A99 - Roader's Digest: The SABRE Wiki A99 This article is about the current A99 in Caithness. For the first A99 which formed part of the Stirling eastern bypass, see A99 (Stirling) . The A99 is a manufactured road, in that it used to be the last 34-mile stretch of the A9 between Latheron and John o' Groats , before the A9 was diverted to Thurso . It runs from the small Caithness village of Latheron along the north east coast of Scotland, through Lybster and Wick to John o' Groats itself. From there, if you want to go further, it's either a swim or a ride on the ferry to the Orkneys - although it's better to leave from Scrabster which is probably why the A9 now ends up there. The start of the A99 in Latheron The A99 starts at Latheron as a TOTSO with the current A9 .

Leaving Latheron (and the curiously named Latheronwheel to the south) you soon pass a turning left to a place called Nottingham (and you thought Nottingham was a city in the English Midlands famous for its outlaws and sheriffs). Continuing north-eastwards we pass Lybster, then, running parallel to the course of a disused railway, we head towards Wick. At a set of traffic lights in Wick the A99 loses its primary status. You could turn left at this point along the A882 towards Thurso, but our journey continues north on the A99. It crosses a bridge over the Wick River then TOTSOs left at traffic lights onto the High Street. The road leaves town and passes Wick Airport and the Caithness Glass factory. There is a TOTSO junction with the B876 further on – going north you have to turn right to stay on the A99. This is a legacy of the B876 being on the original line of the A88 - the original main route to Thurso and Scrabster. There really isn't very much going on north of Wick – the landscape becomes very open as the tree cover diminishes.

Over the midsummer weekend it never really gets dark, and you can easily see the view beyond John o' Groats towards the island of Stroma and the Orkneys beyond. This is the A99 facing south just north of the A836 Junction Upon arrival in John o' Groats you can either turn left along the A836 north coast road to Thurso and Tongue or you park the car and walk to Duncansby Head – worth seeing. Or you can get your picture taken by that sign which tells you that you are 874 miles from Land's End, 690 miles from London, or however many miles from your corner of the world. Then you can buy loads of tacky 'end of the country' souvenirs before turning the car round and going back. It's nothing like as commercial as Land's End. The A99 ends in a car park at the jetty near the John o' Groats Hotel, from which the ferry runs in the summer. If the weather's good then you'll get some lovely views, particularly if you walk away from the car park along the coast. You are now about 130 miles away from Inverness.

History Although the A99 is best known as the former route of the A9 , its route was originally part of the A88 as far as the TOTSO north of Wick and the B875 beyond. By 1932 the A88 had been rerouted and the B875 considerably shortened, so the entire road north of Wick had become the A882 except for a few hundred yards in John o' Groats which retained the B875 number. The whole route (A88, A882 and B875) was renumbered to the A9 on 16th May, 1935 and the renumbering to A99 occurred on 16th May, 1997. A99 3 THE SUPPORTING ROAD NETWORK | Transport Scotland 3 THE SUPPORTING ROAD NETWORK 3.1 SOUTHERN BRIDGEHEAD In the southern bridgehead the two main roads connecting the Forth Road Bridge are the A90 and the A8000. The A90 provides direct linkage with Edinburgh whilst the A8000 provides connection with the trunk road and motorway network.

These two routes in turn connect to the A8/M8, A720 Edinburgh city bypass, M9, and A89. Figure 3.1 illustrates the southern bridgehead area. The key routes are described briefly below. Figure 3.1: Southern Bridgehead The A90 is a two lane dual carriageway which runs for some 6 kilometres from Echline junction (immediately to the south of the bridge) in a rural setting before crossing the Almond River in the outskirts of Edinburgh. At this point the carriageway standard changes to a 4 lane single carriageway with suburban access frontage. The signalised Barnton junction is 1 kilometre further east. This junction forms a "valve" by limiting the amount of traffic that can pass through it during peak periods. As a consequence considerable queues build up at this point during the peak periods with ensuing long delays. A queue management system was introduced on the A90 as part of the City of Edinburgh Council’s Bus Priority scheme. This enables buses to pass the worst of the eastbound queues on the A90.

The South East Scotland Transport Partnership ( SEStran ) Regional Transport Strategy includes for further bus priority on the A90. This will be for westbound bus movements and will be provided with queue relocation similar to that operating eastbound. The A8000 provides the main connection between the bridge and the trunk road network. In so doing it provides a vital link for traffic from the M8 to the west and is also utilised by the significant proportion of traffic which travels to and from the south of Edinburgh via the A720 City of Edinburgh Bypass. It runs from Echline roundabout in South Queensferry to the Humbie roundabout where it then links with the M9 spur and onwards to the M9 itself and the M8. The junction between the M9 spur and the M9 only allows movements from/to the south. Motorists using the M9 from the west have to use Junction 2 at Philipstoun and the local A904 single carriageway route through Newton. The A8000 is a single carriageway, and experiences serious congestion during significant parts of the day, often extending beyond the normal peak periods.

The congestion on this road, together with the lack of suitable local alternative routes, has meant that only minimal maintenance has been carried out. The structural condition of the road is therefore poor. However, a major construction project is currently underway which will extend the M9 spur motorway to connect with the A90 which in turn will be widened to three lanes as far as the Forth Road Bridge toll plaza. This work stared in June 2006 and completion is expected by the summer of 2007. This is illustrated in Figure 3.2. Figure 3.2: A8000 Upgrade showing Improvement from existing M9 to A90 Echline junction Source: City of Edinburgh Council The opening of the M9 Spur Extension should see a considerable improvement for all motorists travelling between the Forth Road Bridge and the trunk road network, and in particular connections to the M8 and the south of Edinburgh. It will also affect the volume of traffic using the Forth Road Bridge. Modelling work undertaken for the public consultation for the scheme predicted that the two way Annual Average Daily Traffic ( AADT ) flow would increase by approximately three per cent as a result of the introduction of the scheme.

