I originally started this blog almost 10 years ago to document the adventures of my Erasmus year in Grenoble. It then enjoyed a brief revival during my 4 months in Rhode Island in 2020 (you can guess why this was not a long-lived comeback…) And now it is back for a third reincarnation and rebrand… But why? And why now?
I’ve spent much of the last 10 years adventuring around the UK, and sometimes further afield. Many of these trips (with a period of notable exceptions when I lived in Scotland/during the first years of COVID) have been undertaken using only public transport/my own steam. I don’t own a car, although I can drive, and this has influenced many of my holiday and day trip plans. Now active travel is becoming more popular, not just with the eco-evangelists, but amongst my peers and colleagues. I’ve found myself sharing advice/routes and logistics with pals more and more, and truth be told I’m too lazy to keep doing it in an ad hoc basis. Hence this blog.
Holidaying by train, and working out how to hike via public transport is something that really started during the OG period of this blog, so I like to think this is a natural evolution of Le Rabot problems.
I’m planning to include as much information as possible (including prices for more recent trips) but focussing on public transport options, places to stay, things to do and advice I wish I’d had in advance. Most of these trips will be for holiday/leisure purposes, but I will add in some work trips where they fit the theme. If I’m not sick enough of the sound of my own voice, I might also add some general advice/kit etc.
Context about me: I am an avid hiker, so many of these trips centre round walking/hill climbing. During my 3 years in Scotland I bagged over 120 munros (~1 year of that period consisted of lockdowns/me being trapped in the US). I love long, arduous walk, and my stamina/walking fitness is decent (although I am not super speedy). I’ve got a bit more into cycling in the past few years, but I am definitely a leisure pootler rather than lycra speedster. If the opportunity for swimming in a non-polluted outdoor body of water presents itself, I will be the first one in. Other than the outdoors, finding good local food and beer is a major component of any holiday.
Hopefully some of this wittering is useful/enjoyable, I’ll be adding historic trips as I have the time and inclination. Some teasers: Orkney, Munros by train, Arran, the Thames Path, parts of the South West Coast Path, the Lake District, Eindhoven, Toulouse and a love letter to Enterprise car club.
Adventures of a Mathematician 