- Home |
- The Wonky Way
Lands End to John o' Groats: The Wonky Way
Welcome to The Wonky Way! We ended 2022 with an epic adventure across the UK, travelling from Land's End to John o' Groats on a very wiggly (virtual) route. Along the way, we unlocked hidden gems, fascinating facts and twisting tales from amazing places
Explore the map below, then scroll down to learn more about each leg of the trip and learn about some of the locations we love.
How to navigate the map
Click on the flags to reveal stories about each place we've stopped at, with some fun blogs to read and activities to tackle too.
If you're exploring on a desktop, you can zoom in and out of the map using the wheel on your mouse or using the + and - buttons at the bottom right of the map. You can drag the map using your mouse and click reset to have it fill the screen again.
On a mobile device, you can zoom using the + and - buttons, drag the map around with your finger or stylus, and press reset for it to fill the screen.
Explore the Wonky Way Map
The TT Travel Diary
Leg 14: Aberdeen to John o' Groats
Time has really flown by since we started out on our journey from Land’s End 14 weeks ago, but here we are on the very last leg of our Wonky Way journey. After a week of enjoying the Christmas festivities, we set off from Aberdeen (Aiberdeen/Obar Dheathain) on a relatively short trip to Inverness (Inerness/Inbhir Nis), passing through Huntly (SrathBhalgaidh/Hunndaidh), Elgin (Ailgin/Eilginn) and Nairn (InbhirNarann) along the way.
A morning wander beside the water in Inverness.
Our wiggly route wouldn’t be complete without a cross-country trip, but we decided to push the boat out for the final leg. We travelled along the north banks of Loch Ness (Loch Nis), Loch Cluanie (Loch Cluanaidh) and Loch Duich (Loch Dubhthaich), then over the sea to the Isle of Skye (Isle o Skye/An t-Eilean Sgitheanach/Skíð).
After looping around the island in search of fairies, we ventured back onto the mainland to join the North Coast 500 route, skirting several lochs and passing through Ullapool (Ulapul) before ducking inland for our penultimate stop in Lairg (An Luirg).
Searching for mythical creatures at the Fairy Pools on Skye.
After a lochside picnic (in the warmth of our tour bus), we set off north once more, rejoining the North Coast 500 at Durness (Diùranais) and venturing east through Tongue (Tunga) and Thurso (Thursa/InbhirTheòrsa) before reaching stop number 50, the very last destination of The Wonky Way – John O’ Groats (Taigh Iain Ghròt). And just in time for Hogmanay too!
Thank you to everyone who joined us for this fun trip across the UK – we’ve had an absolute blast. We better head back now, so we’ll catch you again when we reach Cornwall. Happy New Year!
The obligatory signpost pic at John o' Groats, our final stop!
This week, three lucky winners got their hands on a Family Adventure Box by answering the below question.
Q. What was one mentioned battle fought over?
A. Cheese
Leg 13: Stirling to Aberdeen
It’s the penultimate leg of our trip, and we’re ready for our Scottish Christmas – will we spot any snow on our way? From Stirling (Stirlin/Sruighlea), we looped below the Campsie Fells (MonadhChamaisidh) and headed towards our first stop in Glasgow (Glesca/Glaschu).
Taking a morning stroll around Glasgow's Victoria Park.
After stretching our legs with a stroll around Victoria Park, we travelled up the side of Loch Lomond and the Trossachs (Loch Laomainn is nan Tròisichean), then out towards Oban (An t-Òban). From here, we followed the coast to Fort William (The Fort/An Gearasdan) and then inland again to Kingussie (Kineussie/Ceann a' Ghiùthsaich), our second stop.We didn’t have time to catch a shinty match but instead stocked up on mince pies to keep us going.
Image: By Kingussie shinty pitch by Jennifer Jones, CC BY-SA 2.0, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=114501517 - cropped
We didn't catch a match, but we paid a visit to the shinty pitch before we left.