Echline roundabout is signal controlled. During peak periods traffic can block back down the slip road and interfere with traffic exiting the Forth Road Bridge and continuing on the A90. This is likely to be relieved by the M9 Spur Extension. Newbridge roundabout is a key junction on the network. It provides grade separation of the M8/M9 with a signal controlled roundabout linking the other routes, the A89 towards Broxburn and the A8 towards Edinburgh (passing Edinburgh Airport). Although the junction includes the operation of a queue balancing strategy with vehicle-actuated signals, it experiences significant delays in the peak periods. The M9 is a two lane motorway standard road that runs for approximately 30 miles in a roughly north west direction from the Claylands Interchange with the M8, through the Newbridge Junction and bypasses Linlithgow, Falkirk and Stirling, before terminating at Keir roundabout south of Dunblane. It interfaces with the M876 and M80 north of Falkirk, and, as well as providing access to the Forth Road Bridge, it also serves the Upper Forth Crossings at Kincardine.

The M8 links Edinburgh to Glasgow, commencing from the Hermiston Gait junction with the A720 City of Edinburgh Bypass and heads westwards, passing Livingston to the north and Bathgate to the south. This road continues as two lane motorway from Edinburgh for a distance of approximately 23 miles to Newhouse, to the east of Glasgow, with a short two lane climbing section at junction 3. At this stage the road reverts to dual two lane all purpose carriageway (recently upgraded to include hard shoulders) for a length of six miles. At Baillieston Interchange on the outskirts of Glasgow the motorway status of the route resumes. The road varies in width from two lanes in each direction in the rural areas, to five lanes in parts of central Glasgow. It is the busiest motorway in Scotland, with an average daily flow of 75,000 vehicles, but a maximum of 173,000 3 . The equivalent figures for the M9 are 36,000 average and 59,000 maximum.

Transport Scotland are currently promoting a major upgrade of the Baillieston to Newhouse section of the route, which will upgrade this section to motorway standard, thereby completing the M8 route. This is programmed to start construction in 2008, with completion expected in 2010/2011. A section of the A8 runs eastwards from Newbridge Junction, to the south of Edinburgh Airport before meeting the A720 City of Edinburgh Bypass at Gogar Roundabout. This is a two lane dual carriageway which also provides access to the airport through a ‘dumbbell’ type roundabout junction. As a key route to Edinburgh it is often congested at peak periods. The A89 is a single carriageway road with wide chevron centre markings. It runs westerly from Newbridge Junction towards Bathgate, and experiences congestion in the peak periods, particularly at Newbridge. The City of Edinburgh Bypass (A720) is a two lane dual carriageway all purpose road with discontinuous hard shoulders that runs around the outskirts of Edinburgh, north of the Pentland Hills.

All junctions on the road are grade separated, with the exception of Sheriffhall Roundabout, where key connections to the A7 and A68 are located. The A720 experiences heavy congestion during peak periods. 3.2 NORTHERN BRIDGEHEAD The Northern Bridgehead road network is primarily the A90/M90 corridor together with its principal feeder routes, the A92, A921, A985 and A823 (M). Dunfermline, the major town to the north west of the Forth Road Bridge, can be accessed from the M90 through two roads: the A823 from the south and the A907 from the east. Figure 3.3 shows the key elements of the area which are discussed below. Figure 3.3: Northern Bridgehead North of the Bridge, the A90 continues as dual carriageway route (with hard strips) for a distance of approximately two miles before attaining motorway status at Admiralty Junction (Junction 1 of the M90).

This short section of the route includes a recently completed auxiliary lane, southbound to provide additional capacity between Admiralty and Ferrytoll, principally to provide easier access to the very successful Park and Ride site at Ferrytoll. The Ferrytoll junction also provides a key link to Inverkeithing to the east and Rosyth, to the west. Admiralty junction links the A90/M90 with important east/west routes including the A985 through Rosyth towards Kincardine, and the A921 which runs along the southern Fife coast towards Kirkcaldy. The M90 continues northwards as a dual two lane motorway as far as the southern limits of Perth. In so doing it provides a vital link from the Forth Bridgehead to Perth and Kinross, Tayside and beyond. In the Forth bridgehead area there are a number of junctions on the M90. Junction 2, Masterton, provides a link with the short A823(M) which provides access to the south end of Dunfermline.

Moving further north, Junction 2A on the M90 provides a dedicated link to the A92 dual carriageway East Fife Regional Route, which in turn provides a key link towards the north side of Kirkcaldy and on towards Glenrothes. North of Glenrothes the route changes to single carriageway and continues on to the Tay Road Bridge and Dundee. Junction 2 (Halbeath) provides a key access to the north side of Dunfermline and an additional connection to the A92 East Fife Regional Route. A high occupancy vehicle ( HOV ) lane scheme is being developed for the M90/A90 Corridor which will allow high occupancy vehicles to access a designated lane on the southbound approach to the Forth Road Bridge. A study into the possibility of introducing a passenger ferry from Fife to Edinburgh is currently being undertaken. These schemes will be discussed in more detail in future reports. The A985 runs along the north side of the Firth of Forth linking the Kincardine Bridge and the Forth Road Bridge.

In addition to being an important part of the north Forth road network, it also provides a potential alternative route for vehicles should the Forth Road Bridge be unavailable. This can be the case when high winds cause the Forth Road Bridge to be closed to high sided vehicles. In such cases the network generally becomes extremely congested. The A985 is currently the subject of a Route Action Plan being undertaken on behalf of Transport Scotland. This is discussed further below. The network of roads in and around the Forth Bridgehead currently carries significant volumes of traffic, particularly at peak commuting times. The area is heavily congested, especially in the morning peak period. 3.3 UPPER FORTH The upper Forth area provides further options for crossing the Firth. Figure 3.4 shows the key elements of the area which are discussed below. The Kincardine Bridge crosses the Forth 15 miles upstream of the Forth Road Bridge. It carries one lane in each direction, and is the diversionary route for traffic should any closure (partial or full) of the Forth Road Bridge be required.

The bridge forms part of the A876, which joins the M876 to the south of the crossing, which then in turn meets the M9. To the north of the Forth, the A985 meets the A876 in the village of Kincardine, with the recently completed ‘Eastern Link Road’ bypassing the settlement. A new crossing of the Forth is currently under construction. The new line is to the west of the existing bridge and will form a connection from the upgraded A876 to the A977 just south of Gartarry Roundabout. The bridge is due to open towards the end of 2008. As part of the overall strategy for Kincardine, the ‘Eastern Link Road’ was built to provide relief for traffic using the A985. Modelling undertaken for the assessment of the new Kincardine crossing showed that opening the additional crossing had a negligible effect on flows on the Forth Road Bridge. It also showed that the introduction of the scheme increased flows on the A977 between Gartarry and Kinross by over 40 per cent.

