Aberdeen Gloucester Train

Sometimes referred to as The Granite City, Aberdeen is Scotland's third most populous city. Modern day Aberdeen's economy is strongly linked to the oil and gas fields of the North Sea. Traditionally, however, the city was involved in fishing, paper making and shipbuilding. The city has won the annual Britain in Bloom competition a record breaking ten times and also hosts the Aberdeen International Youth Festival which is a major international event which attracts up to 1,000 of the most talented young performing arts companies.

Buildings of note in the city include the Town and County Bank, the Music Hall, the Trinity Hall of the incorporated trades (which is now a shopping mall), the former office of the Northern Assurance Company and the National Bank of Scotland. All of these buildings are located on Union Street.

Situated next to each other are Victoria Park and Westburn Park. Victoria Park opened in 1871 and contains a conservatory used as a seating area and a fountain made of fourteen different granites, presented to the people by the granite polishers and master builders of Aberdeen. Opposite to the north is Westburn Park opened in 1901 which has large grass pitches and is widely used for field sports. There is also a large tennis centre with indoor and outdoor courts, a children's cycle track, play area and a grass boules lawn.

The city of Gloucester is located in the county of Gloucestershire and lies close to the border with Wales. The city, which also lies on the River Severn, has a rich past dating back to Roman times. At the heart of the city, and standing in College Green, is the Norman cathedral with its breathtaking fan-vaulted cloisters and great east window. From the cathedral it is only a short walk down narrow cobbled streets, past historical buildings, to the main shopping area in the city. From there it is, once again, a short walk to the Victorian Docks with its now converted warehouses. In the docks you are likely to see all manner of vessels from narrow boats to sea going ships. The city is also an excellent base from which to explore the surrounding area and take in the splendour of the Cotswolds and the Forest of Dean. The Cotswolds is an area of rolling hills which rise from the meadows of the upper Thames to an escarpment, known as the Cotswold Edge, above the Severn Valley and Evesham Vale. The Forest of Dean is an area of mixed ancient woodland and forms a roughly triangular plateau bounded by the River Wye to the west and north, the River Severn to the south, and the City of Gloucester to the east.