COACHES, TRAINS AND FOOD! A mission to try Ember & Flixbus and buy baked goods in Dundee & Aberdeen 

Your Aberdeen accent was spot on :D Butteries are sometimes called rowies, but EVERYone in the North East should know what they are by law, maybe that's what the police were investigating. Cheers for the shout out at Montrose! If I'd known I'd have come and given you a wave :)

Scott you make the mundane come alive and have done wonders for the bus industry. Keep up your quirky travel logs.

Fun fact: When I moved up to Aberdeen and started my job at John Lewis, I got asked on my first day in the café, by a customer for a Butterie. I thought they wanted some batteries, I kept insisting they were to be found in the electronics section. 😂

Fisher and Donaldson is infact the best baker in Dundee. The fudge doughnuts are sensational.

Stop the bus... 😂😂😂.. a west coaster calling it Lorne sausage... ♥️♥️♥️

About eating a buttery: try balancing it on top of a cup of coffee, just the time for the coffee to cool enough to drink.The buttery is amazing!

My mum is from Aberdeen and we used to spend a week there every year as kids. The warm fresh buttery roll for breakfast was the highlight of the day, and an aunt used to post them day to Cheshire every so often. Fantastic things, worth the trip to Aberdeen for.

I took a bus from Inverness to Fort William recently because it lacks a train connection

Been told by a friend I do a brilliant impression of Robin Galloway doing his Hector Brottlebank character

When we visited Aberdeen The rain was pelting down Leaving massive puddles All over the ground But we didn't mind at all Over each puddle we'd hop And we settled for the morning In a friendly bakery shop

Great videos Scott and loved nodd to Steve marsh lol😊

Hello Scot I allways enjoy watching your videos .Have you ever been to Dartmoor in Devon ?If you were like a tour of Dartmoor sent me a Message

Hi SCOTT always look forward to your video's great adventure awaits 👍👍👍👍

Hi Scott, been following you for a while. Great videos thank you. Two things always occur to me when I watch you!! 1) love that you always introduce yourself so many vloggers don’t! and 2) I am always thinking you must have incredible knees (!!!) all those steps and climbs you do! best wishes

Scott, I'm over here on the Left Coast of The Colonies, but I love "traveling" with you. Keep it up, my friend!

Entertaining as always

The number 13 thing applies in some hotels also.

Scott, great video. We have a 13th beach here in Victoria, so-called because it is in close proximity to the 13th hole of the Barwon Heads golf course. It is no more unlucky or dangerous than any of the other surf beaches on that stretch of coast. PS my mother used to bake a circular Dundee cake with fruit and almonds on top. Greetings from Mornington, Victoria 🇦🇺👍

Scott I just love your videos - great fun.

Flix bus is here in the USA. In my city the bus leaves from midtown and old Sacramento (just down from the Amtrak station. it goes to San Francisco. in SF one of the stops is near the Coltrane train station and the other is near the end of a street car line.

Thanks Scott - another fun and informative trip report!

Great content as always Scott butteries are absolutely phenomenal

Brilliant Scott, love your videos. Good to see the shout out for Steve Marsh as well when you passed through Montrose 👍 When are the best 2 Scottish travel vloggers going to do a Collab video together?

Looks like a great day in Scotland. Thanks for having me along.

Nice 👍🏻 nod to Steve Marsh

thanks for the trip

Great video as always Scott. From memory, they don't have a gate 13 at Glasgow Airport either. We are a very superstitious bunch aren't we?

Great video Scott, between you and Steve Marsh always have great content to watchm

Hey Scott, great vid fella. My Dad is from Dundee "Jam Jute and Journalism" so great to see the city featured.

Really loved this video I Like watching your videos scott 😊

On your next visit to The Granite City (or as I like to call it on a miserable November day - Abergloom), wander up to Old Aberdeen, J.G Ross bakers are locally renowned for their butterries.

Fun video Scott. That's interesting about row 13 being eliminated on buses and trains, I had no idea. Interestingly in my hometown of Gainesville, Florida one of our main commercial streets is known as 13th Street. No one seems to mention tridekaphobia here.

Based on previous videos I used Flixbus for a trip from Aberdeen to Dundee. As suggested I booked the front two seats there and back. Ok going south because the excellent driver Richard told us to take our booked seats. Thought there’d be a problem on the way back because the bus didn’t start from Dundee. There was. It was quiet so no problem but it’s better not to have booking than a free for all plus booking. Train seating is the perfect example. I was happy to pay the £16 total fare but have since read that Flixbus and Stagecoach are in the bus pass scheme. Not sure how that works booking online.