This is important, as the A977 acts as a diversion route for traffic when there are restrictions on the Forth Road Bridge. Figure 3.3: Upper Forth The final road crossing of the Forth is the A91, the Stirling Eastern Distributor Road. This is a wide single carriageway road that runs from the M9 junction 9 northwards, running directly to the east of Stirling. It then turns eastward, running along the foot of the Ochil Hills, passing through Tillicoutry and Dollar before eventually terminating in St Andrews. 3.4 A985 ROUTE ACTION PLAN STUDY A Route Action Plan ( RAP ) Study of the A985 is currently being undertaken by Atkins on behalf of Transport Scotland. The A985 runs along the north side of the Firth of Forth linking the Kincardine Bridge and the Forth Road Bridge and is part of the National Trunk Road Network. The A985 is heavily trafficked with a high proportion of HGV s. The existing alignment does not comply with current trunk road design standards and exhibits few overtaking opportunities.

In addition, few of its numerous junctions and accesses comply with modern design standards. Importantly, the safety record for the road is poor with many serious and fatal accidents recorded. The RAP is looking at ways to provide additional overtaking opportunities and safety schemes along its length. It is likely that a range of proposals will be brought forward which will include a selection of the following: single carriageway (2 +1) layouts; climbing lanes; differential acceleration lanes on exit from roundabouts; re-alignment of localised sections of route; and junction improvements. In the east side of the route there is a proposal to construct a Rosyth Bypass which will, in effect, divert the A985 northwards so that is connects with the A823 (M) at Masterton. The outcome of the RAP study is not likely to be known until Summer 2007. 3.5 DISRUPTION ON THE NETWORK Anecdotal evidence suggests that the diversion of traffic from the Forth Road Bridge due to maintenance, or high winds, causes significant congestion on and around the bridge and at Kincardine.

However, having consulted FETA , the A985 RAP project team and Transport Scotland, we can find no data on the effects on queuing or journey times along this route. We understand that the A985 project are to commission surveys to collect this data, but as yet this has not been undertaken. Discussions with FETA have also identified that non-compliance by HGV s during high wind closure can greatly increase the impacts on the journeys of other road users, as the HGV s are turned at the toll plaza. Recent discussion with the Network Operations Team at Transport Scotland have indicated that they are currently developing a programme of maintenance works which will affect operations and traffic flows in the vicinity of the Forth Road Bridge. However until this programme is completed, there is limited detailed information available. The table below provides a brief overview of current projects and future schemes which are likely to feature in the programme. Description A9 - Roader's Digest: The SABRE Wiki A9 Main Article: A9 route The A9 is a strategic link from the Highlands of Scotland south to the Central Belt - perhaps the most strategic link. It is certainly the highest quality route between the Central Belt and Inverness .

The Scottish Government have announced proposals to dual the whole route from Perth to Inverness, and whilst a few local sections have started, commencement of work on the ground is still several years away for most of the route. Route in Detail Edinburgh to Stirling Today the A9 may start on the M9 at Grangemouth, but prior to the building of the motorway, and indeed Edinburgh Airport, the A9 started much further east on the edge of the capital. Most of the old route can still be followed today. Falkirk Town centre has then been bypassed by the A9, but from there to Stirling the road largely still follows its original route. Stirling to Perth From Stirling , today's A9 is mostly a dual carriageway through to Perth . However, stray off that well-beaten track and there is plenty to discover on the old route, through Dunblane and over the Cairnie Braes. The dual carriageway starts at Kier Roundabout, a junction with the M9, and continues up to Broxden Roundabout. It has average speed cameras along that section. It passes Blackford, Gleneagles and Auchterader.

Along its length, there are three roads which leads to Crieff, in the north: the A822, A823 and B8062. Perth - Inverness Strathtay From Perth the A9 heads north through the Tay and then Tummel Valleys to Pitlochry. Whilst many miles of the A9 still closely follow the road built by Telford, or Wade, the numerous B roads through villages hint at some sections of the old road. Drumochter Pass The climb over the A9 Summit is a long slog from either direction, but from the south there is the benefit of passing through some historic and pretty villages if you follow the old road line. As the landscape becomes wilder, there is ever more evidence of the old road to discover. Strathspey Across the water shed, the A9 drops down to the mighty River Spey, and follows it as far as Aviemore. Along the way the modern road deviates substantially from the older routes it replaced. This is also the section where work has started on dualling first, past Kincraig.

From Aviemore the A9 climbs over The Slochd before dropping down to Inverness on the Moray Firth. The dual carriageway bypass of the Highland Capital extends as far as the Tore Roundabout half a dozen miles to the north. Inverness - Scrabster Easter Ross From Tore, the A9 winds along the coast, bypassing the numerous and populous towns of Easter Ross via the Cromarty Bridge and Alness / Invergordon Bypass. The old road, built by Telford, remains open as a longer route round the head of the firths. Sutherland After crossing the Dornoch Bridge, the A9 resumes Telfords route with little deviation in the long miles north along the coast of the ancient county of Sutherland. There are no bypasses for the scattered villages and small towns, although the County town and Cathedral city of Dornoch never lay on the main route north. Caithness The last leg of the A9s epic journey starts at the Ord of Caithness, a couple of miles north of Helmsdale.

The Berriedale Braes have seen improvements, but nothing like the new bridge at Dunbeath, and then it is ever northwards to the current terminus of Scrabster, moved just 20 or so years ago from John O'Groats. History Main Article: A9 history Today's A9 is a very different road from the route described in the 1922 Road Lists , not least because that route stopped at Inverness! It was extended to John o'Groats in 1935 . It has been truncated at the Edinburgh end by the construction of the M9 and almost all of the road north of Dunblane has been reconstructed, with the section from Dunblane to the Dornoch Firth mostly being on a new alignment. Wade's Military Roads Before even Telford had arrived in the Highlands, General Wade and his successor General Cauldfield had built a route north to Inverness, using much of the route that the A9 still follows. Telford's Highland Roads Little more than 50 years later, Thomas Telford was commissioned to build a network of roads across the Highlands, and many sections of the A9 owe their existence to him.

