09:58, 25/10/18 »
Quote
Was it a ban, finances or choice, I wonder?...
I totalled it, as in total write-off, after an argument with a stone wall. We bought it in 2005 at 18 months old, the garage said the cost of bodywork repair would greatly exceed its present value at 13 years old, the insurance company wrote it off and sent me a cheque.

That incident was portentous: since we moved to this apartment with very good transport links and shops within walking distance, the car was sitting there idle in our indoor parking space almost all the time, we had to buy a trickle charger to keep the battery good. I'm really glad to be out of the game now, not missing it at all.

Quote
However, I think it would be goodbye for my 250 mile trips to North Wales and elsewhere, for I rely on the car to store additional camping equipment, clean clolthes, etc
That's one of the great things about backpacking: the confidence of self-sufficiency with everything you need in your pack, no need to store superfluous things. I guess you've considered that option. With the single exception of socks we never carry spare clothes.

To get a rough idea using a 3-day return trip, a quick check in the journey planner shows a return fare from London Euston to Llandudno Junction of £59.35 with a senior railcard, that's the bulk of the journey.

Edit: the journey planner behaved differently this time, it showed the outward and return fares separately - the total fare is 59.35, not 30.65 as originally stated.
« Last Edit: 09:25:52, 25/10/18 by vghikers »

Owen

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Re: Public transport is terrible
« Reply #21 on: 10:01:03, 25/10/18 »

Earlier this year I fantasised about travelling from Orkney to Durness for a few days, using public transport to eliminate the considerable cost of taking the car on the ferry.


One look at the Durness bus timetable killed that idea - one bus a week from Thurso to Durness!


I managed the cape wrath trail by public transport, it did entail some strange routes though. Had to go Stirling to Glasgow to get the train to Fort William to start the walk. I broke the trip at Sheil Bridge and Ullapool, both took three bus changes. Getting back from Durness  was easy just got the community mini-bus driven by Jacky, she even did a detour around the village to collect one lady who was late.

snoopdawg

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Re: Public transport is terrible
« Reply #22 on: 10:18:29, 25/10/18 »
Do a fair bit of backpacking in the Highlands and I've got to say I find the transport system good. If booked far enough ahead and if you are prepared to break your journeys train journeys can be fairly cheap. Got to give a shout for the bus services on Skye. Recently been up there on the Skye Trail and with the poor weather was forced to juggle the sections to avoid camping,the bus services were superb in planning this

fernman

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Re: Public transport is terrible
« Reply #23 on: 11:26:22, 25/10/18 »
The Saturday Walkers Club has many walks accessed by train from London, which can be downloaded

https://www.walkingclub.org.uk/walk/

Thanks for that, but I'm in the outer suburbs, the problem being that it's an hour's journey to get into central London to catch a National Rail train in any direction!

I'm lucky in that the last 4 stations of the nearby Piccadilly line, a 7 minutes walk from my front door, will take me into the edge of the green belt and the Colne Valley. A 2-mile bus ride south of me is the Central line that doesn't go quite as far but I could still do walks from its terminus. Best though is the Metropolitan line that is a 2-mile bus ride north of me, for that has branches that extend right out into the Chilterns.

So if and when the time comes that I am carless I will still be able to go on country walks.

fernman

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Re: Public transport is terrible
« Reply #24 on: 11:45:00, 25/10/18 »
That's one of the great things about backpacking: the confidence of self-sufficiency with everything you need in your pack, no need to store superfluous things. I guess you've considered that option. With the single exception of socks we never carry spare clothes.

To get a rough idea using a 3-day return trip, a quick check in the journey planner shows a return fare from London Euston to Llandudno Junction of £59.35 with a senior railcard, that's the bulk of the journey.

I had a quick look online to get a rough idea of what would be involved, but all the "journey planner" sites seem to be interested in is selling tickets. As I said in my post above, it takes an hour for me just to get to Euston (funnily enough the line passes Harrow & Wealdstone 3 miles from my home but the long-distance trains rattle through without stopping). There would be at least one change to get to Llandudno Junction, another if I wanted to go on to Betws y Coed, and/or maybe a bus. Similarly, I'm guessing I could get to Barmouth via Wolverhampton. Then the whole lot would have to be done in reverse to get home, it doesn't bear thinking about.

But the dealbreaker for me would be the extra gear to carry - more food, shower gel and bigger towel, clean clothes for the journey home, even money! I can't carry any less than I already do, I've spent years getting my pack weight down to just over 11kg including food and a litre of water; anything else stays in my car for before I start my walk and for when it's done.
« Last Edit: 11:48:39, 25/10/18 by fernman »

April

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Re: Public transport is terrible
« Reply #25 on: 12:54:12, 25/10/18 »
shower gel and bigger towel, clean clothes for the journey home

On a 5 day trip to the Cheviots we carried none of these things. We must be a pair of scruffs  ;)
We took a few wet wipes mind.

Paper money doesn't weigh much, nor does a bank card so that shouldn't be an issue.

Our packs were heavier with all of the food for 4 and a half days (nowhere to restock on the route we did) but we bought food on the return journey on the last day from a shop in Wooler so we didn't have to carry that for the whole trip.
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fernman

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Re: Public transport is terrible
« Reply #26 on: 15:32:43, 25/10/18 »
Paper money doesn't weigh much

It does after you pay for something and get a handful of change!

I always carry a banknote or two on my walks, but I've even been known to walk past a pub rather than have the weight of  a load of coins afterwards  :(

ninthace

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Re: Public transport is terrible
« Reply #27 on: 16:16:31, 25/10/18 »
It does after you pay for something and get a handful of change!

I always carry a banknote or two on my walks, but I've even been known to walk past a pub rather than have the weight of  a load of coins afterwards  :(
Now that's hard core lightweight!
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Rob Goes Walking

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Re: Public transport is terrible
« Reply #28 on: 19:57:37, 25/10/18 »
I always carry a banknote or two on my walks, but I've even been known to walk past a pub rather than have the weight of  a load of coins afterwards  :(
Carry a credit/debit card with you? Most pubs accept them and they don't add much weight to your pocket.

fernman

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Re: Public transport is terrible
« Reply #29 on: 20:06:02, 25/10/18 »
Carry a credit/debit card with you? Most pubs accept them and they don't add much weight to your pocket.

I'd need a campsite before I start the walk and probably when I finish, a lot of them are cash only, then there's buses, they don't all have contactless payment.

 

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