Royal Scotland 10 June 2012

Sunday 10 June 2012


Off to Scotland for a week and having not been north of the border for a few years am looking forward to it.

I have four pick-ups this morning in Petersfield, Liss, Liphook and Guildford and all taxi’s are on time so we are away from Guildford by 09:50 for our journey to our overnight hotel on the edge of the Lake District by Shap.
I only have 25 passengers but it could have been more as we had a few enquiries but there wasn’t any rooms available at the overnight hotel.
It is probably a good thing I am only half full as I have three mobility scooters on board and they take up a lot of room!
It is all motorway today with our first stop at Toddington Services on the M1. I didn’t want to use this service area as I do not like how MOTO (who run this service area) treat coach groups and drivers. When we take a group to any service area the driver is usually entitled to his food/drink free as a thank you for stopping. This has been going on for years but now you have to go online and order a card which is then swiped for you to receive your refreshments. All well and good when you use the motorways a lot but this is one of the few times I stop on a motorway and was not aware of these new procedures.

So for bringing 25 people who are buying drinks and food (expensively) I am not entitled to a cup of coffee. I don’t mind paying but do not agree with the attitude and inflexibility of the system.

I really must try and start using stops (garden centres, pubs etc) off the motorway for a more relaxing experience.
That’s my rant over with now!

The traffic today is fairly busy but we don’t encounter any hold ups and I reach my lunch stop at Stafford Services by 13:30.
This is another MOTO area but is newer than some and has a nice outside area to eat. I again am refused a drink and sandwich so end up having a burger out of Burger King. I reason that if I have to pay I am not paying the restaurant and will pay Burger King instead. What defiance!
Most importantly the passengers are happy.
Our overnight hotel is the Shap Wells Hotel close to the village of Shap on the edge of the Lake District. I haven’t been here before but Robert came here last year on our Scottish holiday and the feedback from the passengers was positive, some even suggesting it would make a good base for a tour.

I know it is a little isolated but wasn’t prepared for how isolated!

We have come off the M6 and I’m following a B road as it snakes through the hills further away from urbanisation with every turn of the wheel. I come across a sign for the hotel pointing me right down a single track road to what looks like nowhere.
We cross some cattle grids with the road barely wider than the coach when all of a sudden there is a railway bridge facing me head on! A rather narrow and low bridge I might add.
When confronted with a bridge like this you always know if you can get through it, any doubt and you turn around. Where you’d turn I don’t know but turn you would.
I am confident we can go under so press on we do. It is tight, very tight, but we manage it and within a few hundred yards are at the hotel. What a lovely place completely on its own in the middle of fields, hills, sheep, horses, cattle and red squirrels. And three other busses!
Our dinner is at 19:30 and very nice it is too.
I can see why people liked this hotel as it has a lovely feel about it, as well as being a good hotel.
One of my passengers, Primrose, is leaving us today as she has travelled up to stay with a friend and we shall return for her next week.