Notable locations along the route Kessock Bridge Main Article: Kessock Bridge After many years of ferries crossing the narrow point of the Moray Firth from Inverness to North Kessock, the Kessock Bridge was finally built to take the A9 north, bypassing the city centre. Cromarty Bridge Main Article: Cromarty Bridge Cutting a dozen or more miles off the route north, and bypassing towns such as Beauly, Muir of Ord and Dingwall, the Cromarty Bridge has significantly shortened the route north from Inverness. It was opened as part of major improvement works, which also saw a new stretch of road constructed across the Black Isle. Dornoch Firth Bridge Main Article: Dornoch Firth Bridge Like the Cromarty Bridge to the south, the Dornoch Firth Bridge cut a dozen or so miles off the route north when it was opened. These two old roads meet at Bonar Bridge, where the A9 used to cross the Kyle of Sutherland at the head of the Dornoch Firth. Scrabster Ferry Main Article: Scrabster Ferry The A9 now terminates at the Scrabster Ferry port north of Thurso.

This is a traditional crossing point for the Orkney Isles, and was where the original north road, the A88 also terminated. Links Worcester, England | Project Gutenberg Self-Publishing - eBooks | Read eBooks online 17 External links History Occupation of the site of Worcester can be dated back to Neolithic times, a village surrounded by defensive ramparts having been founded on the eastern bank of the River Severn in around 400 BC. The position, which commanded a ford on the river, was used in the 1st century by the Romans to establish what may at first have been a fort on the military route from Glevum (Gloucester) to Viroconium (Wroxeter) but which soon developed – as the frontier of the empire was pushed westwards – into an industrial town with its own pottery kilns and iron- smelting plants.

Roman Worcester (which may have been the Vertis mentioned in the 7th-century Ravenna Cosmography ) was a thriving trading and manufacturing centre for some three hundred years, though by the time of the Roman withdrawal from Britain in 407 it had dwindled considerably in size and is not recorded again until the mid-7th century when documents mention the Anglo-Saxon settlement Weorgoran ceaster (settlement of the people by the winding river). [2] The fact that Worcester was chosen at this time – in preference to both the much larger Gloucester and the royal centre of Winchcombe – to be the Episcopal See of a new diocese covering the area suggests that there may have been a well established, and powerful, Christian community living on the site when it fell into English hands. The town was almost destroyed in 1041 after a rebellion against the punitive taxation of Harthacanute . The town was attacked several times (in 1139, 1150 and 1151) during " The Anarchy ", i.e. civil war between King Stephen and Empress Matilda , daughter of Henry I .

This is the background to the well-researched historical novel The Virgin in the Ice , part of Ellis Peters ' " Cadfael " series, which begins with the words: "It was early in November of 1139 that the tide of civil war, lately so sluggish and inactive, rose suddenly to wash over the city of Worcester, wash away half of its lifestock, property and women, and send all those of its inhabitants who could get away in time scurrying for their lives northwards away from the marauders". (These are mentioned as having arrived from Gloucester , leaving a long lasting legacy of bitterness between the two cities.) By late medieval times the population had grown to around 10,000 as the manufacture of cloth started to become a large local industry. The town was designated a county corporate , giving it autonomy from local government. Worcester was the site of the Battle of Worcester (3 September 1651), when Charles II attempted to forcefully regain the crown, in the fields a little to the west and south of the city, near the village of Powick .

However, Charles II was defeated and returned to his headquarters in what is now known as King Charles house in the Cornmarket, before fleeing in disguise to Boscobel House in Shropshire from where he eventually escaped to France . Worcester was one of the cities loyal to the King in that war, for which it was given the epithet "Fidelis Civitas" ("The Faithful City"). This motto has been incorporated into the city's coat of arms . [3] In 1670, the River Severn broke its banks and the subsequent flood was the worst ever seen by Worcester. A brass plate can be found on a wall on the path to the cathedral by the path along the river showing how high this flood went, and other flood heights of more recent times are also shown in stone bricks. The closest flood height to what is known as The Flood of 1670 was when the Severn flooded in the torrential rains of July 2007. The Royal Worcester Porcelain Company factory was founded by Dr John Wall in 1751, although it no longer produces goods. A handful of decorators are still employed at the factory and the Museum is still open.

During the late 18th and early 19th centuries, Worcester was a major centre for glove making, employing nearly half the glovers in England at its peak (over 30,000 people). [4] In 1815 the Worcester and Birmingham Canal opened, allowing Worcester goods to be transported to a larger conurbation. The British Medical Association (BMA) was founded in the Board Room of the old Worcester Royal Infirmary building in Castle Street in 1832. [5] While most of the Royal Infirmary has now been demolished to make way for the University of Worcester 's new city campus, the original Georgian building has been preserved. [6] The building has been reopened as a medical museum. [7] During World War II , the city was chosen to be the seat of an evacuated government in case of mass German invasion . The War Cabinet , along with Winston Churchill and some 16.000 state workers, would have moved to Hindlip Hall (now part of the complex forming the Headquarters of West Mercia Police), 3 miles (4.8 km) north of Worcester, and Parliament would have temporarily seated in Stratford-upon-Avon .

The former RAF station RAF Worcester was located east of Northwick . In the 1950s and 1960s large areas of the medieval centre of Worcester were demolished and rebuilt as a result of decisions by town planners. This was condemned by many such as Nikolaus Pevsner who described it as a "totally incomprehensible... act of self-mutilation". [8] There is still a significant area of medieval Worcester remaining, but it is a small fraction of what was present before the redevelopments. The current city boundaries date from 1974, when the Local Government Act 1972 transferred the parishes of Warndon and St. Peter the Great County into the city. Governance The Conservatives had a majority on the council from 2003 to 2007, when they lost a by-election to Labour meaning the council had no overall control . [9] The Conservatives remained with the most seats overall with 17 out of 35 seats after the 2008 election . [10] Worcester has one member of Parliament , Robin Walker of the Conservative Party, who represents the Worcester constituency as of the May 2010 general election.

[11] The County of Worcestershire's local government arrangement is formed of a non-metropolitan county (Worcestershire County Council) and six non-metropolitan districts , with Worcester City Council being the district for most of Worcester, with a small area of the St. Peters suburb actually falling within neighbouring Wychavon District . The Worcester City Council area includes two parish councils, these being Warndon Parish Council and St Peter the Great Parish Council. Worcester Guildhall, the seat of local government, dates from 1721; it replaced an earlier hall on the same site. The Grade I listed Queen Anne style building is described by Pevsner as 'a splendid town hall, as splendid as any of C18 England'. [12] Geography Notable suburbs in Worcester include Barbourne, Blackpole, Cherry Orchard, Claines , Diglis, Northwick , Red Hill , Ronkswood , St Peter the Great (also simply known as St Peters), Tolladine, Warndon and Warndon Villages (which was once the largest housing development in the Country when the area was being constructed in the late 1980s/very early 1990s).

