IanMac
Member
The 50 Purbeck Breezer doesn't go to Corfe Castle; for that you need the 40.
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Britain's Most Scenic Bus routes
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The X17 has a bit of everything. City, Motorway and fast A road.
Whisky Papa
Member
- Joined
- 8 Aug 2019
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- 720
The 81 from Lancaster to Kirkby Lonsdale has been mentioned on occasion upthread. Having driven the A683 westbound in the car on a grey, drizzly day last summer, I wasn't really expecting too much, but the eastbound lunchtime journey we made last week on a cloudless day was really enjoyable. The view over to the hills was stunning, and unlike in the car, we got a view over the stone walls passing the Crook of Lune too.
Statto
Established Member
I'll say it again the 22 Chester - West Kirby which has since been joined by 22A which diverts via Burton instead of Willaston & just as scenic. with views across the River Dee.
Cheers Drive
Member
A few years back I did agency work for First Wessex in Weymouth depot & the X52/X53 were definitely my fave routes the roads are tight af makes it a nice challenge and to show off your driving skills then there are massive hills overlooking Portland and the English Channel and again roads so tight but keep speed over 40 just to show how good a driver I am got a bit scary when you’d see the other bus going opposite direction coming toward you if it was a good driver neither of you would slow down the open top b7tl’s were the most fun but on the hills they practically came to a stop whereas the b9’s didn’t struggle if it was a cool day I would loved to have used a Scania as they take hills like it’s nothing
As for most scenic route I’ve driven a lot around the uk but this and the old 95 from Newquay(St Columb Major) to Bude was so beautiful shame it was only on a single decker but wow that route was spectacular going through rock polzeath tintagel and all the lovely villages especially throughout lockdown 1
Also some of the yellow buses routes I did had great views alum chine etc
As for most scenic route I’ve driven a lot around the uk but this and the old 95 from Newquay(St Columb Major) to Bude was so beautiful shame it was only on a single decker but wow that route was spectacular going through rock polzeath tintagel and all the lovely villages especially throughout lockdown 1
Also some of the yellow buses routes I did had great views alum chine etc
YorkRailFan
Established Member
Thought I'd note in this thread that as of this summer, all ENCTS restrictions on DalesBus have been lifted.
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weepingwillowb
Member
The 572 bus between Kendal and Barnard Castle is a year-round, Wednesdays only, service run by Lonsdale Buses. It goes via Grayrigg, Tebay, Kirkby Stephen, and Brough, and part of the route between Grayrigg and Tebay is above the M6 and the WCML, with Shap Fell on the other side of the valley; the other photo was taken south of the A66 between Barnard Castle and Brough.
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Looking at doing this. I think you can do a loop and head to Kendal.
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T10 Bangor to Corwen is pretty scenic on its western end.
weepingwillowb
Member
There's a 567 Stagecoach service between Kendal and Ingleton that goes through Kirkby Lonsdale. I've done Lancaster to Kirkby, then Kirkby to Kendal a few times, also Kendal to Ingleton, back to Kirkby, and then to Lancaster. The Kendal-Ingleton service isn't too frequent though.
gka472l
Member
The 11 between Dawlish Warren and Torquay is quite spectacular on it's coastal sections, especially after the climb above Shaldon. Did it back in May, and one of Stagecoach Torquay's E400EV's was the bus I went on, although single deckers do work it too.....
Did that a couple of years ago but all the way to Paignton from Dawlish Warren, never again, it seemed to serve every housing estate in South Devon!
Shaldon to Dawlish is rather scenic though, I agree.
Yes I've done this one. It goes past the Babbacombe Cliff Railway so that can be included in the itinerary. Recently I included service 18 Brixham - Kingswear in a circular trip. The Enviro100EV, 8.5m long, is used on this route and I could see why as the exit from Brixham is via a long hill - a narrow road mostly lined with parked cars on one side - at one point, the driver had to reverse to allow other vehicles to come past. The route ends with a dramatic descent into Kingswear, terminating at the Banjo, the name reflecting the shape of the turning area. After watching 5239 depart for Paignton on the Dartmouth Steam Railway, I boarded a ferry just as it was about to leave and was soon in Dartmouth.
YorkRailFan
Established Member
There is also DalesBus 830 which runs in the opposite direction to the 831 and connects with the Settle-Carlise Railway Line in Ribblehead.
