Aberdeen Norwich Train

The city of Aberdeen is Scotland's third most populous city, behind Edinburgh and Glasgow. Aberdeen has a long sandy beach between the two rivers, the Dee and the Don, which turns into high sand dunes north of the Don stretching as far as Fraserburgh. To the south of the Dee are steep rocky cliff faces with only minor pebble and shingle beaches in deep inlets. A number of granite outcrops along the south coast have been quarried in the past, making for spectacular scenery and good rock-climbing.

The city is sometimes known as the Granite City, the Grey City and the Silver City with the Golden Sands. These are all reference to the local quarried grey granite incorporated into Aberdeen's buildings. The discovery of North Sea oil in the 1970's it has also been known as the Oil Capital of Europe. The traditional industries of fishing, paper-making, shipbuilding, and textiles have been overtaken by the oil industry and Aberdeen's seaport. Aberdeen Heliport is one of the busiest commercial heliports in the world and the seaport is the largest in the north-east of Scotland. North Sea oil production has declined from its peak but the industry still supports around 47,000 jobs locally.

Located in the county of Norfolk, the city of Norwich was England's second city from medieval times through to the Industrial Revolution. Norman invaders gave the city its castle and the Anglican cathedral and as the city grew so did its defensive wall and medieval street layout, which remains intact. Like any great city its centre is easy to walk around and has a river at its heart. Notable landmarks and attractions in the city, the "Norwich 12" include the Edwardian Surrey House, the Georgian grandeur of the Assembly House, St James Mill, The Forum and the Millennium Building. Norwich is a great city to explore on foot. Why not take a stroll from the thirteenth century Adam and Eve public house (the oldest in the city) around the river Wensum, past the unique Cow Tower, to Pulls Ferry, one of the original entrance gates to the Cathedral precinct. A canal was built through this gate to ferry the stone brought from Caen in France, which was used to build the Castle and Cathedral. If you want a great view of the city go up Mousehold Heath to the north-east, close to the nineteenth century prison. From there you will see many of the city's most historic buildings.