Most of Worcester is on the eastern side of the River Severn ; Henwick , Lower Wick , St. John's and Dines Green are on the western side. Climate Worcester enjoys a temperate climate with warm summers and mild winters generally. However, the city can experience more extreme weather and flooding is often a problem. [13] During the winters of 2009-10 and 2010-11 the city experienced prolonged periods of sub-freezing temperatures and heavy snowfalls. In December 2010 the temperature dropped to −18 °C (−0.4 °F) in the city and in nearby Pershore the temperature fell to −19.5 °C (−3.1 °F). [14] The Severn and the Teme partially froze over in Worcester during this cold snap. In contrast, Worcester recorded 37 °C (98.6 °F) on 3 August 1990. [13] Climate data for Worcester Source: [15] Demography and religion The 2001 census [16] recorded Worcester's population at 93,353.

About 96.5% of Worcester's population was white; of which 94.2% were White British , [17] greater than the national average. [18] The largest religious group are Christians , who made up 77% of the city's population. [19] People who reported having no religion or who did not state their religion made up 21% of the city's population. Other religions totaled less than 2% of the population. Ethnic minorities include people of Chinese , Indian , Pakistani , Italian and Polish origin, with the largest single minority group being British Pakistanis, numbering around 1,200, approximately 1.3% of Worcester's population. [19] This has led to Worcester containing a small but diverse range of religious groups; as well as the commanding Worcester Cathedral ( Church of England ), there are also Catholic and Baptist churches, a large centre for The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (Mormons), an Islamic mosque, and a number of smaller interest groups regarding Eastern Religions such as Buddhism and the Hare Krishnas . [20] Worcester is the seat of a Church of England bishop.

His official signature is his Christian name followed by Wigorn, which is also occasionally used as an abbreviation for the name of the county. Economy The city of Worcester, located on the River Severn and with transport links to Birmingham and other parts of the Midlands through the vast canal network, became an important centre for many light industries. The late-Victorian period saw the growth of ironfounders, like Heenan & Froude, Hardy & Padmore and McKenzie & Holland. Glove industry One of the flourishing industries of Worcester was glove making. Worcester's Gloving industry peaked between 1790 to 1820 when about 30,000 were employed by 150 companies. At this time nearly half of the Glove manufacturers of Britain were located in Worcestershire. In the 19th century the industry declined because import taxes on foreign competitors, mainly from France, were greatly reduced. By the middle of the 20th century, only a few Worcester gloving companies survived since gloves became less fashionable and free trade allowed in cheaper imports from the Far East.

Nevertheless at least 3 large glove manufacturing companies still survived until the late 20th century: Dent Allcroft, Fownes and Milore. Queen Elizabeth II 's coronation gloves were designed by Emil Rich and manufactured in the Worcester based Milore factory. [21] [22] Manufacturing The inter-war years saw the rapid growth of engineering, producing machine tools James Archdale, H.W. Ward, castings for the motor industry Worcester Windshields and Casements, mining machinery Mining Engineering Company (MECO) which later became part of Joy Mining Machinery and open-top cans Williamsons, though G H Williamson and Sons had become part of the Metal Box Co in 1930. Later the company became Carnaud Metal Box PLC. Worcester Porcelain operated in Worcester until 2008 when the factory was closed down due to the recession. However, the site of Worcester Porcelain still houses the Worcester Porcelain Museum which is open daily to visitors.

[23] One of Worcester's most famous products, Lea & Perrins Worcestershire sauce is made and bottled in the Midland Road factory in Worcester, which has been the home of Lea & Perrins since 16 October 1897. Mr Lea and Mr Perrins originally met in a chemist's shop on the site of the now Debenhams store in the Crowngate Shopping Centre. The surprising foundry heritage of the city is represented by Morganite Crucible [24] at Norton which produces graphitic shaped products and cements for use in the modern industry. Worcester is the home of what is claimed to be the oldest newspaper in the world, Berrow's Worcester Journal , which traces its descent from a news-sheet that started publication in 1690. The city is also a major retail centre with several covered shopping centres that has most major chains represented as well as a host of independent shops and restaurants, particularly in Friar Street and New Street. Retail trade The Kays mail order business was founded in Worcester in the 1880s and operated from numerous premises in the city until 2007.

It was then bought out by Reality, owner of the Grattan catalogue. Kays' former warehouse building was knocked down in 2008. [25] Worcester’s main shopping centre is the High Street, home to the stores of a number of major retail chains. Part of the High Street was modernised in 2005 amid much controversy. Many of the issues focussed on the felling of old trees, the duration of the works (caused by the weather and an archaeological find) and the removal of flagstones outside the city’s 18th-century Guildhall. The other main thoroughfares are The Shambles and Broad Street, while The Cross (and its immediate surrounding area) is the city’s financial centre and location of the majority of Worcester’s main bank branches. There are three main covered shopping centres in the city centre, the CrownGate Shopping Centre , Cathedral Plaza and Reindeer Court. There are three retail parks, the Elgar and Blackpole Retail Parks, which are located in the Blackpole area of the city, and the Shrub Hill Retail Park which is located immediately outside the city centre. Landmarks Probably the most famous landmark in Worcester is its imposing Worcester Cathedral .

The current building, formally named The Cathedral Church of Christ and the Blessed Virgin Mary, was begun in 1084 while its crypt dates from the 10th century. The chapter house is the only circular one in the country while the cathedral also has the distinction of having the tomb of King John. Limited parts of the city wall still remain. There are three main parks in Worcester, Cripplegate Park, Gheluvelt Park and Fort Royal Park , the latter being on one of the battles sites of the English Civil War . In addition, there is a large open area known as Pitchcroft to the North of the city centre on the east bank of the River Severn , which, apart from those days when it is being used for horse racing , is a public space. Gheluvelt Park was opened as a memorial to commemorate the Worcestershire Regiment 's 2nd Battalion after their part in the Battle of Gheluvelt , during World War I . There are also two large woodlands in the city, Perry Wood, at twelve hectares, and Nunnery Wood, covering twenty-one hectares. Perry Wood is often said to be the place where Oliver Cromwell met and made a pact with the devil.