From Kingussie, we continued through the outskirts of the Cairngorms National Park (Pàirc Nàiseanta a' Mhonaidh Ruaidh), on to Aviemore (An AghaidhMhòr) and up to Grantown-on-Spey (Baile nan Granndach). Then, it was time to drive east on a route with stunning mountain views on the way to Aberdeen (Aiberdeen/Obar Dheathain), where we settled for our festive feast. Merry Christmas, everyone – see you next week for our final journey.
Exploring Aberdeen near the Triple Kirks.
This week, three lucky winners got their hands on a Family Adventure Box by answering the below question.
Q. Which of the following is NOT a nickname of one of the places we visited this week?
A. The Fair City
Don't forget, there's a chance to win every week! Check the latest diary entry for your chance to enter the next prize draw.
Leg 12: Slieve Donard to Stirling
We’re gearing up for a Christmas in Scotland, something that was once banned by the Scottish Parliament! So, it was time to head back over the water. We clambered down from Slieve Donard (Sliabh Dónairt) and began our journey back to the ferry, taking a detour to Bangor (Bengor/Beannchar) and Belfast (Bilfawst/BéalFeirste) along the way. Then, on the other side, we travelled north along the coast road to Alloway (Allmhaigh), our first stop.
Wandering past Burns Cottage in Alloway.
After exploring the village andtaking a peek inside the national poet’s birthplace museum, we hopped back in our tour bus and headed inland, passing through Sanquhar (Sanchar/Seanchair) and Biggar (Bigear). At Peebles (Na Pùballan), we went straight up north to reach Edinburgh (Dùn Èideann) – just in time for a cuppa!
Hanging out with Bobby, the very good boy, in Edinburgh.
It was hard to drag ourselves away from all the landmarks and attractions waiting to be visited in Edinburgh, but we weren’t done yet! So, we set off over the Queensferry Crossing and looped around the top of Loch Leven (Loch Lìobhann) to cross the Tay Road Bridge to Dundee (Dùn Dè). We followed the Firth of Tay (Linne Tatha) and then on past the Ochil Hills (MonadhOchail) to reach our final stop – Stirling (Stirlin/Sruighlea). Time to warm up and get ready for the penultimate leg next week!
An aerial view of the impressive Stirling Castle, with the Wallace Monument in the distance.
This week, three lucky winners got their hands on a Family Adventure Box by answering the below question.
Q. Whichfamous poet was born in one of the locations we visited?
A. Robert ‘Rabbie’ Burns
Leg 11: Newcastle to Slieve Donard
This week, we left England behind, crossing the border to Scotland and over the Irish Sea for a legendary leg of the tour. Waving goodbye to Newcastle, we headed north up the Northumberland Coast, passing through Alnwick and Berwick upon Tweed before crossing the border. Just before Eyemouth (Heymooth), we set off southwest to our first stop in Melrose (Maolros).
Exploring Melrose Abbey Ruins in the shadow of the Eildon Hills.
We knew we had a long way to go from here, so we stocked up on snacks and stretched our legs before leaving. We passed through Dumfries (DùnPhris) on the way Cairnryan (The Cairn/ Machair an Sgithich), where we boarded the ferry to Larne (Latharna). On the other side, in Northern Ireland, we ventured through Ballymena (an Baile Meánach)and up to Ballycastle (Ballykessel/Baile an Chaistil), then along the coast to The Giant’s Causeway (Tha Giant's Causey/ClochánanAifir).
Striding across the rocks at The Giant's Causeway.
After soaking up the sea air and trying to keep our balance on the iconic stones, we left the Giant’s Causeway for a whistlestop tour of Northern Ireland. We headed west to Derry (Derrie/Doire), then south to Enniskillen (Inniskillin/Inis Ceithleann)and finally east to the Mourne Mountains (Beanna Boirche). We made it to our final stop, Slieve Donard (Sliabh Dónairt), just in time for International Moutain Day on 11th December 2022. Time to wrap up warm and enjoy the views before we descend! See you next time.
Enjoying the view out to sea from the Mourne Mountains near Slieve Donard.
