Da Mooses Planning an Adventure to U.K.

[OffshoreAlan]

I'm a bit surprised that having done Portsmouth, you haven't managed the Isle of Wight.  Only downside is that it can get very crowded, but lots of walks (some steep climbs) get you away from them a bit.  IOW has several castles, lots of beaches, several zoo/animal/bird sanctuaries, a garlic farm, Roman ruins, miniature model village, boat museum, photo museum, smuggling museum, waxworks, and other attractions. There is a steam railway museum at Havenstreet, with steam trains plying back and forth between Wootton and Smallbrook Junction - change here for IOW's regular passenger railway running between Ryde Pierhead and Shanklin, which uses refurbished ex-London-Underground stock (and it actually goes underground for about 1km after having trundled along Ryde pier).  IOW also has Queen Victoria's summer residence (and where she died) and you can visit the house and grounds (Osbourne House).  Other oddities include a dinosaur museum, a floating bridge and a chair lift. And a nice little railway model shop (Upstairs/Downstairs in Sandown).

[joe cassidy]

The best part of going to the isle of Wight from Southsea is the trip in the mini-hovercraft.

Better than the rides at Disneyland 

[Newportnobby]

Just in case you're in th'area............

https://www.bekonscot.co.uk

[joe cassidy]

Not too far from Heathrow airport, if that's where Moose Airlines is planning to land ?

You could stay the night at Windsor Castle 

[Moose2013]

@Train Waiting

Thank you very much for your wonderful post, John. Potential destinations have been added to the "new" list! 

Taking a while to read through and not sure how to reply – so many things this moose could say, but hard to have a conversation in a forum thread. Therefore, Moose will just keep this brief-ish... 

You had mentioned that you found the split between visit "again" versus "not again" lists to be "interesting"; please don't try to read anything into the "not again" list. 

Places on "not again" list are simply destinations that Mr. & Mrs. Moose have decided that da Mooses need not visit again in favor of other destinations; it's not a list of undesirable places by any means.

Da Mooses have decided that traveling to Shetland might be undesirable after reading your comments about the islands.
Falkirk is on the "new" list as it turns out because Mrs. Moose has a keen interest in experiencing the canals in Britain. The "Falkirk Wheel" is of interest too...

Yes! Harburn Hobbies is the best model shop in Scotland! They have such helpful staff and a nice collection of n scale stuff. Moose has bought many things there, including some Harburn Hamlet beer barrels for the Moose Lodge Brewery! 

Right down the street from Harburn Hobbies is Khushi's India restaurant – not that da Mooses ate there, but one of the reasons Moose was able to enjoy the holiday trip was that it offered a nice long break from an annoying coworker nicknamed Kushy, so seeing the restaurant's name gave Moose a slight heart attack! 

Thank you for the information regarding North Berwick and the surrounding area. North Berwick is definitely on the list of places to go. Mrs. Moose was accepted into an internship program at the Scottish Seabird Centre in North Berwick. Unfortunately, because of the pandemic, she had to change to an internship program closer to home (and sadly 4,500 miles away from Scotland)...   

Da Mooses read about the "Visitor Experience" on Princes Street and passed by the "Scotch Whisky Experience" on the Royal Mile, Edinburgh. As Edinburgh is always on the "return" list, and da Mooses enjoy Scotch, and Mrs. Moose keeps mentioning the "Scotch Whisky Experience", one or the other will likely be visited by mooses! 

Moose curious if either "Visitor Experience" or "Scotch Whisky Experience" is worth the time and cost? 

Oh boy, Arran Island, Scotland versus Aran Islands, Ireland. Sorry! Moose was researching Arran Island last year and had some vague recollection of the Aran Islands from a short side trip to Ireland & Northern Ireland that da Mooses took in 2015. Apparently, Moose brain on fritz – again... 

Moose meant Arran Island as a possible destination, since it is in a more south westerly part of Scotland where da Mooses have not yet traveled extensively.