[26] Nunnery Wood is an integral part of the adjacent and popular Worcester Woods Country Park, itself next door to County Hall on the east side of the city. Destinations from Worcester Transport Road The M5 Motorway runs north-south immediately to the east of the City, and is accessed by Junction 6 (Worcester North) and Junction 7 (Worcester South). This makes the city easily accessible by car to most parts of the country, including London which is only 120 miles (190 km) away (via the M5, M42 and M40 ). Several A roads pass through the city. The A449 road runs south-west to Malvern and north to Kidderminster. The A44 runs south-east to Evesham and west to Leominster and Aberystwyth and crosses Worcester Bridge. The A38 trunk road runs south to Tewkesbury and Gloucester and north-north-east to Droitwich and Birmingham . The A4103 goes west-south-west to Hereford . The A422 heads east to Alcester , branching from the A44 a mile east of the M5.

The city is encompassed by a partial ring road (A4440) which is formed, rather inconsistently, by single and dual carriageways. The A4440 road provides a second road bridge across the Severn (Carrington Bridge) just west of the A4440-A38 junction. Carrington Bridge links the A38 from Worcester towards Gloucester with the A449 linking Worcester with Malvern. Rail Worcester has two stations, Worcester Foregate Street and Worcester Shrub Hill . Worcester Foregate Street is located in the city centre, on Foregate Street. Although featuring two tracks each one is a bi-directional single working line, one of which is the Birmingham to Worcester line while the other is the Cotswold Line , which Shrub Hill also serves. Worcester Shrub Hill is located just outside the city centre on Shrub Hill Road. The station is on the Cotswold Line as well being a spur off the Birmingham to Worcester line. Unlike Foregate Street, Shrub Hill does not have single working lines.

Being the much bigger of Worcester's stations, due to a large number of tracks and sidings, Shrub Hill is often used as a stabling point and a through route for goods trains. Both stations frequently serve Birmingham via Droitwich Spa , then either lines being firstly via Kidderminster and Stourbridge into Birmingham Snow Hill and Birmingham Moor Street then onwards usually to Dorridge or Whitlocks End or secondly via Bromsgrove and University and Birmingham New Street these services are run by London Midland . London is also served frequently by both stations via the Cotswold Line and, infrequently, via the Birmingham-Bristol/Gloucester-Swindon/Bristol-London lines. Services to Oxford and London Paddington are operated by First Great Western . Although connected to the Birmingham-Bristol ' Cross Country ' mainline only two miles away, Worcester is not served by Inter City Cross Country services therefore making Worcestershire the only county in England where Inter City Cross Country services pass through but do not stop in during normal scheduled timetables. The proposed station, Worcestershire Parkway is expected to end this.

Bus The main operator of bus services in and around the city is First Midlands , while Diamond Bus Company , trading as Red Diamond, and Worcestershire County Council , trading as Woosh, operate many other services. A few other smaller operators provide services in Worcester, most notably Astons ( Veolia Transport ) and Bromyard Omnibus Company. The terminus and interchange for many bus services in Worcester is Crowngate Bus Station located in the city centre. Park and ride There are two park and ride sites serving Worcester, one located off the A38 in the Perdiswell area of the city and the other located at Worcester Rugby Football Club 's Sixways Stadium next to junction 6 of the M5 motorway. Perdiswell site A direct and limited stop bus service (W1), operated by Worcestershire County Council under the Woosh name, runs every ten minutes between the Perdiswell site and the city centre and vice versa, between 7am and 6:45pm Monday to Saturday.

The stops on the W1 service are at: • Perdiswell Park & Ride • St Stephen’s Church (Barbourne area) • St George’s Square (Barbourne area) • Little London for Royal Grammar School (Barbourne area) • Foregate Street Rail Station (city centre) • Worcester Bus Station (city centre) Sixways Stadium site Two circular bus services (W2 and W3), operated by Worcestershire County Council under the Woosh name, link the Sixways site to the Worcestershire Royal Hospital and the government offices on Whittington Road, Monday to Friday. Air Worcester's nearest major airport is Birmingham International which is accessible by road and rail. Education Worcester is home to the University of Worcester , which was awarded university status in 2005 by HM Privy Council. From 1997 to 2005 it was known as University College Worcester (UCW) and prior to 1997 it was known as Worcester College of Higher Education. From 2005 to 2010 it was the fastest growing university in the UK, more than doubling its student population. The University is also home to the independent Worcester Students Union institution.

The city is also home to two colleges, Worcester Sixth Form College and Worcester College of Technology . High schools The High schools located in the city are Bishop Perowne CofE College , Blessed Edward Oldcorne Catholic College , Christopher Whitehead Language College , Tudor Grange Academy Worcester (on the site of the defunct Elgar High School), Nunnery Wood High School and New College Worcester which caters for blind and partially sighted students from the ages of 11 to 18. Independent schools Worcester is also the seat of three independent schools . The Royal Grammar School , founded in 1291, and Alice Ottley School merged in 2007. The King's School, Worcester was re-founded in 1541 under King Henry VIII . St Mary's School , a girls' Catholic school, is the only remaining single-sex independent school, although its junior school has also gone coeducational. Other independent schools include the Independent Christian school, the River School in Fernhill Heath . Sport Worcester Wolves , a professional basketball team in the British Basketball League . Worcester Racecourse is on an open area known as "Pitchcroft" on the east bank of the River Severn .

Worcester has King George's Field in memorial to King George V. Worcester Rowing Club which is situated near the city centre on the River Severn. University of Worcester Rowing Club which shares accommodation with Worcester Rowing Club. University of Birmingham Rowing Club Worcester Athletics Club who meet on Tuesdays and Thursdays at Nunnery Wood Sports Centre Worcester University Climbing and Mountaineering Club Culture Festivals and shows Every three years Worcester becomes home to the Three Choirs Festival , which dates from the 18th century and is credited with being the oldest music festival in Europe. The location of the festival rotates each year between the Cathedral Cities of the Three Counties , Gloucester , Hereford and Worcester. Famous for its championing of English music, especially that of Elgar , Vaughan Williams and Gustav Holst , Worcester last hosted the festival in August 2011. The Worcester Festival was established in 2003. Held in August, the festival consists of a variety of music, theatre, cinema and workshops, as well as the already established Beer Festival , which runs as an event within the Worcester Festival. For one weekend the city plays host to the Worcester Music Festival.

