This is a wonderful reminder that travel used to be an adventure, and not just a tedious and anxiety-inducing necessity to get to your destination. Well done, Steve.
I think it all depends on your frame of mind. I recall when I first needed to commute when my job was moved from Kent to central London - I detested it at first and then I got into it and realised it was almost a hour on the train I could read and listen to music. I also used lunch time to explore the local area in London
Nothing beats a good challenge video - travel for the sake of travel. You mentioned a Montrose game. I was waiting until the League and Scottish FA cup draws were announded. Should Montrose and St. Mirren get matched up, that would have to be a definite meet-up. Another great video.
Cheers Scott. I'll be watching the draw with fingers crossed :D I am also looking at taking on one of your challenges, but accommodation costs are putting me off just now, and I'm 99% sure I wouldn't beat you!
If St Mirren was ever drawn against Montrose I'd be worried, as the Saints have a reputation os doing poorly against smaller teams, just like Scotland vs. San Marino, Faroe Islands, Luxembourg...
Travel for travels sake doesn't sound very environmentally friendly. In fact I'm always in two minds about watching these kinds of videos as I realyl don'twant to encourage these kinds of challenges
As a Welshman who used to live in Scotland I became very familiar with the train journey from Edinburgh to Crewe then change trains to Cwmbran, which is two stations before Cardiff. I’m glad you’re coming to Wales later in the year. Loads to see and do, because we’ve got the national parks, Snowdonia; Brecon Beacons and Pembrokeshire Coast. Cardiff is worth a day or two of anybody’s time. I’d like to suggest a visit to Big Pit Mining Museum. This amazing museum allows you to be guided underground one of the last coalmines closed in Wales. Your guide is likely to be a former miner who will regale you with fabulous tales of times in the pit. Best of all it’s totally free. The Brynglas Tunnels burrow the M4 under Brynglas Hill. As a small child I lived in a street on the hill.
John I went to Big Pit in '92 - remember being terrified of the lift and when they turned the torches off but I was only young haha but it was fascinating all the same. Also remember going to the Garden Festival in Ebbw Vale on the same holiday, went back to the site in '99 and couldn't believe the change :)
Went to the big Pit a few years ago. Worth the visit. Stayed in Cwmcarn and years ago stayed in Maesycwmmer and Gelligaer. Love Wales. Hi from Queensland.
The original Primark in Belfast was burned down a few years ago sadly, but because it was such an iconic landmark the city council decided to rebuild it using the same materials, as well as building it using the original plans. This was a great video, looking forward to the coastal tour video! Thanks Steve!
Yeah the front and sides of the primark building never fell. They just had to create new floors and roof. Loved the video, very interesting and tiring.
Another great video Steve. I just wish BBC Scotland or STV would pick up on your adventures and give you your own show. This is by far the best travel channel on youtube.
Wow Tam, thank you SO much! It's funny, you can see tv stations are subtly changing their style to be more like TH-cam, I think they are running scared of the platform and its style!
@@steve-marsh I think they are more trying to learn where to cut costs from the traditional TV methods. Makes you think, most bloggers now have better kit than the BBC had in 1979 on the first Keith Floyd programme. If they gave you a show though, they'd probably make you take Joe Lycett or Michael Portillo with you everywhere.
We've been waiting for years for a bus station in Cardiff. It used to be right outside the train station but that was way too convenient. Better to send people on a wild goose chase around the city centre. 😂
What a treat to wake up on a windy and rainy Saturday morning in Toronto and find a new Steve Marsh video. Another fabulous challenge complete.Enjoy the food shots as well as the train videos, love the trains. Good call waiting for that second bus. I am not a fan of the kiddie party buses either. Amazing as always Steve. Well done!!!
@@D_B_Cooper Everton are in free fall and that is down to the owner,it's actually sad seeing a club that has played in European competitions going downhill so fast👀😶
I'm a bit of a latecomer to this video, but really enjoyed it Steve. I spent 30+ years repeatedly travelling to these cities for work, sometimes direct from one to another but never all four in a single round trip (and never via the Belfast ferry). I recognise so much of this - the airports, the stations, the bus stops, the early starts, the breakfasts grabbed on the go, the buses, trains and planes... I even cycled to work past Cardiff Castle for a few years. That big wet paved area outside Cardiff Central used to be the bus station. Thanks for a journey down (fairly recent) memory lane!!
The Primark building is a listed building. Was built as The Bank Building in 1895. It was first occupied by Robertson, Ledlie, Ferguson & Co. Ltd. who were textile merchants and they used it as a warehouse. It's been bombed in the Blitz, bombed during the troubles and suffered a massive fire a few years ago, somehow it's still there.
Hi Steve Great Challange. I loved all the different modes of transport. Havent seen anything for the last fortnight, I was in hospital and just got home Thursday afternoon. I remember being in Crewe in 1952, so I have no recolation of what the station looked like! Our family was on the way to Leek for a week before we went up to Scotland (Selkirk)
Steve you mentioned a number of kids running wild and making noise before you boarded the ferry. In 2004 I flew from Honolulu, Hawaii non-stop to Atlanta, Georgia. Sitting across from me was a mother and three young children. Those kids screamed , cried, and climbed over seats unto other passengers for a solid 11 hours. The mother never said a word to her kids to behave and be quiet. Just as we were preparing to land in atlanta I looked over at the woman and her kids. They had finally went to sleep as we touched down in Atlanta. I wanted to slap the mother and shake the kids awake. Sorry I had had enough of their rukus and was in an ill mood from lack of sleep and noise pollution! I wish there were flights with no kids allowed. I really enjoy your videos and hope you continue making them. :)
Great challenge Steve! Nice that the newly restored old "Bank Buildings" building in Belfast caught your attention. I too thought it was "just a Primark" until a few years ago when it went entirely up in smoke. What became evident in the months that followed, was that as Primark, it was the lynchpin on which much of the footfall in the other city centre shops depended. I think the ladies understood it better than men. The city centre really struggled during the years it took to rebuild it. The entire city were thankful to Penny's, the Dublin based parent company, that they were willing to go to huge expense, both monetary and time wise, to pay for the stone by numbered stone rebuild that followed. The city has recovered from Covid and economic setbacks much better since Primark reopened. If you are not a teenage girl/ young lady/ or parent of one, its hard to comprehend the drawing power this brand has.
