Aberdeen Preston 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.

The city of Preston in the north west of England, in the county of Lancashire, has a rich history from links to the Industrial Revolution through to the famous footballer, Sir Tom Finney, who played for Preston North End Football Club. Preston is a city that has something for everyone and can easily be explored on foot. Take a stroll through Avenham & Miller Parks and Winckley Square and take in the wildlife habitats and get a real sense of the city's green spaces. From there it is a short distance to the Guild Wheel which is more than 20 miles of cycleways encircling the city. Whilst in the city visitors should also sample Preston’s reputation as Lancashire’s shopping destination, offering two shopping centres and numerous high street brands, all of which are relatively compact and easy to explore. However, It is not just about famous high-street names and brands that are on offer. Preston offers bustling indoor and outdoor markets, fresh Lancashire produce, and a variety of boutique and independent shops, many with a long, proud history of their own. Visitors can also can soak up the fantastic architecture too, not least the Victorian splendour of the Miller Arcade.