Stayed in a Travel lodge last night-which was certainly not value for money. Anyway I left  for Caerarfon. Changed buses at Chester and then minutes later we were overtaken by 3 Fire engines and 3 Police cars. Minutes later we stopped and waited while the fire brigade put out a fire in the Pub. I thought we were going to be there for ages but after 2 hours the fire was out and we were then underway again. Fortunately the next bus was every 10 minutes so I was able to catch up a bit and arrived 1/2 hour late. I was met by a lovely lady ten years my senior Margo. Margo Ashton is the fund raising secretary and is a keen golfer. Good handicap I understand. Again a very enjoyable evening that started with a noggin ! a name I hadn’t heard for ages, and we finished the evening after wine with a brandy. Many many thanks Margo.

After visiting the lifeboat station I was given a tour of the area by my host Ann & Frank Hayes. The evening meal was a lovely Cambrian roast and for breakfast Cambrian sausage(Waberthwaite Cumbrian sausage),black pudding,bacon and egg. The sausage was a proper sausage sold by the foot, Frank buys 5 feet, and I understand they are also supplied to the Queen. If you are in area try one they are delicious. Many thanks Ann.

I boarded a bus for Lancaster and met 2 young lads Dan Charles  and Paul Hughes. Dan is a budding actor and is off to New York shortly for a part in a play. Dan please comment below with the name ? he is also working for BBC Radio 7 while Paul is looking for work. I had to take a photo as he may become famous and I can say I rode a bus with that guy!!. Thanks lads for spreading the word around your college and friends, also for your input to the site with your song.

From Lancaster the journey became problematic, a rather unhelful grumpy bus driver dropped me off at the wrong stop !  so it took 2 hours to get back on track. Finally arrived at 8.30pm which made it a long day.

I am sure Bill will write his own blog about how this came about but I would just like to thank Dan the author of this very witty and funny theme tune for the “Silly Old Sods“. Its guy’s like you Dan that have made this trip so much easier for the old man. Thank you

Alan saw me off this morning on the bus to Whitehaven,a small town a few miles down the coast. I then took a small bus “AA Travel” to Millom. I was the only one on the bus , the driver was a young lady and there was another young lady who was learning the route. So I had a Tour Guide and a personal chauffeur.They were great fun and pointed out all the sights.They changed there route to ensure I got the next bus. Thanks girls. I arrived in Barrow to be met by Ann & Frank Hayes who took me to the Lifeboat station. Well when I arrived, what a reception. I met the coxswain Alexander Moor MBE, the LPO  and many members of the fund raising team. They laid on  teas , coffee and biscuits .I had a very informative tour of there new boat  “a Tamar ” . Many thanks Alex.

Another very enjoyable evening with Myra & Roger Turnball (Fund Raising Chair) and Tom Wakenshaw and his wife (LOM) who hosted a dinner in my honour. Once again my thanks to them for their hospitality. Much of the evening was spent discussing fund raising and I heard how last year they managed to double the funds for the fete and had many new ideas which meant they collected a huge sum during the year. At the end of the evening I thought wow how do you follow that!!. My accommodation was given by Lynda Miller ,the owner of a lovely hotel in the center of Berwick. Lynda many thanks. Recommend if you are in the area stay there. The following morning I was picked up by Ian Hay (DLA) who took me to the station to meet the coxswain Raymond Karolewski and crew. Very lucky as they had an exercise with the helicopter so I was able to see them launch. Many thanks for their warm welcome. The buses ran on time but due to snow the driver had to miss out a couple of villages and I arrived with only minutes for the next bus which left from another bus stop quite a way from where it used to leave. By chance I saw it  coming down the road and had to run 200 yds. I am not fit !! It was bitterly cold in Newcastle but once I got to Workington it felt positively warm !! Met at Workington by the LOM Brian and the full time engineer Richard. They took me to the station and gave me a very warm welcome and tour of the station and boat. An unusual station as the Tyne class (steel) is launched by hoist and slings. So I have completed the east coast and now on the west having travelled along Hadrians Wall. Its south from now on.

My evening was spent with Pat & Alan Smith and again what a superb evening. Alan, I felt a bit special this morning which I think must have been the “Malt” !! Many many thanks to you both .