This week, three lucky winners got their hands on a Family Adventure Box by answering the below question.
Q. Which place visited has links to the Scottish isle of Staffa?
A. The Giant’s Causeway
Don't forget, there's a chance to win every week! Check the latest diary entry for your chance to enter the next prize draw.
Leg 10: Whitby to Newcastle
Well, we’re officially in the last month of our tour, and slowly counting down the days to the new year. We had a long trip this week, going from one coast to the other and back again, so we left Whitby super early to make sure we could reach all three stops in daylight! First, we headed west, skirting around the North York Moors and slipping between the Yorkshire Dales and North Pennines to reach Kendal on the edge of the Lake District.
Wandering beside the River Kent in Kendal.
After sneakily adding some mint cake into our snack stash – tucked in next to our advent calendars - we left Kendal and looped around the Lake District. We kept going with the coast on our left and the National Park on our right until we reached Carlisle. From here, we didn’t have to go far to reach our second stop in Greenhead.
Trekking along the Hadrian's Wall Path.
We loved seeing so many wide-open green spaces on this leg, but we were missing the city buzz. So, after blowing away the cobwebs with a trek along Hadrian’s Wall, we drove eat along the south of Northumberland National Park, travelling to Newcastle for a much-deserved rest. Just in time for the Christmas Markets too! We’re going to go grab some gingerbread and mulled wine – catch you next week.
Enjoying the sunset over the Tyne and the Blinking Eye bridge.
A new month, a new prize! This week, three lucky winners got their hands on a Family Adventure Box by answering the below question.
Q. Which board game has a special edition that features one of the locations visited?
A. Monopoly
Leg 9: Manchester to Whitby
We set off on our very own Tour de Yorkshire this week (no bikes, though!), with a trip across the ancient county. We left Manchester first thing and set up north until we reached Burnley, then off east to our first stop – Ilkley – for a very breezy walk on the moor. Don’t worry – we packed hats!
Looking down on Ilkley and the White Wells Spa building from the edge of the moor.
After pausing for a proper morning brew, we went on a whistle-stop tour of not one, not two, but SEVEN different cities. That’s right – our super wiggly route took us through Ripon, York, Leeds, Bradford, Wakefield, Sheffield and Doncaster before we finally arrived at city number eight, Hull.
Outside the huge Guildhall in Hull
We were pretty worn out after so much city hopping, so we decided to take things slow for the last stretch. We ambled up the coast from Hull, enjoying the views out to sea as we passed through Bridlington and Scarborough. We made it to Whitby, our final stop, just in time to watch the sunset over the abbey. Time for a chippy tea now, so see you next time!
Wrapped up warm, watching the sun set over Whitby Abbey ruins.
This week, three lucky winners got their hands on a Mystery Treasure Box by answering the below question.
Q. Which vampire novel was set in one of the locations we visited?
A. Dracula by Bram Stoker
Leg 8: Aberystwyth to Manchester
We’ve officially passed the halfway mark on our Wonky Way Tour! So, it’s about time we begin our journey north. We set off from Aberystwyth and ventured up through the heart of Snowdonia (Eryri) towards Blaenau Ffestiniog. From there headed towards Porthmadog and the coast before going back up north and crossing the Menai Strait (Afon Menai) to reach our first stop, Llanfairpwllgwyngyllgogerychwyrndrobwllllantysiliogogogoch, on the Isle of Anglesey (Ynys Môn).
We had to get a picture of a sign with the town's full name in Llanfairpwll.
We could have spent all day exploring the island, but it was time to say goodbye to Wales. We crossed back over to the mainland and followed the northern coastline, counting the windmills out to sea to keep us entertained. We ducked down to Wrexham, then headed back north once again, crossing the Welsh border and passing through Chester to reach Liverpool, our second stop.
Taking a stroll with the fab four in Liverpool
After a musical interlude in the home of the Beatles (and many more!), we headed inland. We didn’t have to go too far, though – it's a fairly short trip from Liverpool to our last stop in Manchester. It makes a change after such a long stretch last week! Plus, that leaves us with plenty of time to explore this massive city. See you next time!