Wow, what an adventure! The UK Capitals Challenge sounds like an exciting way to explore different parts of the country, and using different modes of transport for each leg adds an extra element of fun. It's great to see someone pushing themselves out of their comfort zone to take on such a unique challenge. And starting from Montrose makes it all the more impressive! Thanks for sharing your experience and inspiring us to try something new on our next trip.
Thanks so much for coming along! It certainly made it interesting to try as many different modes of transport as possible, but boy was I exhausted after this one :D
23:07 those Merseyrail trains will be retiring soon as they got some brand new trains which are being rolled out. Great video and reminds me of the Scotland 7 Cities video which was one of the early videos I watched.
Never been on a big ferry like that, but on smaller ferries and cruise ships I'm always out on the deck just like you. That's where the fun stuff is. Thanks for the video!
"And heres my train, only two carriages but it looks quite full" You summed up TfW really well there 😂. Main route between Aberystwyth and Birmingham gets 2 carriages regularly and its never enough.
Steve, amazingly with Transport for Wales, count yourself lucky it was that train you were on, they regularly use 40 year old commuter trains on that line, sometimes with 1 carriage. Complete toss of the coin, sometimes you’ll get a full blown intercity train, sometimes you get a train really not fit for purpose at all.
Last year I did three of the capitols with a group. From San Antonio TX we flew to Edinburgh then went by private coach to Cardiff and London via York, Durham, and Stratford. It was a great trip.
Out of the park Steve and good recovery from the flight leaving a little late. Everything about this video- "LIKE". (Edit) Cardiff, wow, that is way down there by the sea. Quite the journey! (Edit) Very nice and very genuine to help with the Guide Dog and owner.
i was in belfast for the first time last month. what an underrated city it is. lovely, clean and full of old architecture. i was on a group tour so i probably would never have thought to visit on my own. being there on st. patrick’s day, watching the parade, is a memory i will never forget.
I found Belfast a real surprise. Wasn't expecting it to be such a buzzing and friendly place, the city centre is pretty lively, there's loads going on, and I never saw any evidence of the you-know-what that Northern Ireland is infamous for. That's all kept well away in very dodgy suburbs.
As someone from Crewe I can concur that that journey needs more carriages! Spent the journey back from Cardiff with a suitcase on my lap! Have asked TFW so many times why they don’t have extra carriages and they always say they’re out for repair! It’s been over 5 years since they first said that!
Love the longer videos! My wife and I were just in Scotland and we visited Dores while near Loch Ness because of your video! What a lovely little spot, thanks Steve!!
Wow! That was fantastic Steve, loved the train trips... and the ferry cabin looked great. Those breakfasts you had looked brilliant. Thanks a lot, all the best.
I love your videos Steve! I just arrived back in the states from my vacation to Manchester (Go CITY) and Edinburgh. I also went up to St Andrews and the surrounding villages with a local I met in the airport in Boston. How fantastic was that bit of luck!! I can not wait to get back and do the northern part of Scotland. Until then, I will follow your spectacular journeys and dream of my next visit. Thanks again Steve, safe travels to you. Edit....I wanted to add that my favorite part of my travel was the train from Manchester to Edinburgh and from Edinburgh to Ladybank. I felt so much more comfortable after watching a lot of your videos.
SO glad you had fun Kerry! Oh we almost bought a wee flat in Ladybank before settling on Montrose, both beautiful places. Settle in again back home, but get planning your next trip to Scotland!
Fantastic video Steve, well done-just an interesting fact to add, as you pulled out of Shrewsbury station heading to Cardiff you passed the signal box which is actually the largest working mechanical signal box in the world
Great video Steve. Fun fact, the Welsh word caer means fort, the Welsh for Cardiff is Caerdydd = the fort on the Taff. On that route, you’ve got Abergavenny an attractive market town with good walking available. On the outskirts of Newport, you’ve got Caerleon, with its Roman amphitheatre, Roman baths, barracks and legionary museum. The national museum in Cardiff has got a good collection of French impressionist art.
LOL never tell someone from Caerleon they're on the "outskirts of Newport"! There's a bit of a Salford/Stockport v Manchester situation going on there ;-)
@@michaelocyoung Yes, they’re individualists, and there’s a very different feel in Caerleon, but geography can’t be avoided. Caerleon is great and I’m very fond of it.
I really loved the video too. Just sat at my computer with a smile on my face and hoping it just went on. Steve did a great job with a challenge that didn't seem that intriguing. Boy was I wrong.
Brilliant as ever Steve, Saturday morning wouldn't be the same without one of your videos 👍🙂I have watched so many of your videos and to see you arriving into my hometown of Liverpool was good to see. Shame that you didn't have longer there to see some of the sights (as in other places you visited of course.) Looking forward to your next video 👍🙂
A 2 am drive through Brechin is all I wanted to see. My life is now complete. I'm from Northern Ireland and you're right, it is beautiful. Great video. I would also be on the outside deck as the ship left port. I lived in Crewe for a few years and often went to support the Alex. It's so nice to see Gresty Road again.
Quite a delightful journey. I agree with you about the trains those are my favorite mode of Transport right after ship. And I also agree with you about helicopters. No way on Earth would I ever get anyone unless it was absolutely the last mode of Transport out of a catastrophe or I was comatose on my way to the hospital. Love the shots of the food. I am definitely a food oriented person. Be well, stay safe, say hi to Alicja for me, love from Texas.
@@steve-marsh if you get on one, I will have to watch. I won't do it happily though! I can always pause and shut my eyes if it gets too bad. I bet your adrenaline junkie sidekick would love it.
Our transport system in Cardiff (especially trains) is pretty terrible. You immediately saw that there are never enough coaches on the trains, and they are always packed. It's been like that for years now :(
That ship looks amazing, I've never been on such a nice looking ferry. What a crazy little adventure. I love the train trips, I wish we had more accessible and affordable trains in North America.