Now in its 4th year (2011) the festival comprises a weekend original music by predominantly local bands and musicians. All performances are free, and take place throughout the city centre in bars, clubs, community buildings, churches and the library. In 2010 the festival comprised 230 unique acts. Worcester Festival ends with a spectacular firework display on the banks of the River Severn on the Monday of the August bank holiday. Founded in 2012, the Worcester Film festival, is all about placing Worcestershire on the film-making map and encouraging local people to get involved in making film. The first festival took place at The Victorian-themed Christmas Fayre is a major source of tourism every December. Elton John came to the Worcestershire Cricket Ground, New Road on Saturday 9 June 2006. Status Quo came to Sixways Stadium ( Worcester Warriors ) on Saturday 28 July 2007. The CAMRA Worcester Beer, Cider and Perry festival takes place for three days each August [28] and is held on Pitchcroft Race Course.

This festival is the largest beer festival within the West Midlands and within the top 10 in the United Kingdom with attendances being around 14,000 people. [29] Arts and cinema Famous 18th-century actress Sarah Siddons made her acting début here at the Theatre Royal in Angel Street. Her sister, the novelist Ann Julia Kemble Hatton, otherwise known as Ann of Swansea, was born in the city. [30] Matilda Alice Powles, better known as Vesta Tilley , a leading male impersonator and music hall artiste was born in Worcester. [31] In present-day Worcester the Swan Theatre [32] stages a mixture of professional touring and local amateur productions. The Countess of Huntingdon's Hall is a historic church now used as venue for an eclectic range of musical performances, [32] while the Marrs Bar is a venue for gigs and stand-up comedy. [33] Worcester has two multi-screen cinemas; a Vue Cinema complex located on Friar Street, and an Odeon Cinema on Foregate Street – both of which were 3D-equipped by March 2010.

In the northern suburb of Northwick is the Art Deco Northwick Cinema. Built in 1938 it contains one of the only two remaining interiors in Britain designed by John Alexander (the original perspective drawings are still held by RIBA ). It was a bingo hall from 1966 to 1982 and then empty until 1991; it was then run as a music venue until 1996, and was empty again until autumn 2006 when it became an antiques and lifestyle centre, owned by Grey's Interiors, who were previously located in the Tything. [34] There are a number of arts organisations in Worcester. The Media Worcester is home to Worcester News , Worcester Standard and Berrow's Worcester Journal newspapers and radio stations Free Radio & BBC Hereford & Worcester . Twinning and planned twinning Worcester is twinned with the German city of Kleve , the Parisian commune of Le Vésinet , and its larger American namesake Worcester , Massachusetts. [39] In February 2009 Worcester City Council's Twinning Association began deliberating an application to twin Worcester with the Palestinian city of Gaza .

Councillor Alan Amos introduced the application, which was passed at its first stage by a majority of 35-6. [40] The proposal was later rejected by the Executive Committee of the City of Worcester Twinning Association for lack of funding due to its present commitment to existing twinning projects. [41] Notable people Composer Sir Edward Elgar 's father ran a music shop at the end of High Street; a statue of Elgar stands near the original location of that shop. His birthplace is a short way outside Worcester in the village of Broadheath . Hannah Snell , famous for impersonating a man and being enlisted in the Royal Marines in the 18th century was born and brought up here. Sir Charles Hastings , founder of the British Medical Association lived in Worcester for most of his life. The newly built Worcestershire Royal Hospital stands in a road named in his honour. William Stephenson 2007 British streetluge and buttboard champion and 2009 world number three streetluger and number two buttboarder was born and lives in Worcester. Philip Henry Gosse , naturalist, was born in the city in 1810.

Loch Lomond travel guide - Wikitravel Understand[ edit ] View of Loch Lomond Loch Lomond is the largest loch in Scotland, the largest fresh water lake on the island of Great Britain and probably the most famous after Loch Ness . It is part of the Loch Lomond & the Trossachs National Park , Scotland's first national park. The southern end of the loch is quite flat, but the scenery soon becomes more mountainous and distinctly wild by the time you reach the north end. To the north-east lie the Trossachs with both Loch Katrine and Loch Array. Towns and Villages[ edit ] Balloch -- located at the southern end of Loch Lomond, it is the main town on the loch, and can get busy. The TIC / visitors centre called Loch Lomond Shores can help you plan your stay and provide you with close-area maps. Has a railway station. Crianlarich - located about 12km beyond the northern head of Loch Lomond; the most signposted village in Scotland is a major junction for both road and rail, and is dominated by the dramatic peak of Ben More, which is one of its biggest attractions for walkers.

Luss -- a town without any attractions other than its beautiful appearance and cottages, which are still worth a visit. Once famous for its connection to the now defunct TV series Take The High Road. Rowardennan - a tiny hamlet which is the last stop on the public road up the eastern shore, and makes a great base to explore Ben Lomond - Scotland's most southerly Munro. Drymen -- good base for the Conic Hill, also a nice pub (claimed to be the oldest in Scotland) and Buchanan castle. Tarbet -- a large village near the centre of the west shore with railway station Ardlui - a small hamlet at the northern tip of the loch, best known for its marina and hotel. By car[ edit ] Loch Lomond itself has two routes that run up its shores. The main A82 Glasgow-Inverness trunk road runs up the west bank, and is a good quality single carriageway as far at the village of Tarbet, but then becomes extremely twisty and windy for the northern third of the shore. The east bank is less accessible, the small villages of Drymen and Balmaha being the two main bases for exploring the Loch’s eastern shores.

The road only goes as far as Rowardennan and is barely double track beyond Balmaha: however it does provide access to Ben Lomond as well as several campsites. For anywhere beyond Rowardennan, you will need to either walk or use a boat - some of the cruise companies do call at the key points on the east bank that are north of where the road terminates. From Glasgow/Edinburgh[ edit ] The fastest route to the Loch by far is to follow the M8 motorway through Glasgow city centre, out the other side past Glasgow Airport and exit the motorway at Junction 30 for the Erskine Bridge. This road (the A898) crosses the River Clyde and then joins the A82 westward. From here, follow the signs for Dumbarton, which then lead on to Balloch - signs for "Loch Lomond and the Trossachs National Park" should guide you to the part of the Loch which are of interest. The exception to this if you are coming from the West End of Glasgow, then it is probably quicker to follow the urban part of the A82 through Kelvinside, Anniesland and onward through Clydebank and Old Kilpatrick.