Ending the week with an evening wader beside the water in Manchester
This week, three lucky winners got their hands on a Mystery Treasure Box by answering the below question.
Q. Which well-known suffragette was born in one of the locations we stopped at?
A. Emmeline Pankhurst
Leg 7: Cambridge to Aberystwyth
We had a lovely time exploring Cambridge’s colleges and punting on the Cam, but the next leg of our tour was calling! So, we hit the road again, ready for a coast-to-coast journey. First, we headed towards the Suffolk Coast, then travelled north along the coastline before ducking inland to reach our first stop in Norwich.
A morning wander by the water in Norwich.
We enjoyed a brisk morning stroll along the river to get us energised, then we set off again. We detoured up to the Norfolk Coast to enjoy the views, then looped all the way up to Lincolnshire! But the second stop of the week – Nottingham – was calling us, so we made our way to the city.
Hanging out with Robin Hood in Nottingham!
We couldn’t resist a peek in the castle and a few pics beside Robin Hood while we were here! We couldn’t hang around too long, though – there was still a long way to go. We hopped back in our tour bus and went west, passing through Stoke on Trent, Shrewsbury and Wales to reach the west coast and our last stop, Aberystwyth. Now we’re ready to celebrate reaching the halfway point! See you next week.
Image: By The National Library of Wales, Aberystwyth by John Lord, CC BY-SA 2.0, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=105605981 - cropped
Outside the brilliant National Library of Wales in Aberystwyth.
This week, three lucky winners got their hands on a Mystery Treasure Box by answering the below question.
Q. Under which castle can Mortimer’s Hole be found?
A. Nottingham Castle
Leg 6: Battle to Cambridge
We’ve started November with a bang on this leg of our tour! We said goodbye to our ghostly friends at Battle and headed east, looping around the Kent coastline, along the White Cliffs of Dover and through Broadstairs, before landing in Rochester - our first stop.
Enjoying the view of the castle from Rochester Bridge.
After exploring the castle and pausing for a warming hot chocolate while looking across the River Medway, we took a relatively short journey into the heart of London. After all, with 5th November looming, a trip to Westminster was definitely on the cards.
Sneaking a trip on the London Eye for a full view of Westminster and beyond.
We got a birds-eye view of some of London’s best landmarks from the London Eye – we are taking this trip to see as much as possible, after all! Then, we set off once again, leaving one bustling city for another as we journeyed through Chelmsford and past Stansted airport to reach Cambridge, our final stop for this week.
Exploring around the many colleges in Cambridge.
This week, three lucky winners got their hands on a Mystery Treasure Box by answering the below question.
Q. In which pub was the discovery of "the secret of life" announced?
A. The Eagle
Leg 5: Bletchley Park to Battle
It’s an absolutely spook-tacular leg of the tour this week! We’re waving goodbye to October with a Halloween special, and each place we’ve visited has links to magic and mystery. No time to delay! From Bletchley Park, we took a pretty direct route to Oxford, where we did a spot of supernatural sightseeing, trying to track down the city’s ghosts…we weren’t brave enough to wander down Dead Man’s Walk, though!
Outside the Radcliffe Camera library and reading rooms.
From here, we travelled through Reading, Basingstoke and Winchester before bravely venturing into the New Forest, heading for the spooky village of Burley. Here, we fuelled up on some witch’s brew and purchased some good luck charms to keep us safe for the last stretch of our journey.
Image: By ITookSomePhotos - Own work, CC BY-SA 4.0, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=123820329 - cropped
Wandering through Burley village and searching for spooky keepsakes.
In Lymington, we boarded the ferry to the Isle of Wight, but after not spotting any mermaids or sea monsters, we headed back to the mainland with a ferry over to Portsmouth. We reached Arundel, then looped up to Royal Tunbridge Wells before heading back down south to our last stop – the infamous town of Battle. Now, we’re heading off for a ghost tour around the battlegrounds before telling each other spooky stories under the stars. Fingers crossed we’ll get some rest (in peace).