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Have to recommend Go Cornwall Bus 56 which runs between Newquay & Padstow. It has stunning views over the Cornish coastline and over the Atlantic ocean as it serves some lovely beaches along the way. There used to be the Atlantic Coaster ran by First, using open-toppers, and ran past the Bedruthan Steps. Sadly, this no longer runs but the 56 is still stunning even with a closed top bus.
The 95 between Bude and Wadebridge also gives some lovely views of the Atlantic coast around Boscastle and Tintagel.
YorkRailFan
Established Member
Definitely, love the bit through Crackington. The 96 also has fantastic views of the Atlantic coast by Polzeath and Port Isaac.
It might be well known, but it was new to me. The B3 Brontëbus between Hebden Bridge and Keighley via Haworth. The scenery was wonderful across the Pennines.
On a side note, for those of you who enjoy older vehicles, they use 18 year old Volvos B7RLEs on the route, which seemed to be in excellent condition.
On a side note, for those of you who enjoy older vehicles, they use 18 year old Volvos B7RLEs on the route, which seemed to be in excellent condition.
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Lonsdale also do a twice weekly service (106) between Kendal & Penrith via Shap. Another route with excellent views (including the Howgills, Haweswater and Shap fells and the Northern Pennines).
tram21
Established Member
That's good to hear, I'm doing that route next week!
I'd recommend sitting on the right side of the bus if you're starting in Bude going south. I reviewed it recently on my YouTube channel and the only downsides is that it has awfully uncomfortable seats for such a long journey and with a 2 hour frequency it doesn't really encourage getting off to spend some time in Boscastle and Tintagel which I'd have rather liked to have done.
(Obviously left side if you're going north!)
ls2270
Established Member
Not sure if it’s been mentioned already in this thread, but a lovely route I did recently was the hourly number 70 bus from Plymouth across the Torpoint Ferry to the Rame Peninsula. Once you get out of Plymouth suburbia if you sit on the right hand side you get a lovely long coastal run. I got off at Kingsand and caught the equally scenic Cawsand Ferry back to Plymouth, a bargain at £6.50 single!
Very handy for creating a circular rail journey:
e.g. Preston-Lancaster-Keighley-K&W-Haworth-B3-Hebden Bridge-Preston
YorkRailFan
Established Member
Its not just the frequency that's annoying, the narrow roads make the 95 very unreliable. Especially in summer, when a bus will usually come up against a motor-home in the opposite direction. Its a route I've used for many summers and its always been unreliable, whether it was First or Go Ahead.
On top of that, the connections In Bude onto the 6 to Okehampton are horrific, often resulting in waiting 2-3 hours in Bude. Not great during the summer for tourists arriving by train in Okehampton or people in either Okehampton or Holsworthy looking for a day out on the North Cornwall coast.
Yes. Stunning! Used between Hexham and Penrith in 2021 including about 40 minutes stop in Alston. Absolutely outstanding ride!
Yes, but isn't ridiculously windy roads the joy of travelling in Cornwall?
YorkRailFan
Established Member
Yes, its just frustrating when waiting for the bus to actually turn up! Unfortunately there is nothing Go Ahead can really do to make it more reliable.
Bletchleyite
Veteran Member
The connections are bad (too tight) at the Wadebridge end too. They really do need to think about it - if you're going to somewhere on that route from elsewhere on the railway, it takes 5 hours to get to Okehampton or Bodmin Parkway and then another several hours to get to the final destination. Given how touristy Cornwall is they really should do better.
I'd give serious consideration to whether it could be interworked across Wadebridge to give a direct service to Bodmin Parkway which would solve that, or across Bude to Okehampton. The issue I guess is that it uses a small bus that might not be suitable for the "mainline" run, though I'm fairly sure I've seen a bigger bus used on it occasionally.
Christian Schm
Member
- Joined
- 1 Sep 2017
- Messages
- 105
The 65 and 69 between Chepstow and Monmouth through the Wye Valley - see the Newport Bus leaflet for sights and attractions
YorkRailFan
Established Member
When double deckers have been used on the 95, they usually skipped Crackington, although one made it through today according to tracking. The 95 has previously ran through to Truro and Newquay (depending on the year) but was curtailed in Wadebridge to improve reliability on what is already quite a long route a few years ago.
The connections in Bude see a 6 arrive just 3 minutes after the last 95 departs for Wadebridge on a weekday!