Just watch out for the speed cameras along this route! For a more scenic and slower alternative (particularly if you are going to the eastern side of Loch Lomond), there are a vareity of routes that exit from the north of the city via Kirkintilloch or Bearsden/Milngavie and traverse the picturesque Campsie Fells with many pleasant villages along the way. From the South[ edit ] Follow the M74 motorway northbound all the way to its end until it joins the M8 just south of Glasgow city centre. From there follow the route via the Erskine Bridge as described above. From the North[ edit ] There are two options - from Central Scotland/Fife, the best route is to take the A811 from Stirling (following the signs to Erskine Bridge). This will eventually bring you out at Drymen and then Balloch. From the North West, follow the A82 southbound from Inverness/Fort William, or from the North East (starting at Perth), follow the A85. Both these routes converge on Crianlarich.

By train[ edit ] ScotRail [1] operate local trains frequently from Glasgow 's Queen Street Station (Low Level) to Balloch which is at the end of the line. The station in Balloch is easy to find. From Edinburgh , take either the main 'Shuttle' service to Glasgow Queen Street (High Level), then go downstairs to Platform 8 to pick up the Balloch train described above. Alternatively, you can take the direct (but slower) train to Platform 8 directly on the Airdrie-Bathgate line that is bound for Helensburgh Central or Milngavie, and change to the Balloch service in exactly the same way - there is probably little difference in overall journey time. Several trains run daily up the West Highland Line between Glasgow and Oban , Fort William and Mallaig which stop at Tarbet and Ardlui on the north-west shore as well as Crianlarich and Tyndrum in the northern part of the park. These leave from the upper level of Glasgow's Queen Street station. The Caledonian Sleeper from London also runs up here - see the ScotRail website for further details. By Bus[ edit ] Buses run frequently between Balloch and Glasgow .

The First Group bus service towards Balloch picks up passengers at the bus stop opposite McDonalds at Jamaica Street. A full day unlimited travel ticket costs about 4 pounds. Several Citylink [2] buses a day between Glasgow and Campbeltown , Oban or Fort William and the Isle of Skye travel along the western shore (A82) of the Loch. These will stop at all bus stops and laybys north of Balloch, including Luss, Inverbeg, Tarbet and Ardlui . Be advised that prices can be expensive if bought on the bus at the time of travel, for example a single from Balloch Roundabout to Luss can cost £6+. By bike[ edit ] To enjoy the nature, it is best to go by bike. There's a (relatively!) well-maintained and signposted cycleway from Glasgow to Balloch called National Route 7. A good place to join it is Bells Bridge over the Clyde by the SECC (Scottish Exhibition and Conference Center). It's a fairly flat 20-25 miles. By bus[ edit ] Buses run along the Loch, but not that frequently (see above).

You should check the departure-times first, as timetables are not usually available at the stops. The National Park Authority publishes a timetable of all the buses and ferries [3] which may be available as a booklet locally. By car[ edit ] If you're driving, mind that the road along the northern part of Loch Lomond is pretty narrow for the traffic it has. By boat[ edit ] Sightseeing trips by boat run from Loch Lomond Shores near Balloch. There is also a useful passenger ferry between Inverbeg (served by Citylink buses) and Rowardennan (at the foot of Ben Lomond mountain). See[ edit ][ add listing ] Loch Lomond Shores, Balloch, 01389-722406. A gateway center for Loch Lomond with an information center, an educational cinema, shops and a view across the Loch. Lomond Shores Project: [4] . Balloch Castle Country Park, Balloch. The first park in the national park with a castle you can visit. The castle itself only has two accessible rooms with only little information about the castle , but rather some educational informations about the national park.

It was built in the early 20th century to replace the old castle located further down the hill, and only served as a manor house. Luss Village Paths, Luss (along the A82). A beautiful town with four walks around town and a sandy beach. A map can be picked up at Balloch TIC or at the Luss Visitor Information. Do[ edit ][ add listing ] Cycling is probably the best outdoor activity besides hiking. The Lowland Highland Trail, which is part of the National Cycle Network Route 7 starts from Balloch, going north to Drymen , Aberfoyle, Callander , Strathyre, Lochearnhead and Killin. Free leaflets with a map of the bike trail can be picked up at TICs along the trail. There is another cycle path along the western shores of Loch Lomond. Bikes can be hired at the Loch Lomond Shores (see above). Hiking is also a good idea. You could for example go to Rowardennan and then hike up Ben Lomond. The long-distance West Highland Way also runs along the eastern shore on its way from Milingavie (near Glasgow ) to Fort William .

Drink[ edit ][ add listing ] There is a small pub, with outside terrace and nearby pier for boat moorings, on the island of Inchmurrin in the centre of the loch. A ferry is available from Midross, on the A82, to the island. Cameron House Hotel has a marina bar with views over Loch Lomond. Budget[ edit ] Rowardennan Youth Hostel, Rowardennan, 0870 004 1148. Located at the banks of Loch Lomond, it can be used as a base to climb Ben Lomond. £10.50-12.00/5.00-9.00 (Adult/Child). Opened March-October. SYHA information and booking: [5] . Splurge[ edit ] Cameron House on Loch Lomond, A82, 01389 755565 [6] . Cameron House on Loch Lomond is a five star Scottish Baronial Mansion on the banks of Loch Lomond.

The resort has four restaurants, an 18-hole Championship golf course, a luxury resort spa with rooftop infinity pool and an available range of outdoor pursuits. Get out[ edit ] Dumbarton Castle, Dumbarton (take the A82 south), 01389 732167. It features a castle on top of a rock, overlooking the Firth of Clyde. It was an important royal refuge. Historic Scotland information Buchanan Castle, Drymen (along the A811, enter through the gate of Buchanan Castle Golf Course). A ruin of an beautiful castle, which cannot be entered (danger of falling apart). Sadly, it is not getting maintained or repaired, but is worth a peek. Inchmahome Priory, Lake of Menteith (along the A81), 01877 385294. This is the only lake in Scotland. An Augustinian monastery on an island, where Mary Stuart once hid from Henry the VIII. A ferry runs to the island, but is only operated in Summer. Historic Scotland information

Question: Which major trunk road runs south from Wick to just north of Stirling where it then becomes a motorway?
Answer: A9