Coming up: a couple of interesting trips to the north

On the way to Peterborough

One place I've been but never really got to know, and one place much closer where I've never even set foot are now firmly on the "booked up" list for the near future.

The place I've never been is Scunthorpe even though I have lived in Lincolnshire for fifty years, and finally
I need to go there for a meeting, so I've booked trains which will allow me plenty of extra time to have a quick look around while I'm there. I doubt there's a tourist trail but as a former town planner I'll be glad to see what this town, stitched together from a number of smaller places, is like. I've heard nothing but good things, so am looking forward to it. The journey from Stamford will involve changes of train at Peterborough (as the north generally does) and Doncaster - which demonstrates how far it is. Should be able to fit an East Coast breakfast into the way up there! (I've booked the main line bit First Class but will only claim the standard class fare on expenses - since buying my Senior Railcard it's all costing a lot less anyway!)



Further north and just for a weekend break is Newcastle upon Tyne. We were looking for a destination for our next free East Coast First Class trip and this was chosen partly because it always was on our mental "list" and now because it was one of the few places we could redeem an experience voucher one of us had been given (the experience has since been cancelled and we'll have to seek another, but we'll still enjoy Newcastle). Now to do our research and see what we can fit into a short break! We get the main line haul between Peterborough and Newcastle free with our Reward points and just pay for standard class tickets between Stamford and Peterborough.