Firstly my thanks to Graham for his hospitality at the Beach Hotel, Sandsend. Very comfortable bed and an excellent breakfast. When I arrived last night they were filming Hart Beat.  The Whitby coxswain picked me up this morning and took me back to the lifeboat station where I took a photo of the sculpture which is made of cast bronze. See photos. My thanks again to Mike and the crew members I met for their warm welcome. Hopefully on there next refit they will call into Newhaven. Contrary to what the locals told me the buses today ran to time which gave me the chance to see a bit of Newcastle. I stopped for a snack at the M & S deli counter and was served by a lovely young lady ,her name Amie. She took some of my cards and is seeing her friends this evening to see if they will make a donation by Text. Also met the Arriva information lady ,thanks for the photo and your donation. Now arrived at Berwick to be met by Lynda who has very kindly donated a room tonight in her Hotel. Now for dinner with the LOM Tom Wakenshaw, Myra and Roger Turnbull and I believe others.Report tomorrow.

Firstly my thanks go to Khaya, Marcus and Dad John for a fabulous evening. I would like to wish Khaya good luck for her interview for the  post as Officer in the Army on the 19th, and also best wishes to Marcus on joining the Royal Marines. Khaya many thanks to you by getting so many of your sudent friends to donate by Text.

Today’s trip has been cold and snowy but uneventful and I am now in Sandsend about to get myself some supper.

About 5.30 to 6pm every day I am being interview by Seahaven FM  radio.

Heard today 20th February that Khaya has been accepted into the army as a commission Officer. Well done Khaya and good luck in your career.

Thank you to Mike and Maria, my hosts last night , for their hospitality great hosts and thoroughly enjoyed their company. The journey today started in lovely sunshine on a small bus to Kings Lynn where once again I was introduced to all the local ‘oldies’ on their way to shopping. After Kings Lynn the buses were empty and once again I got to know the drivers who again gave me history and what to see on my route, see photos. I was fortunate that in many cases the buses where running late but the drivers were able to drop me at different bus stops where I was able to pick up the next bus which I would have missed had I stayed on board to the bus station. On one occasion I was dropped off outside ‘Lincoln prison’!!!!. So I am through the flat country and now looking forward to the north. Snow is forecast for tomorrow !!!I was met at Cleethorpes by Khaya ,a young crew member who then took me to the lifeboat station where I met the LOM Jack Barlow ,the senior helm Gary Barlow, and some crew members. Many thanks for their hospitality and I was very impressed by the station. On a low spring tide the sea is a mile from the station !! A long tractor ride! A long day but a memorable one.

I miss Dave and hope that he recovers quickly and maybe joins me later on the tour.

It is lovely to to have so many ring me on my travels. Today I had a call from a dear friend Jane ,who informed me she had a job having just been made redundant. Really good news and many thanks for your support and donation.

Following an operation in December, I have discovered I am not as fit as I thought,and have had to drop out of the tour,which is very disappointing to say the least. Bill is fighting on,and I wish him all the best.

We would both like to thank Barbara,Colin and Pat at Harwich for their help and hospitality. Such lovely people.

Also Mike and Maria at Brancaster who made us very welcome.

After a very comfortable night at the Yacht Club, I set off from Lowestoft to Yarmouth. Once again I met some lovely folk on the bus and one called Yvonne who chatted to me for ages. She had had a very interesting career and a retired great grandmother. Once at Yarmouth the next buses were fantastic. The first a Sanders bus,had a driver who was on his first run without someone to tell him the route. About a month ago his building work dried up and so he is now a bus driver on a super route through the Broads !!  Again there were few on the bus so again I had my own  Tour guide.   I would have missed the next bus had it not been for the driver and his local knowledge  as I was dropped off at another stop and the other bus arrived within a minute. Saved another hour of waiting.The next bus a Norfolk Green bus and the driver was lady who has a few peoms which she recited during the journey. This was so far the best best bus ride so far, she was great fun entertaining us, welcoming locals by name and treats for the dogs. The countryside is fantastic and the weather today like spring, warm and not a cloud in the sky. I love this area so much,  I am definitely returning for a holiday. Because all the buses ran so well and no waiting  so my hosts Mike and Maria welcomed me to their home at 2.00pm !

The others news is Dave has recovered and has arrived in the last few minutes by car to join me once again. This time with some more warm clothes!!