Affordable trains being the operative word! They are crazy expensive in the UK (not sure why as continental Europe seem to have much cheaper services), if you live in Edinburgh and want to go to London it's usually cheaper and quicker to fly!
@@erik_griswold why do you need ferries? The USA is mainly a continent on its own. I’ve been on ferries around BC to get to the islands but not aware any situations like that south of the border? UK is obvs an island, France is only 20 miles away, same with Ireland, Netherlands is an overnighter but maybe only ~150 miles
As soon as you said North Road, I knew it was the Megabus. It goes from there because they are currently building the new bus station, right next to the Cardiff Central train station (you walked past it) so all the local buses and coaches are all over the shop. I believe it finally opens later this year
Unfortunately the new bus station in Cardiff will only have 14 bays, none of which will be for coaches, which, apart from the Megabus currently leave from Sophia Gardens a short distance outside the city centre. For some reason the Megabus has always left from a weird location, even before the closure of Cardiff Central Bus Station. either from the first location that Steve went to, and now from it's present location. It also used to stop outside the university on Park Place, (don't know if it still does) . I strongly suspect that the current chaotic location of bus stops spread all over the city centre will continue, as the new bus station will in no way be big enough for a city the size of Cardiff. Swansea Bus Station has something like 28 bays and even a small town like Blackwood has 9 bays in the bus station. Cardiff is a great example of how to not build a bus station that won't even be properly integrated into the railway station, though not far away, but even so, will lack any facilities for long distance coaches.
@@mzcymro Wowsers. I didn't know the coaches wouldnt be going from there. You're right 14 bays is not enough. Newports 'two stations' are 15 bays and 9 bays, but the coaches don't go from there, like the used to, because they screwed the design up
Excellent as always. Shrewsbury, Ludlow and Leominster well worth a visit. I did that ferry crossing both ways in 2008,it was a really old ferry and took the car. Bonus was that 3 course lunch was included going out and dinner going back.
What a great journey! I wish I had gone to Belfast. Liverpool is familiar to me as is Shrewsbury. Used to live there. Well worth visiting. Northern Ireland is the only part of the UK where I’ve not been. I really enjoy watching your journeys as I no longer can travel. Well done!
I have driven through Brechin at eleven in the morning and not seen so many people ! - Steve- thank you for the excellent content - always innovative and "the race against time " element is fun !
The last time I went on the Stena Embla I had a cabin on deck 9 at the back and car alarms constantly going off all night and had zero sleep , nice cabins but no sleep 😂 Thing I like about your videos is you tell it how it is and how brutally tiring and uncomfortable travelling can be , yet very enjoyable too .👍👌
Hi Steve technically the 100 isn't the only airport bus at 4am if you had left your van at Halbeath Park and Ride you could have got the 747 to the airport around 03.35 I think
Good for you through the rainy weather, the late plane, the crazy passenger, the bad directional to the Mega Bus, the dog sitting, the crying kids and rude parents, the non working cabin key...you did it! And such a fun and interesting trip. Bravo!
Really enjoyable video Steve. You've inspired me to take the ferry over to Belfast as I've never been there before, but am often on the Wirral. Surely by far the best way to arrive in a new country. I took the ferry from Plymouth down to Santander on the Northern coast of Spain. It felt more like going on a cruise, the ship was huge and had an onboard indoor heated swimming pool! The best thing was whale spotting up on deck as we sailed through the Bay of Biscay, the food onboard was good too- (Breton crew mostly)
Let me be another to add: this is SO well-done. As usual. Filming, editing, commentary. Even the music, which I don’t care about typically. Brilliant! As an American, I’ve been to all these amazing capitals (Cardiff just once in the 80s) many times by all these forms of transit. Not in this order, and decades ago. My worthless commentary: The hard product (including lounges) had less plastic but was ‘worse’ (NO tech, computer- assisted design, less comfort overall, more smoke) but the soft product was arguably ‘better’ (kids were more controlled, customer service was generally not as robotic and people (even hooligans) were more engaged with each other. Note: I would have been on the deck as well…what a ship. Not watching non motor sports on TV.
Thank you! Great video for anyone that has anxiety issues being too far from a safety zone aka home. Watching, I see a few things I can adjust to ease anxiety surges and possible panic attacks. Number one, travel with a service friend. If not possible, then watch videos like this multiple times for the scenery to become more familiar as in feel safe. Sort of like a pre-travel therapy. I'd chart out retreats aka temporary safety zone locations at a hotel (just in case) I need to check in until the anxiety surge is managable enough to continue traveling. I'm not opposed to staying a day or so in an unplanned location if it helps me feel better.
I loved this video especially as it included Belfast and the ferry to Birkenhead both of which I'll be exploring for the first time in two weeks time so this video couldn't have been better timed. Thanks Steve!
Steve, I LOVE your travel videos! I travelled through Scotland in July 2023 and loved the transportation system there. The land and people are lovely and I wish my ancestors hadn't left !!! Safe travels by friend.
Thanks so much Elaine! I must admit I also love travelling around here, it doesn't always go to plan, but even then you are pretty much guaranteed to find friendly helpful people to keep you moving :)
Great vlog - love the honesty and down to earth approach - it's what we want to know! I need to get out and explore my own country a bit more - I've never been to Belfast or Cardiff...I have done quite a bit of Wales but never been to NI so adding it to the list!
Really enjoyed this video . I'm from Wales and the train's here are terrible. The train you caught from Crewe to Cardiff has always been the same just a two carriage, with people rammed on. You had a great shot of my wife's office building lol as she works right by the Megabus stop. Keep up the great work Steve I really enjoy your videos .😊😊👍
Hi just stumbled onto your channel, (just subscribed) a very interesting video, you certainly covered some miles with the different modes of transport, time to have a look at your other videos.
Thank You...great video...we've been to some of the cities you video...Enjoyed your journey and details ...See you again soon....we have family in Ellesmere, England...and my wife was born in Liverpool, England in 1945....Thanks again for 1st class video...Jim & Sandy. Iowa USA
Good video and interesting, informative, bet you are relieved when you get home and chill and relax, good nights sleep, liked the cabin,looked lovely and clean,
Such a fun journey! You make it look like a breeze! I would for sure be the one soaking wet and freezing on the ferry deck for as long as I could stand it! Love the docks and all the activity and the feeling of sailing away from it! Thank you for the trip!
