Pensioner takes free bus-pass holiday
Updated on 10 April 2008
Richard Elloway has become the first pensioner to use his free bus pass to travel from Land's End to John O'Groats.
The retired headmaster called his trip the "ultimate holiday on a pension".
The 61-year-old now hopes to become the first person to use his bus pass to make the return journey between Britain's southernmost to northernmost points.
The national bus pass scheme was introduced on April 1 and made travel free for pensioners.
Mr Elloway, who is just over halfway through his journey, began his trip from Land's End at the start of this month. He now intends to travel back to Cornwall down the western side of the country.
He said "all but two" of the hostels he stayed at refunded him after he told managers he was using his journey to raise money for Breaks4Kids, a charity of the Youth Hostel Association that provides holidays for disadvantaged children.
Mr Elloway was dropped off at John O'Groats on Tuesday afternoon via overnight stays in Tiverton, Bristol, Cambridge, Lincoln, Scarborough, Berwick-upon-Tweed and Inverness.
He said: "I have been keen on doing this for a very long time and I made sure I was down at Land's End bright and early on April 1.
"I am treating it as a race to John O'Groats and back again but I appear to be the only one taking part. It took me one week and six hours to get to John O'Groats and I am already travelling at a good rate back.
"But overall it's been a holiday. I have done the trip several times by bike so it is nice to be doing the journey without having to break sweat.
"It's very important that I get back in good time. I am a member of the Land's End to John O'Groats Association and the journey time is only official when I get back.
"My car's still parked in Cornwall - it's been Britain's longest park and ride."
But he said Britain's public transport network had been a "bit hit and miss".
Mr Elloway said: "I have had a few problems with the buses. There have been difficulties where the companies cross over.
Mr Elloway, who took with him a large bundle of bus timetables, a toothbrush and several changes of clothes, has already set two previous records for cycling the famous route.
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