Braving the Battle Abbey ruins to search for ghosts.
This week, five lucky winners got their hands on a Treasure Trails Voucher by answering the below question.
Q. Which supernatural creatures are all linked to one of the locations we’ve visited this week?
A. Witches, ghosts and a dragon
Leg 4: Tenbury Wells to Bletchley Park
Happy half-term, explorers! We weren’t hanging around this week and set off from Tenbury Wells first thing to make the most of our next adventure. Our journey briefly took us south, travelling through Bromyard and Ledbury to reach our first stop in Gloucester, where we had a nice morning stroll around the docks.
Heading towards Gloucester Cathedral through St Mary's Gate.
We stocked up on some snacks (Double Gloucester cheese, anyone?) and hit the road again, weaving through Tewkesbury, Worcester and Bromsgrove on. Stop number two was Birmingham, home of Typhoo Tea, Bird’s Custard and Cadbury’s chocolate… more snacks for our stockpile!
Wandering along the canal with the glowing Birmingham Library in the background.
With our bellies full and our brains in gear, we began the journey to the last stop of the week. Travelling through the city, we came out just north of Coventry, then headed up towards Leicester. From here wended our way to Milton Keynes and Bletchley Park, skirting Northampton and Bedford en route. We’ll take a break here to spend time brushing up on our slippery spy skills at the home of the British wartime codebreakers. See you soon!
Outside the mansion at Bletchley Park - just a small part of this huge, historical site.
This week, five lucky winners got their hands on a Treasure Trails Voucher by answering the below question.
Q. Which historical television series was NOT filmed in one of the locations visited on this leg?
A. Downton Abbey (2010-2015)
Leg 3: Cardiff to Tenbury Wells
We’re on the road again! This week, we continued our journey through Wales, exploring the south and west, before heading back over to England. From the Welsh capital, Cardiff (Caerdydd), we headed west towards our first stop at St Davids(Tyddewi), travelling through Swansea (Abertawe), Carmarthen (Caerfyrddin) and Haverfordwest (Hwlffordd) along the way.
The iconic St Davids Cathedral - a religious community has been on this spot for nearly 1,500 years!
After a (very enjoyable!) Welsh cake break, we set off from St Davids, our journey taking us through the Pembrokeshire Coast National Park (Parc Cenedlaethol Arfordir Penfro) for some sightseeing. We advanced to Cardigan (Aberteifi), then began venturing east via Brecon (Aberhonddu) towards our next stop in Hay-on-Wye(Y Gelli Gandryll) – the perfect spot for some book shopping!
Addyman Books in Hay-on-Wye - one of 13 bookshops we browsed here!
We left Hay with our luggage a little heavier (those bookshops are impossible to resist!) and started border hopping again, travelling through Kington, Knighton (Tref-y-clawdd / Trefyclo) Craven Arms and Ludlow. Then, we reached our last stop for this leg - Tenbury Wells, the town in the orchard - just in time for National Apple Day (21st October). Time to go and celebrate!
Image: By The Pump Room, Tenbury Wells by Philip Pankhurst, CC BY-SA 2.0, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=119513963 - cropped
The very unique Pump Rooms at Tenbury Wells.
This week, five lucky winners got their hands on a Treasure Trails Voucher by answering the below question.
Q. What animal did self-appointed King Richard have as his Prime Minister?
A. A horse
Leg 2: Stonehenge to Cardiff
After last week’s long stretch, it didn’t look like we’d be travelling far on this leg. But, of course, this is the Wonky Way, so we didn’t take a direct route. We watched the sunrise at Stonehenge, and then set off on a scenic route to Bath. We travelled through Amesbury and Andover, then north to Newbury, before travelling back west. After skirting Swindon, Royal Wootton Bassett and Chippenham, we arrived in Bath to explore the Roman ruins and have a much-needed cuppa and bun at Sally Lunn’s.