I have been to Belfast once, great city!!! I have been to Edinburgh 20 times, I love it!!! Cardiff and London countless times as I lived in Trowbridge near Bath/Bristol so the M4 is close. I prefer Cardiff over London a 100 times but my favorite is Edinburgh!! Great video Lord Marsh and thanks for going on these great but exhausting adventures for us!!!!
A wild challenge and more good doggie content! I'm enjoying Scotland right now. Did the Isle of May boat trip the other day, and hiked to Dunnotar Castle from Stonehaven today. Just the holiday I needed! Looking forward to Orkney, then Skye and Fort William.
Love it! Love It! What a great trip! Love to see you stay longer in some of these places and explore more. At least then you get to have a proper rest. 😀
Loved the vlog!!! This is the way I love to start my Saturday mornings for sure. Looking forward to you spending more time in Wales as I know very little about this beautiful country. Learned things as usual and again thanks for the vlog. Have a great week, see you next week.
This was really fun to watch. I live in Liverpool and I travel the stena line between Birkenhead and Belfast a few times a yeah for kicks, purely just because i enjoy the trip so much. I usually do the over night ferry but I sleep in the Stena plus lounge. I have also done Gobbins back in March, it’s so amazing!!!!
The Brynglass Tunnel is just like any other tunnel - it goes through a hill. Given a choice between National Express and Megabus, it's National Express for me. I've done the Cardiff - Heathrow and Cardiff - London routes quite a few times and National Express have always been good.
Love watching your videos , i used to be a big travel person and loved taking different modes of transport in a country. I miss it not sure ill ever get to do it again. So im living vicariously through your videos
This is a wonderful reminder that travel used to be an adventure, and not just a tedious and anxiety-inducing necessity to get to your destination. Well done, Steve.
Thanks Michelle :)
I think it all depends on your frame of mind. I recall when I first needed to commute when my job was moved from Kent to central London - I detested it at first and then I got into it and realised it was almost a hour on the train I could read and listen to music. I also used lunch time to explore the local area in London
Just a polite correction when you said back and front on the ship, mariners call it Flat end and Pointy end.
Haha brilliant 🤣
Ha ha good one 😜
Actually, the front end is called The forecastle and the back end is called the fantail...(Navy Vet)
Oh, it was a joke! Apologies, mate!
@@davedacigarguyno need to
Nothing beats a good challenge video - travel for the sake of travel. You mentioned a Montrose game. I was waiting until the League and Scottish FA cup draws were announded. Should Montrose and St. Mirren get matched up, that would have to be a definite meet-up. Another great video.
Cheers Scott. I'll be watching the draw with fingers crossed :D I am also looking at taking on one of your challenges, but accommodation costs are putting me off just now, and I'm 99% sure I wouldn't beat you!
If St Mirren was ever drawn against Montrose I'd be worried, as the Saints have a reputation os doing poorly against smaller teams, just like Scotland vs. San Marino, Faroe Islands, Luxembourg...
Travel for travels sake doesn't sound very environmentally friendly. In fact I'm always in two minds about watching these kinds of videos as I realyl don'twant to encourage these kinds of challenges
@@sheenamaclean8324 The Planes, Trains, Boats and Coaches would be going anyway.
And if this was to happen, I think I would need to tag along and buy you gents a beer! Love your work!
As a Welshman who used to live in Scotland I became very familiar with the train journey from Edinburgh to Crewe then change trains to Cwmbran, which is two stations before Cardiff. I’m glad you’re coming to Wales later in the year. Loads to see and do, because we’ve got the national parks, Snowdonia; Brecon Beacons and Pembrokeshire Coast. Cardiff is worth a day or two of anybody’s time. I’d like to suggest a visit to Big Pit Mining Museum. This amazing museum allows you to be guided underground one of the last coalmines closed in Wales. Your guide is likely to be a former miner who will regale you with fabulous tales of times in the pit. Best of all it’s totally free.
The Brynglas Tunnels burrow the M4 under Brynglas Hill. As a small child I lived in a street on the hill.
Writing all these great ideas down, thank you!
Used to love my family holdays in Wales. North Wales mostly. We did stay in Pembrokeshire once. It was a bit shit tbh.
John I went to Big Pit in '92 - remember being terrified of the lift and when they turned the torches off but I was only young haha but it was fascinating all the same. Also remember going to the Garden Festival in Ebbw Vale on the same holiday, went back to the site in '99 and couldn't believe the change :)
Big pit is a excellent day out. You won’t be able to take the camera gear under ground though
Went to the big Pit a few years ago. Worth the visit. Stayed in Cwmcarn and years ago stayed in Maesycwmmer and Gelligaer. Love Wales. Hi from Queensland.
The original Primark in Belfast was burned down a few years ago sadly, but because it was such an iconic landmark the city council decided to rebuild it using the same materials, as well as building it using the original plans. This was a great video, looking forward to the coastal tour video! Thanks Steve!
Great info, thanks for sharing!!!
There is one in Cork ❤
Well the original building facade never fell, so the exterior of the building is still original thankfully.
Yeah the front and sides of the primark building never fell. They just had to create new floors and roof. Loved the video, very interesting and tiring.
The "original" Primark is Penney's in Dublin, the headquarters of both companies.
Another great video Steve. I just wish BBC Scotland or STV would pick up on your adventures and give you your own show. This is by far the best travel channel on youtube.
Wow Tam, thank you SO much! It's funny, you can see tv stations are subtly changing their style to be more like TH-cam, I think they are running scared of the platform and its style!
@@steve-marsh I think they are more trying to learn where to cut costs from the traditional TV methods. Makes you think, most bloggers now have better kit than the BBC had in 1979 on the first Keith Floyd programme. If they gave you a show though, they'd probably make you take Joe Lycett or Michael Portillo with you everywhere.
