St Davids to Glasgow

Welsh borders around Ludlow
Shrewsbury & Ironbridge
Chester
Liverpool
Manchester
Lake District

All on or close to the route. Lots of other choices of course.

With 3 nights to do the journey I'd find it hard to resist going up the west coast of Wales on the Traws Cymru bus network, rather than using the trains.
My thought would be to take the Fishguard route out (preferably the 404 Strumble Shuttle), connecting into the T5 to Aberystwyth at Fishguard (the toilets at Fishguard are pay toilets as are most en route as far as Chester), probably with a mid route stop over (various options).

Next day the T2 on the new double deckers (or the new limited stop coach which will be running by then). There are a variety of routes- either up to Bangor via Caernarfon (then train from Bangor to Conwy or Llandudno for two nights), or a change at Dolgellau into the bus to Corwen. You could continue onto Chester by direct bus from Corwen or break the long journey at Corwen or Ruthin.

From Caernarfon you can also use the Snowdon Sherpa network to Betws-y-Coed for Conwy/Llandudno.

Next day onwards on the bus to Chester for the 3rd night.

Final day onto Glasgow by train via Liverpool or Warrington. You could have most of the day in Liverpool before catching what is currently the 1612 direct TPE train to Glasgow.

Thank you so much for your replies. You've given me a lot to think about! I'll be in St Davids for a Pembrokeshire Coast walking holiday and traveling to Glasgow and further to walk the Great Glen Way. I'll leave St Davids on a Saturday and need to be in Glasgow on Tuesday. Other than walking, I like scenery and 19th and 20th century art galleries.

I have been to Chester, Ludlow, the Lake District, Manchester (and will be back next month), and Liverpool. I've changed trains in Crewe a few times and wondered if it was worth a stop. I plan to stop in Cardiff for a night or two on my way to St Davids. I missed the Walker Art Gallery when I was in Liverpool a few years ago so that is appealing. I'll check into the bus routes as that is appealing, too.

For next month (when you layover in Grange on the way to the C2C) I don't know if you have Abbot Hall at Kendal on your list- https://lakelandarts.org.uk/abbot-hall/

Stuart, I'd like to visit Abbot Hall but I'll have to save it for another trip as it's only open Wednesday to Saturday. I'll be in Grange on Monday and Tuesday. I don't know if I can make a quick trip on Wednesday morning before my afternoon train to St Bees. Many thanks for the recommendation!

me.crewe, thanks for the information! And thanks for the video!

I would consider heading up through Wales by using the buses to eventually reach Chester - then trains to Glasgow.
Bus routes across Wales:>https://tfw.wales/ways-to-travel/bus/trawscymru

not much in Crewe other than a football ground and a few trains. I had to often visit Crewe for work and that was my impression.

sorry, me.crewe

By the way another Art Gallery from Chester or Liverpool (either city works) is the Lady Lever Art Gallery at Port Sunlight- https://www.liverpoolmuseums.org.uk/lady-lever-art-gallery#section--whats-on

Port Sunlight itself being an important example of a planned worker's Village- https://portsunlightvillage.com/

It may sound unlikely but Warrington also has an Art Gallery (and in Victorian times had a school of art)- I've never had the time to get in there, so can't tell you anything about it first hand- https://wmag.culturewarrington.org/

Thank you, Stuart, for the appealing art gallery suggestions!

You prompted me to visit the Warrington Art Gallery and Museum, as I have an effectively free rail ticket for North West England for the rest of the week.

Then I went to the Walker Art Gallery as it is so hot.

In spite of having strong Liverpool roots I've never been there. I'm not sure why, maybe it wasn't free when I was growing up, and I've always clung to that impression, or always got other things to do.

Anyway, wow double wow, thanks for the big nudge.
What a treat.

Part of me was very emotional that afaik neither mum or dad ever got to see it.

Stuart, I'm glad to know that you visited the Walker Art Gallery and that you liked it very much. I am eager to see it, too. What a shame that your parents never visited and enjoyed the artwork.