Extreme bus trips

When we were on holiday in Lyme Regis last year, there was a chap on our bus with a backpack who told us he was travelling around the UK using his pensioners bus pass. We are investigating the Megabus at the moment, although you can't use your pass on it, it's ridiculously cheap.

There are a couple of books about this: “Bus Pass Britain” by Nicky Gardner, Susanne Kreisler and Tim Locke, plus a follow-up. I bought my brother the first one when he got his bus pass.

Sorry, Susanne Kries.

Do not see how anyone can travel round Britain with a free bus pass as English ones do not work in Scotland and visa versa. I have a relative who travels between Scotland and England often and there is a cut off at the border.

I used to use the megabus from London to Glasgow.
That was quite extreme!

Our chap must have said he was travelling around England, not the UK. My mistake.

When I was 61 and my London Freedom Pass was a year old I travelled by bus from Lands End to John O Groats. I camped all the time as I had a popup tent on my back (like a snail). I had a roller suitcase which mainly contained bedding - it was the end of May!

I strayed into Wales and had to Pay £1.85 for a day pass! And, of course, I had to pay in Scotland. I thoroughly enjoyed the journey and saw many interesting and beautiful places.

15 years on, and in good health, I am thinking about doing it again! Problems - loos at bus stations, some bus routes not that near campsites, and charging 'my phone (don't think that one should be a problem now).

Also, my friend and I travel nearly every year on the buses from London to Brighton - for free. We continue on to Birling Gap where we have a cream tea and then set off back!

We go in June when the holiday bus timetables are in force and the days are long and usually warm!

Gosh, grannypauline, how adventurous! You should write a book.

When I was 61 and my London Freedom Pass was a year old I travelled by bus from Lands End to John O Groats.

GrannyPauline that sounds quite an adventure - how long did it take you?

GrannyPauline we all need more info about your trip. It sounds amazing! I'd love to do it.

Thanks for the interest!

It was a while ago but here are some more details:

I got a lift to Land's End and then I started my journey on a bus to Penzance, which ran late (as many did actually - don't think it's just in your area). At Penzance Bus Station I located the departure point (always the first thing if you're travelling independently), and then the toilet. When I came out the bus queue had disappeared from the stop! The locals found it amusing to let me run round panicking for a few minutes before pointing out that the bus was actually waiting at an adjacent stop!

Then on to Exeter for the night followed by a tricky set of connections as it was a Sunday and the only buses running North were via a large shopping centre!

I camped near Bath and then was the sole camper in a field near Shrewsbury and for once got cold feet and decided not to walk down a dark passageway into town!

I made my way up the Eastern side of England, crossed to the West and then decided to wait out the bank holiday in a campsite attached to a school. Poking my head out in the mid morning in front of me I saw the pupils on break time! They'd obviously seen it all before as they ignored me.

I started paying in Scotland of course and Inverness to John O Groats cost nearly £20, though I got the cheaper bus (about £8) back.

I didn't have a smart phone or computer so I used library internet to check bus times etc. I had a slight row in Inverness as they demanded ID - passport or driving licence. I told them several times that I had neither on me as I didn't think I needed them travelling by bus in the UK! In the end they gave in and accepted my Freedom Pass as ID.

I had an itinerary but if I repeated this adventure I would print out more timetables so I had flexibility, or now I might take my tablet with maps and timetables on it.

It took about a week to do the journey and as I had plenty of time I decided to go to Orkney. I asked for a ferry ticket so I could make my own way round but was told I had to buy a tour ticket and would then be on the only bus anyway. We stopped for 2 hours in Kirkwall, and 10 minutes each in the stone circle and the Italian chapel. I know why I prefer independent travel.

I managed to pay only £20 for a National Express ticket back to London from Inverness. I thoroughly enjoyed the whole journey and if told I was brave I always reply that you are safer on a bus than in a car - and it was a lot cheaper!

grannypauline WOW well done you. As far as charging things goes you can buy solar chargers for phones, my DS had one when he went camping. Think they are a bit limited but do keep you going.

grannypauline - we had a similar experience in Orkney. As we left our car on the mainland we had to take the tour to get round the island and our main stop was over an hour at a mill/shopping centre where we were expected to buy an over-priced lunch while the bus driver enjoyed his free one! Very short stops at other places (Churchill Barriers, Italian Chapel, Skara Brae) and then a really short stay in Kirkwall itself. We were caravanning in the north of Scotland and I was going to stock up with food but it was a real rush as Kirkwall is quite an interesting place itself with a lovely Cathedral and some independant cafes and shops where we would have been happy to spend some money.

An extreme bus journey for me is between the Park and Drive and the Town Centre.

I can get very travel sick on buses, especially as they stop and start and go down windy roads. It can start within minutes of starting the journey, even the smell of the inside of a bus, can trigger it.

I’m just so jealous. [envious] I’m 64 and still have 2 years to wait till I get my bus pass (if they’re still available then). It’s cost me £17 this week just for three return trips to nearby towns.

Whoops, that little envious bracket should read !

Oh wow! This is a crossover from the bucket list thread where I said I was planning a tour of UK...another travel possibility!

Maggiemaybe - wow we get our free bus pass here in Scotland at age 60 - thought the pension delay was bad enough but have to wait until your 66 for your bus pass is a bit off.

I think I moan more about that than about not getting my pension, Brunette10! I use the bus a lot so a pass would be such a boon.

They moved the goalposts with the free passes. You only get them now when you are eligible for your state pension. Fortunately I got mine at 60. I don't know what I'd do without it.

I was going to say, too, that I hoped the backpacking chap had some money with him for busfares in Wales and Scotland.
A downside of devolution!
I think you can go over the borders to the nearest town and you are allowed to go back again! but onward journeys have to be paid for.

I didn’t know they had also married up your bus pass with state pension. How awful. Waiting all these years for state pension is bad enough without taking the freedom of receiving free travel around country. Should move up north at least they allow you some fun.

In Wales you can get a bus pass when you reach 60.