We've been waiting for years for a bus station in Cardiff. It used to be right outside the train station but that was way too convenient. Better to send people on a wild goose chase around the city centre. 😂
What a treat to wake up on a windy and rainy Saturday morning in Toronto and find a new Steve Marsh video. Another fabulous challenge complete.Enjoy the food shots as well as the train videos, love the trains. Good call waiting for that second bus. I am not a fan of the kiddie party buses either. Amazing as always Steve. Well done!!!
Still raining there, same here! Good for all these long edits :) thanks Wanda!
As a Liverpool supporter I loved your cheeky joke about Everton being a championship club 😂
Another great video mate! 👌
Cheers mate! :)
@@steve-marsh Can you unsubscribe ? 😅
Everton are doomed to be the next Sheffield Wednesday. I say that as an Everton supporter.
@@D_B_Cooper Everton are in free fall and that is down to the owner,it's actually sad seeing a club that has played in European competitions going downhill so fast👀😶
same here
An excellent video. Thank you for the effort and expense that you put into making this video .
Thanks so much or coming along!
I'm a bit of a latecomer to this video, but really enjoyed it Steve. I spent 30+ years repeatedly travelling to these cities for work, sometimes direct from one to another but never all four in a single round trip (and never via the Belfast ferry). I recognise so much of this - the airports, the stations, the bus stops, the early starts, the breakfasts grabbed on the go, the buses, trains and planes... I even cycled to work past Cardiff Castle for a few years. That big wet paved area outside Cardiff Central used to be the bus station. Thanks for a journey down (fairly recent) memory lane!!
The Primark building is a listed building. Was built as The Bank Building in 1895. It was first occupied by Robertson, Ledlie, Ferguson & Co. Ltd. who were textile merchants and they used it as a warehouse. It's been bombed in the Blitz, bombed during the troubles and suffered a massive fire a few years ago, somehow it's still there.
Hi Steve Great Challange. I loved all the different modes of transport. Havent seen anything for the last fortnight, I was in hospital and just got home Thursday afternoon. I remember being in Crewe in 1952, so I have no recolation of what the station looked like! Our family was on the way to Leek for a week before we went up to Scotland (Selkirk)
Hey Rupert, hope you're recovering well!
Steve you mentioned a number of kids running wild and making noise before you boarded the ferry. In 2004 I flew from Honolulu, Hawaii non-stop to Atlanta, Georgia. Sitting across from me was a mother and three young children. Those kids screamed , cried, and climbed over seats unto other passengers for a solid 11 hours. The mother never said a word to her kids to behave and be quiet. Just as we were preparing to land in atlanta I looked over at the woman and her kids. They had finally went to sleep as we touched down in Atlanta. I wanted to slap the mother and shake the kids awake. Sorry I had had enough of their rukus and was in an ill mood from lack of sleep and noise pollution! I wish there were flights with no kids allowed. I really enjoy your videos and hope you continue making them. :)
Steve, you took us on a marvelous journey. I personally like the stations, some are so authentic. Love it and keep up this fantastic 'work'
Cheers mate, haha yes my 'work' is always tough ;)
Great challenge Steve! Nice that the newly restored old "Bank Buildings" building in Belfast caught your attention. I too thought it was "just a Primark" until a few years ago when it went entirely up in smoke. What became evident in the months that followed, was that as Primark, it was the lynchpin on which much of the footfall in the other city centre shops depended. I think the ladies understood it better than men. The city centre really struggled during the years it took to rebuild it. The entire city were thankful to Penny's, the Dublin based parent company, that they were willing to go to huge expense, both monetary and time wise, to pay for the stone by numbered stone rebuild that followed. The city has recovered from Covid and economic setbacks much better since Primark reopened. If you are not a teenage girl/ young lady/ or parent of one, its hard to comprehend the drawing power this brand has.
Wow, what an adventure! The UK Capitals Challenge sounds like an exciting way to explore different parts of the country, and using different modes of transport for each leg adds an extra element of fun. It's great to see someone pushing themselves out of their comfort zone to take on such a unique challenge. And starting from Montrose makes it all the more impressive! Thanks for sharing your experience and inspiring us to try something new on our next trip.
Thanks so much for coming along! It certainly made it interesting to try as many different modes of transport as possible, but boy was I exhausted after this one :D
@@steve-marsh Imagine that 😉
23:07 those Merseyrail trains will be retiring soon as they got some brand new trains which are being rolled out. Great video and reminds me of the Scotland 7 Cities video which was one of the early videos I watched.
Never been on a big ferry like that, but on smaller ferries and cruise ships I'm always out on the deck just like you. That's where the fun stuff is. Thanks for the video!
Glad to hear it Lynne, thank you! :)
Great video as always, 4 capitals and rain in every one of them. Well done
Haha wouldn't be a UK tour without the weather eh!
"And heres my train, only two carriages but it looks quite full" You summed up TfW really well there 😂. Main route between Aberystwyth and Birmingham gets 2 carriages regularly and its never enough.
Oh sorry to hear it's quite a normal experience!
@@steve-marsh haha you're okay, I'm in a wheelchair so I always get a spot 😉
Steve, amazingly with Transport for Wales, count yourself lucky it was that train you were on, they regularly use 40 year old commuter trains on that line, sometimes with 1 carriage. Complete toss of the coin, sometimes you’ll get a full blown intercity train, sometimes you get a train really not fit for purpose at all.
Last year I did three of the capitols with a group. From San Antonio TX we flew to Edinburgh then went by private coach to Cardiff and London via York, Durham, and Stratford. It was a great trip.
Out of the park Steve and good recovery from the flight leaving a little late. Everything about this video- "LIKE". (Edit) Cardiff, wow, that is way down there by the sea. Quite the journey! (Edit) Very nice and very genuine to help with the Guide Dog and owner.
Thanks Frank! Really appreciate it :)
Thank you. Loved this challenge.
i was in belfast for the first time last month. what an underrated city it is. lovely, clean and full of old architecture. i was on a group tour so i probably would never have thought to visit on my own. being there on st. patrick’s day, watching the parade, is a memory i will never forget.
What a great time to visit, and totally agree, it's a fantastic place!
I found Belfast a real surprise. Wasn't expecting it to be such a buzzing and friendly place, the city centre is pretty lively, there's loads going on, and I never saw any evidence of the you-know-what that Northern Ireland is infamous for. That's all kept well away in very dodgy suburbs.