Thank you again!

[gc4946]

The best part of going to the isle of Wight from Southsea is the trip in the mini-hovercraft.

Better than the rides at Disneyland 

I lived in Southsea for many years and only travelled on the hovercraft once or twice.
It's one of the few places left in the world where you can travel in a hovercraft.
It costs an arm and a leg for the time and distance involved, but a "must do" on anyone's bucket list!

[gc4946]

It would be helpful to know where you've already been.

But if you haven't already then you should visit York, National Railway Museum, York Minster, loads of museums and Betty's Tea Rooms.

Regards,

John P

There's always a queue outside Berry's Tea Rooms in York - even just before Xmas! And they have a branch in Harrogate, just as busy, about 22 miles away and trains link the two places.
People like to experience the quintessential English high tea!

[Train Waiting]

Thank you very much, Mr Moose.

I'm glad my notes were of interest.

Arran is a nice island and easy to visit.  Just take the train to Ardrossan Harbour and change there for the ferry to Brodick. 

One of my friends was much involved in the planning of the Falkirk wheel.  He was then Chief Executive of the Scottish Seabird Centre until he retired.

I'm glad you like HH.  It's a really nice shop and a long-standing family business.  I have the barrels as well... on Poppingham!

I hope da Mooses have a wonderful trip.  Please let me know if there is anything else I can help with.


With all best wishes.

John

[Bob Tidbury]

The Mooses might like to visit Pendon Museum allthough NOT N gauge it's an amazing place and Didcot Railway Center as well as Beaconsfield Model Village.
All well worth a visit .
Bob Tidbury

[crewearpley40]

Bob @Bob Tidbury one place you forgot it's at the bottom of the lawn you forgot. Oxford is well worth a visit too.

[Bob Tidbury]

Any N gauge member is also welcome to visit my railway Stonehouse just PM me if you want a visit .
Its a 20ft X 8ft  layout mostly  G W R but I am a rule one man so anything can run on it realy my whole idea is just to have fun running trains ,In know way am I a rivet counter ,
Bob Tidbury

[crewearpley40]

Then a trip to high Wycombe Station and catch the Oxford train. A great day out recommended

[Railwaygun]

It's worth having a look at this site

https://www.ukmodelshops.co.uk/

It lists nearly all MR shops and shows , so that you can pick the ones that match your itinerary

I also recommend Norfolk and the day trip to oxford ( and a trip on London's Crossrail/ Elizabeth line.)

If you go to Norfolk, you can ignore the Other University en route ( whose name I dare not mention!)

Best wishes

Railwaygun

[Moose2013]

@Train Waiting @Moria @crewearpley40 @port perran @joe cassidy @jpendle @dannyboy @PennineWagons @Newportnobby @Steven B @OffshoreAlan @The Q @Bob Tidbury @gc4946 @Railwaygun

Moose thank you all for your most excellent advice and recommendations! Hope that Moose has not left anyone out...


Sorry for the delay in replying – It has taken some time to review and jot down all the new places to visit, bookmark suggests websites and add everything to "the list" for consideration.

Thank you Bob Tidbury for an invitation to everyone here to visit Stonehouse Railway.

There are so many interesting places - tea rooms, canals, hovercraft, heritage railways, model shops & shows, cathedrals and museums, sanctuaries, hikes, layouts and more!

Da Mooses would like to visit all of these places. Since time and money will limit things a bit (massive understatement), Moose will need to go into moose hidey-hole and figure out what looks most interesting and doable and run it past Mrs. Moose. A very iterative and lengthy process...


Moose will have many more questions as things progress.

Thank you all again!

[The Q]

If you're visiting the Royal mile, to the whisky experience, you may as well wander up the hill to Edinburgh Castle, you won't get the access I did , as dad worked there.( And I could use his parking space inside the inner walls!!!!) There is a camera obscura not to far from the castle esplanade.
Also nearby is the underground city



On the way down the National gallery is worth a visit on the mound, sister works there