Pulteney Bridge in Bath, our first stop.
After Bath, we took a pretty direct route to our next stop in Bristol, so it didn’t take us long to get there – more time for exploring! We spent some time meandering around the harbour, imagining what it would have been like during the Golden Age of Piracy. Then it was time for the last stretch of this leg and a little lesson on Welsh places names!
Bristol from the Water - no big pirate ships now!
North of Bristol, we ventured across the Severn Bridge to reach Chepstow (Cas-gwent). Then our journey took us up the Wye Valley, hopping across the Welsh-English border a couple of times as we advanced via Monmouth (Trefynwy) and Ross-on-Wye. Next, it was a drive west again to Abergavenny (Y Fenni) before travelling south through Torfaen, passing through Pontypool (Pont-y-pŵl), Cwmbran (Cwmbrân) and Newport (Casnewydd). From here, we travelled the final stretch to our last stop in Cardiff(Caerdydd) for a spot of retail therapy, a nosey around the castle and a nice walk around the bay. Time to take a rest until next week!
Taking a peek inside Cardiff Castle
This week, five lucky winners got their hands on a Treasure Trails Voucher by answering the below question.
Q. Which Golden Age pirate was NOT born in one of the places we visited this week?
A. Bartholomew “Black Bart” Roberts
Leg 1: Land's End to Stonehenge
Our adventure has begun! This is going to be the longest leg of our journey - we're just so eager to see everything! We set off from Land's End, then nipped down to the Lizard before heading up to our first stop - Cligga Head, near Perranporth. Pasties are totally acceptable for breakfast... right?! Then we roamed through Bodmin Moor before leaving Cornwall to travel along the coast to Westward Ho!
The pretty view from Land's End, our starting spot.
This is definitely going to be a wiggly tour! After Westward Ho!, we went cross county again to visit Plymouth, then over to Exeter for a spot of lunch and Lyme Regis for some fossil hunting. We couldn't leave Somerset out, so we travelled back up to North Devon to drive along the coast, crossing the border after Lynton and Lynmouth, advancing with the sea on one side and Exmoor National Park on the other. After stopping at Dunster to explore the castle, we waved goodbye to Somerset and ventured back to Dorset for the penultimate stop at Bournemouth.
Exploring the old buildings in Dunster.
We set off north for the last stretch of this leg, travelling through the Cranbourne Chase and West Wiltshire Downs Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty and skirting Salisbury to reach Salisbury Plain and the awe-inspiring Stonehenge - the perfect spot to rest and relax ahead of the next leg of our tour.
Relaxing at Stonehenge at the end of our first leg.
This week, five lucky winners got their hands on a Treasure Trails Voucher by answering the below question.
Q. Which famous awards have links to one of the locations we stopped at?
A. The Nobel Prizes
*COMPETITION CLOSED* Competition T&Cs:
- Prizes are subject to change each week. Details of the prize and quantity up for grabs can be found in the live competition details before the entry form.
- The closing date for entries will be at midday (12:00pm) each Friday. Please see the live competition details for clarity.
- Where relevant, a Treasure Trails Voucher is valid for a Printed or Download version of any Trail available for sale on our website, unless otherwise stated.
- Prizes cannot be substituted.
- Open to UK residents, excluding employees of Treasure Trails.
- Winners will be chosen at random from all correct answers.
- Only one entry per person/email address each week (first answer counts!).
- The judges’ decision is final.
- Entry is via the entry form on this page only.
- Winners will be notified within five days of the closing date.
- Where relevant, prize winners will need to respond to requests for delivery details in a timely manner or the prize will be forfeited and another winner selected.
- The winner’s names and entries will be available on request.
- The promoter is Armstrong Best Ltd t/a Treasure Trails, Truro.
- By participating in this prize draw, entrants confirm they have read, understood and agree to be bound by these terms and conditions.
Treat your inbox
Receive our newsletter on the latest offers and happenings.
You can unsubscribe any time you want.