@@halfbakedproductions7887 It was was buzzing when I went there in the early 90s.
As someone from Crewe I can concur that that journey needs more carriages! Spent the journey back from Cardiff with a suitcase on my lap! Have asked TFW so many times why they don’t have extra carriages and they always say they’re out for repair! It’s been over 5 years since they first said that!
It's like it constantly. So annoying.
Excellent as always Steve 😊 my highlight of my week!! Keep em coming and thank you as always my favourite TH-camr/TH-camrs ❤️
Thanks for watching a long one today Richard! Have a great weekend!
That Avanti class 390 was fairly recently refurbished, apparently comfier seats as the old ones were worn
Love the longer videos! My wife and I were just in Scotland and we visited Dores while near Loch Ness because of your video! What a lovely little spot, thanks Steve!!
Superb Eddie, thanks so much!!!
Wow! That was fantastic Steve, loved the train trips... and the ferry cabin looked great. Those breakfasts you had looked brilliant.
Thanks a lot, all the best.
Oh mate I was happy to have a nice cabin like that!
I love your videos Steve! I just arrived back in the states from my vacation to Manchester (Go CITY) and Edinburgh. I also went up to St Andrews and the surrounding villages with a local I met in the airport in Boston. How fantastic was that bit of luck!! I can not wait to get back and do the northern part of Scotland. Until then, I will follow your spectacular journeys and dream of my next visit. Thanks again Steve, safe travels to you. Edit....I wanted to add that my favorite part of my travel was the train from Manchester to Edinburgh and from Edinburgh to Ladybank. I felt so much more comfortable after watching a lot of your videos.
SO glad you had fun Kerry! Oh we almost bought a wee flat in Ladybank before settling on Montrose, both beautiful places. Settle in again back home, but get planning your next trip to Scotland!
Fantastic video Steve, well done-just an interesting fact to add, as you pulled out of Shrewsbury station heading to Cardiff you passed the signal box which is actually the largest working mechanical signal box in the world
Great video Steve. Fun fact, the Welsh word caer means fort, the Welsh for Cardiff is Caerdydd = the fort on the Taff. On that route, you’ve got Abergavenny an attractive market town with good walking available. On the outskirts of Newport, you’ve got Caerleon, with its Roman amphitheatre, Roman baths, barracks and legionary museum. The national museum in Cardiff has got a good collection of French impressionist art.
Thanks so much! I've had incredible tips for Wales and this is another, I think we'll need about 6 months there!
LOL never tell someone from Caerleon they're on the "outskirts of Newport"! There's a bit of a Salford/Stockport v Manchester situation going on there ;-)
@@michaelocyoung Yes, they’re individualists, and there’s a very different feel in Caerleon, but geography can’t be avoided. Caerleon is great and I’m very fond of it.
@@broomybank Yep me too. It's a nice walk/cycle over from Saino's and there's some good pubs - the Bell in particular.
This is one of my favourite videos yet...really interesting. You really do make it look easy...makes me think i could tackle that kind of trip.
Cheers Yvonne!!! I was soooo tired after this, funny because I was sitting for most of it :D
I really loved the video too. Just sat at my computer with a smile on my face and hoping it just went on. Steve did a great job with a challenge that didn't seem that intriguing. Boy was I wrong.
Brilliant as ever Steve, Saturday morning wouldn't be the same without one of your videos 👍🙂I have watched so many of your videos and to see you arriving into my hometown of Liverpool was good to see. Shame that you didn't have longer there to see some of the sights (as in other places you visited of course.) Looking forward to your next video 👍🙂
Love your city mate! Will need to film it one day :)
@@steve-marsh That would be brilliant Steve, if you ever come down would be great to meet for a pint and to show you around 👍🙂
A 2 am drive through Brechin is all I wanted to see. My life is now complete. I'm from Northern Ireland and you're right, it is beautiful. Great video. I would also be on the outside deck as the ship left port. I lived in Crewe for a few years and often went to support the Alex. It's so nice to see Gresty Road again.
Haha love it! :D
What beautiful views from the train of Wales. Almost as pretty as Scotland.
Well done on reaching all four capitals. Keep the great videos coming.
Cheers! I was looking forward to sitting back and enjoying the scenery, well, when I got a seat it was nice :D
Quite a delightful journey. I agree with you about the trains those are my favorite mode of Transport right after ship. And I also agree with you about helicopters. No way on Earth would I ever get anyone unless it was absolutely the last mode of Transport out of a catastrophe or I was comatose on my way to the hospital. Love the shots of the food. I am definitely a food oriented person. Be well, stay safe, say hi to Alicja for me, love from Texas.
Thanks Kate! I’ll try get on a helicopter one day just for you :D
@@steve-marsh if you get on one, I will have to watch. I won't do it happily though! I can always pause and shut my eyes if it gets too bad. I bet your adrenaline junkie sidekick would love it.
Another awesome adventure, I enjoyed it, thanks very much Steve.
All the best from Newcastle upon Tyne.
Thanks so much Luke! I slept through Newcastle on this trip 🤣
Our transport system in Cardiff (especially trains) is pretty terrible. You immediately saw that there are never enough coaches on the trains, and they are always packed. It's been like that for years now :(
Your not the only one, I have taken the ferry many times and still go out on deck and watch the departures and arrivals.
Glad to hear it! :)
That ship looks amazing, I've never been on such a nice looking ferry. What a crazy little adventure. I love the train trips, I wish we had more accessible and affordable trains in North America.
Really wish I'd had more time to explore the ferry, great little cinema rooms etc, but I just had to sleep! :D
@@steve-marsh At least you had a nightcap . Good call !
Affordable trains being the operative word! They are crazy expensive in the UK (not sure why as continental Europe seem to have much cheaper services), if you live in Edinburgh and want to go to London it's usually cheaper and quicker to fly!
I also wish the USA had some longer distance ferries but the Jones Act, which requires that they also be built in the USA, largely rules that out.
