Midland Spring time grapefest - Venue is RYTON GARDENS

[VirginVegGrower]

Sno , I'm in Coventry which is down the road from B'ham......As too how near Derbyshire, well it depends on which part

About an hour to us and that's driving... Maybe 40 mins if lucky.

[Rhona]

Only just spotted this... always seem to skim over stickies! We'll try to come along if we're around. Haven't been to Birmingham for years!

[snohare]

Well, I was beginning to think that I was not going to make it, but courtesy of some last minute train fare info it now seems I will be going down to Peterborough and then winging it from there...any Grapes in Peterborough who might know of the bus/train services to Lincolnshire ? I have severe brain fog at present, online research is just confuzzling me...
I'm aiming to go down on Thursday the 11th, visit a friend and do her gardening, then make my way to B'rumm on the Sunday.

[binley100]

Have you tried the Megabus? don't know their routes but are cheap 'n cheerful......

[snohare]

Oh, if only Binley ! It would be a Scotsman's dream.
Unfortunately all the long-distance bus companies don't allow dogs unless they are guide dogs, and although my dog would be a natural I think I'd have difficulty carrying it off ! But local bus companies are a different kettle of fish, so I suppose what I need is to know who runs the local buses.

[binley100]

ok looks like megabus is nogo .....

[snohare]

Tickets bought ! (Well, mostly.)Lift to Aberdeen early Wednesday morning. Train to Edinburgh, stay there overnight. Train from Edinburgh to Newcastle. Train from Newcastle, get off early at Newark. Train from Newark to Lincoln. Bus from Lincoln to Horncastle. Lift from Horncastle to Ashby.

And if you are looking for an online travelplanner that will find out how cheaply or rapidly that can be done...forget it ! I ended up finding out more by looking at maps of different companies' networks, and looking for places where they coincided. This was handy:
National Rail Enquiries - East Coast

Now all I have to do is get from Lincolnshire to Birmingham on the Sunday morning. How hard can that be ?
Answers on a postcard to: Snohare, Stuck-in-Snow,Frozen Borough.

[chris]

Dunno VVG - but its a long haul - couple of hours each way - and he snores

I so knew you put something in my drink - I don't remember a thing!!

I'm on a stag weekend, that weekend - I'm back the Sunday, so in theory *could* make it, but I wouldn't drive for the obvious reasons.

Soo, I'm a no for now - next time!

[VirginVegGrower]

Tickets bought ! (Well, mostly.)Lift to Aberdeen early Wednesday morning. Train to Edinburgh, stay there overnight. Train from Edinburgh to Newcastle. Train from Newcastle, get off early at Newark. Train from Newark to Lincoln. Bus from Lincoln to Horncastle. Lift from Horncastle to Ashby.

And if you are looking for an online travelplanner that will find out how cheaply or rapidly that can be done...forget it ! I ended up finding out more by looking at maps of different companies' networks, and looking for places where they coincided. This was handy:
National Rail Enquiries - East Coast

Now all I have to do is get from Lincolnshire to Birmingham on the Sunday morning. How hard can that be ?
Answers on a postcard to: Snohare, Stuck-in-Snow,Frozen Borough.

Hmmm very. Could involve going via Nottingham, Derby, Brum. Are we talking buzz or toot toot?

I so knew you put something in my drink - I don't remember a thing!!

I'm on a stag weekend, that weekend - I'm back the Sunday, so in theory *could* make it, but I wouldn't drive for the obvious reasons.

Soo, I'm a no for now - next time!

You're always a no
Enjoy your stagg-ering

[Seahorse]

Good luck with your mammoth journey snohare! I'm afraid Lincolnshire isn't really known for it's public transport One small point:

''Train from Newcastle, get off early at Newark. Train from Newark to Lincoln.''

You do know there are two stations in Newark (Castle and Northgate)? Different trains stop at each (never both) and it's a fair march from one to the other. Goodness knows why as Newark is hardly a throbbing metropolis. Just thought I'd say as I've been caught out with a very short time to do a rather long walk with heavy bags in the past!

[SarzWix]

I'm looking at maybe driving down, if we can stretch to the petrol. These are my route choices: https://maps.google.co.uk/maps?saddr...=uk&mra=ls&z=8

From folks that know the area, which is the easiest way in? M6 or M1?

[VirginVegGrower]

I would M1 but M6 is shortest. It's usually heavier in traffic on the M6 and then don't get me started on the roadworks or the Manchester ring road

It's also quickest to motorway using the M65/M6 from Skipton, but Mr VVG has told me to tell you that driving through Yorkshire is the biggest "pro" of all. I think he's biased, but don't tell him I said so.
Oh another thing is that the M6 puts you the right side of Brum for the gardens. Although driving in Brum is a piece of cake. You don't have to take M1 all the way, you could skip onto the A38 at Derby, rather than M42.
I will leave you to mull all of that over.

[SarzWix]

I would usually go for M1 rather than M6 as a matter of course, having witnessed a hideous accident on the opposite carriageway a few years ago that still freaks me out But I did manage to drive to Chester a couple of weeks ago with no incident so feel a bit happier with it now. (I say 'managed' because despite having my license for 12 years, I've only driven on a motorway about 5 times )

According to Google it's 20 mins quicker going M6 but that doesn't allow for the horrible traffic that's usually either side of Brum... I might come down one way and go back the other

[Hazel at the Hill]

According to Google it's 20 mins quicker going M6 but that doesn't allow for the horrible traffic that's usually either side of Brum... I might come down one way and go back the other

That very much was the case until the recent traffic management measures over the past 12 months or so (using the hard shoulder lane) were bought in which I have found keeps the traffic moving on the M6 around Birmingham.

[VirginVegGrower]

I would usually go for M1 rather than M6 as a matter of course, having witnessed a hideous accident on the opposite carriageway a few years ago that still freaks me out But I did manage to drive to Chester a couple of weeks ago with no incident so feel a bit happier with it now. (I say 'managed' because despite having my license for 12 years, I've only driven on a motorway about 5 times )

According to Google it's 20 mins quicker going M6 but that doesn't allow for the horrible traffic that's usually either side of Brum... I might come down one way and go back the other

Well if you want to take the M1 coming down and meet on A38 somewhere and either follow me in, if you want your car with you, or you can hop in with me and Zaz (think we are car sharing). If that makes it any easier. M6 on a Sunday - is it a Sunday we are meeting? - could be horrendous. Peeps working away during the week, head back there on a Sunday evening. Then there's the M6 Wales weekenders and Lake District weekenders. I'm not selling this well am I?