@@erik_griswold why do you need ferries? The USA is mainly a continent on its own. I’ve been on ferries around BC to get to the islands but not aware any situations like that south of the border? UK is obvs an island, France is only 20 miles away, same with Ireland, Netherlands is an overnighter but maybe only ~150 miles
Enjoyed this. A brilliant idea--THANKS!
As soon as you said North Road, I knew it was the Megabus. It goes from there because they are currently building the new bus station, right next to the Cardiff Central train station (you walked past it) so all the local buses and coaches are all over the shop. I believe it finally opens later this year
Ahhh cheers for the info!
Unfortunately the new bus station in Cardiff will only have 14 bays, none of which will be for coaches, which, apart from the Megabus currently leave from Sophia Gardens a short distance outside the city centre. For some reason the Megabus has always left from a weird location, even before the closure of Cardiff Central Bus Station. either from the first location that Steve went to, and now from it's present location. It also used to stop outside the university on Park Place, (don't know if it still does) .
I strongly suspect that the current chaotic location of bus stops spread all over the city centre will continue, as the new bus station will in no way be big enough for a city the size of Cardiff. Swansea Bus Station has something like 28 bays and even a small town like Blackwood has 9 bays in the bus station. Cardiff is a great example of how to not build a bus station that won't even be properly integrated into the railway station, though not far away, but even so, will lack any facilities for long distance coaches.
@@mzcymro Wowsers. I didn't know the coaches wouldnt be going from there. You're right 14 bays is not enough. Newports 'two stations' are 15 bays and 9 bays, but the coaches don't go from there, like the used to, because they screwed the design up
Thanks for taking us with you on your journey Steve. 🚆
And thank YOU for coming along :)
Excellent as always. Shrewsbury, Ludlow and Leominster well worth a visit. I did that ferry crossing both ways in 2008,it was a really old ferry and took the car. Bonus was that 3 course lunch was included going out and dinner going back.
Nice! Great area, will be back!
Also Church Stretton!
What a great journey! I wish I had gone to Belfast. Liverpool is familiar to me as is Shrewsbury. Used to live there. Well worth visiting. Northern Ireland is the only part of the UK where I’ve not been. I really enjoy watching your journeys as I no longer can travel. Well done!
Wonderful episode, Steve. One of your best. I so enjoy your work.
Thanks so much Tom! This was a fun challenge, but very tiring considering I was sitting down most of it :D
I wouldn't mind doing this as a week long tour staying overnight in the cities.
Ahh that would be much better!
I have driven through Brechin at eleven in the morning and not seen so many people ! - Steve- thank you for the excellent content - always innovative and "the race against time " element is fun !
Haha I think the kebab shop was still open, the town was jumping :D
The last time I went on the Stena Embla I had a cabin on deck 9 at the back and car alarms constantly going off all night and had zero sleep , nice cabins but no sleep 😂
Thing I like about your videos is you tell it how it is and how brutally tiring and uncomfortable travelling can be , yet very enjoyable too .👍👌
Ahhh hard luck! Although I’m the same, there’s always SOMEthing 🤣
An excellent journey, with great accompanying music and an informative commentary. Thanks.
Hi Steve technically the 100 isn't the only airport bus at 4am if you had left your van at Halbeath Park and Ride you could have got the 747 to the airport around 03.35 I think
Haha fair enough!
You got the right weather for Liverpool-grey, cloudy, raining.
Nice film, enjoyed it.😊
Steve you gotta love the airports were you have to walk out in the tarmac to get to the plane. Rain, sleet and snow let’s get going!
It wakens You up for sure :D
Good for you through the rainy weather, the late plane, the crazy passenger, the bad directional to the Mega Bus, the dog sitting, the crying kids and rude parents, the non working cabin key...you did it! And such a fun and interesting trip. Bravo!
A visit to the stadium in Montrose would be fun. Thanks for the video, Steve. You've given me a great idea for a trip. Hello again from Uruguay!
Wow, hi!!!! :) Cheers Jonathan!
Your videos are sooooo entertaining! Fun to watch. Thank you🎉
I love your positive energy Steve, you definitely got yourself a new sub, greetings from holland.
Hey thanks so much! Welcome aboard, really appreciate it!
Really enjoyable video Steve. You've inspired me to take the ferry over to Belfast as I've never been there before, but am often on the Wirral. Surely by far the best way to arrive in a new country. I took the ferry from Plymouth down to Santander on the Northern coast of Spain. It felt more like going on a cruise, the ship was huge and had an onboard indoor heated swimming pool! The best thing was whale spotting up on deck as we sailed through the Bay of Biscay, the food onboard was good too- (Breton crew mostly)
Totally agree, it's the only was to arrive :) Have a great time!
Great video. The Primark you mentioned, is a listed building. Which had a major fire about 3 years ago. Only reopened last year. Nice to have it back.
Here here!
Let me be another to add: this is SO well-done. As usual. Filming, editing, commentary. Even the music, which I don’t care about typically. Brilliant!
As an American, I’ve been to all these amazing capitals (Cardiff just once in the 80s) many times by all these forms of transit. Not in this order, and decades ago. My worthless commentary: The hard product (including lounges) had less plastic but was ‘worse’ (NO tech, computer- assisted design, less comfort overall, more smoke) but the soft product was arguably ‘better’ (kids were more controlled, customer service was generally not as robotic and people (even hooligans) were more engaged with each other.
Note: I would have been on the deck as well…what a ship. Not watching non motor sports on TV.
Thanks so much for this comment and your commentary is far from worthless, it's better than mine! :)
An absolute mega presentation. I felt with you all the way. Thank you
Thank you!
Great video for anyone that has anxiety issues being too far from a safety zone aka home. Watching, I see a few things I can adjust to ease anxiety surges and possible panic attacks. Number one, travel with a service friend. If not possible, then watch videos like this multiple times for the scenery to become more familiar as in feel safe. Sort of like a pre-travel therapy. I'd chart out retreats aka temporary safety zone locations at a hotel (just in case) I need to check in until the anxiety surge is managable enough to continue traveling. I'm not opposed to staying a day or so in an unplanned location if it helps me feel better.
What a nifty idea for a video! I think I would have needed a week of sleep after that! I loved every minute of this.
Haha I think I did Patricia!
I loved this video especially as it included Belfast and the ferry to Birkenhead both of which I'll be exploring for the first time in two weeks time so this video couldn't have been better timed. Thanks Steve!
Both are well worth it.
Have a great trip! :)
Steve, I LOVE your travel videos! I travelled through Scotland in July 2023 and loved the transportation system there. The land and people are lovely and I wish my ancestors hadn't left !!! Safe travels by friend.
Thanks so much Elaine! I must admit I also love travelling around here, it doesn't always go to plan, but even then you are pretty much guaranteed to find friendly helpful people to keep you moving :)
I enjoyed that trip! Very informative!Thanks for videoing. Look forward to your next trip!
Thanks Jo!
Only just discovered your channel and spent all morning watching various trips .. fantastic viewing and loved the 4 capitals challenge…well done ..
I love this video. It's my second time watching it. I think it's all the lovely rainy weather.
Really enjoy your videos Steve. There’s something magical about them.
Great video as always mate! Nice to hear my local station Wigan North Western getting a mention on the station announcements at 25:38 😉
Cheers George :)
That was fun! Love these UK videos!
Thanks so much Catherine! :)
Nice to see your brief visit to my neck of the woods. The North West of England. Do come back for a visit at some point.
I love your traveling style mate! You do all the things that I would do, so it is like traveling myself! Thanks and greetings from Trondheim, Norway!
Thanks o much, I really appreciate it! But I need to get to your city!!!
Great vlog - love the honesty and down to earth approach - it's what we want to know! I need to get out and explore my own country a bit more - I've never been to Belfast or Cardiff...I have done quite a bit of Wales but never been to NI so adding it to the list!
Really appreciate it cheers!
Really enjoyed this video . I'm from Wales and the train's here are terrible. The train you caught from Crewe to Cardiff has always been the same just a two carriage, with people rammed on. You had a great shot of my wife's office building lol as she works right by the Megabus stop. Keep up the great work Steve I really enjoy your videos .😊😊👍
Oh it appears my train journey was quite typical then eh!? Same here in Scotland mate on many routes!
@@steve-marsh here in Wales we call them transport for fails Lol 🤣🤣🏴🏴🏴🏴👍
Hi just stumbled onto your channel, (just subscribed) a very interesting video, you certainly covered some miles with the different modes of transport, time to have a look at your other videos.
Brilliant vid Steve, thanks for taking us along.
Cheers Andy!
Thank You...great video...we've been to some of the cities you video...Enjoyed your journey and details ...See you again soon....we have family in Ellesmere, England...and my wife was born in Liverpool, England in 1945....Thanks again for 1st class video...Jim & Sandy. Iowa USA
Thanks so much both! Liverpool is awesome by the way :)
Steve - many thanks for the effort involved in producing this mosr interesting video.
Nice video mate,
One of your best for sure
Thanks so much!!!!
Good video and interesting, informative, bet you are relieved when you get home and chill and relax, good nights sleep, liked the cabin,looked lovely and clean,
Thanks Christine! It was a big edit to get through all those clips when I got home :D
Such a fun journey! You make it look like a breeze! I would for sure be the one soaking wet and freezing on the ferry deck for as long as I could stand it! Love the docks and all the activity and the feeling of sailing away from it! Thank you for the trip!
Hey thanks so much for coming along on a very fun trip!
I have been to Belfast once, great city!!! I have been to Edinburgh 20 times, I love it!!! Cardiff and London countless times as I lived in Trowbridge near Bath/Bristol so the M4 is close. I prefer Cardiff over London a 100 times but my favorite is Edinburgh!! Great video Lord Marsh and thanks for going on these great but exhausting adventures for us!!!!
Cheers Oliver! Great to bring you a video featuring so many familiar places! :)
Fantastic video, great idea, to me this has been your best yet.
Cheers Dougie!
A wild challenge and more good doggie content! I'm enjoying Scotland right now. Did the Isle of May boat trip the other day, and hiked to Dunnotar Castle from Stonehaven today. Just the holiday I needed! Looking forward to Orkney, then Skye and Fort William.
Quite an adventure Steve and a pleasure to watch as usual. I’m a bit out of sinc here as I watched the Gobbins a few days ago. Keep them coming Steve.
Haha it'll get even more confusing :D
The Liverpool skyline looks fantastic
Totally agree, full of icons!
Oh! I’ve been to Abergavenny! (You said it perfectly!!) went a pony trekking holiday there a great many moons ago.
Thanks Steve; a great video, as always. . I’ve been to Orkney but only to Mainland. It was great to see other of the isles. Big shout out to Gary.
2:28, I like the seating arrangement, very fancy!
Brilliant video today. Thanks for taking us along
Thanks Glenys!
Thanks, Steve! Very interesting! Trains are also my favorate form of transportation.
Love it! Love It! What a great trip! Love to see you stay longer in some of these places and explore more. At least then you get to have a proper rest. 😀
Loved the vlog!!! This is the way I love to start my Saturday mornings for sure. Looking forward to you spending more time in Wales as I know very little about this beautiful country. Learned things as usual and again thanks for the vlog. Have a great week, see you next week.
Thank Cheri, it was great to finally set foot in Wales, but the return there will be so much better :)
This was really fun to watch. I live in Liverpool and I travel the stena line between Birkenhead and Belfast a few times a yeah for kicks, purely just because i enjoy the trip so much. I usually do the over night ferry but I sleep in the Stena plus lounge. I have also done Gobbins back in March, it’s so amazing!!!!
The Brynglass Tunnel is just like any other tunnel - it goes through a hill.
Given a choice between National Express and Megabus, it's National Express for me. I've done the Cardiff - Heathrow and Cardiff - London routes quite a few times and National Express have always been good.
Love watching your videos , i used to be a big travel person and loved taking different modes of transport in a country. I miss it not sure ill ever get to do it again. So im living vicariously through your videos
Wow! This video/vlog is very helpful and informative to get to capital cities of UK.
👍🏽⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
Really enjoyed the video mate. Really impressed by the stena line ferry and the upgraded pendolino really is big improvement
Totally agree mate! Cheers!