2:22 - thanks for providing some details on this! I've seen it a few times and always wondered what it was and now I know :-)

Great video....as usual

I’m in Dundee in a few weeks I’ve always wanted to see Scott’s ship. I’m also planning on ticking off both Football grounds

Scott. Good to see another of your travel videos, though I am catching up later than intended. Reference you questioning why Flixbus have their stop in a side street in Aberdeen, it's simply down to where they can or cannot get access to Bus or Coach stations operated by Councils or other (possibly competitor) operators. Access charges often play a part in using such terminus points, so the companies such as Flixbus and Ember in order to keep costs down, they use on-street stops instead. Or it may often be the case that existing Bus / Coach stations have no available space to accommodate alternative operators vehicles. This pattern will occur in many UK cities; for instance, in Leeds, Flixbus has a stop in a side street, about 2 minutes walk to the city's Bus and Coach Station, where Megabus uses one Stand within the Bus station section and National Express has sole use of the Coach Station. In London though, Victoria Coach Station is part of TFL and they allow all the major Coach Operators in. Regarding Broxden Services in Perth as the stop for that city, it is also used by other longer distance operators and services, notably Megabus and Citylink whose routes between Inverness and Aberdeen to Glasgow and Edinburgh meet to allow any passengers to change depending on their onward destinations. It makes sense to use the Broxden parking facilities there too, as opposed to the city Bus Station where space is at a premium and if you don't know, there is a regular local bus service linking Broxden services and the city centre.

Sounds like a good combination of trains, buses, food and coach journeys. As well drinking (except alcohol if allowed).

12a and 12b is often used in apartments etc to get around the 'dreaded 13' problem.

Good video Scott. That Dundee cake looks good. Flix Bus use the library bus stop in Newcastle as it's more central, probably cheaper and crucially quicker to get back out of the city centre. They are very strict you sit in your assigned seat.

Aberdeen rowies are best heated before eating!

Great video Scott

Great video as always Scott, you should have stopped off in Arbroath for a "Arbroath Smokie" providing you like fish, they are very good.

Finnair definitely have a row 13. Back when you could still do it, I flew AY666 to HEL, on Friday the 13th, in 13F (the 6th in the row). I also bought a Lego airport fire engine at Copenhagen airport and built it in flight, just to thumb my nose at Fate. Obviously I lived to tell the tale.

Aberdeen bus station is so small that they probably can't fit in anymore services. The old bus station was much larger and worked well. Union Square Centre, where this bus station is located, prioritised shops over a minor service like a common bus station. You should experience this poor little bus station for yourself.

My first visit this year shockingly too long overdue. , too Perth in 36 years my bad lovely city but I agree the drop of point is not right too far from city nothing like a local baker scott etc mass produced stuff in shops don't always reflect good hence a better butterie the flixbus stop is very convenient I would say its city centre no chaos that can be found at coach station flixbus Glasgow bus sitting there ( easy ) anyway enjoyed thanks scott have a good week ps you put right in a mood for a rowie now 😀 very tasty I been on that electric bus from.glasgow Dundee great idea environmental and my journey was good I not been on flixbus yet

I was in Aberdeen this past June. After watching this video I had to go to the Bread Maker to get som rowies/butteries. Unfortunatly they were sold out. Maybe it was too late in the day. So until next time I go to Aberdeen, I will look forward to tasting it.

The coach gets charged outside the Science centre in Dundee and can do 2 return trips to Edinburgh and 1 return trip to Glasgow on a full charge. To fully charge one of these vechiles takes around 2hrs

Just a thought, but if you are going togo all the way to Dundee to buy a cake, why not splash out on a second one and then you and your son could have one each.

Great video, thank you. As an Aberdonian in exile and an avid buttery enthusiast, I can recommend the offerings to found in Aldi. They're pretty decent and certainly the closest I've ever found in taste and texture to the real thing from the north east.

Better eating a buttery/Rowie warmed up with a little jam (served with tea)

Aitkens Baker were the best rowies but they went bust few years back. You can spread marge or jam on them and a lot of people like them hot.

Pleased to see a bike friendly coach service, I'm a big fan of public transport+ bike, probably the most environmentally friendly form of travel. I used to buy Aberdeen 'butterys' in Dundee, when I was a student back the day, from a local newspaper booth (who also sold Aberdeen rolls!). Very tasty, but probably enough butter and salt in one to take up a day's allowance!☺️

You need to go to perth so much there

Just watched this vlog, great by the way, regarding row 13, on p & o cruise ships, they do not have a deck 13!! Just thought i would mention that. Cheers pal

Love the food reviews, maybe come down to the North West and try our pies and pasties

17:00 better with a cup of tea

Aberdeen, the place with the amusing road name of ' Back Wynd'.

Fancy that it was raining in Scotland…😂😮 Must have been summer…😅

I love in Stirling and my street doesn't have a number 13. 😊

My local baker in Edinburgh has been selling butteries for years.

Impressive accents! You've obviously missed a calling in life 😂, what a really interesting video and now want to hunt down a butterie and give it a go!

I have tried to get a good butteries round about the Glasgow area but no joy and you have to go up the North East to get the best but a word of warning they have a high fat content so if you’re on a diet no luck folks and I like if there a bit salty plus hot or cold ,jam or marmalade I’ve tried everything on them and I love them ( the real ones rowies as they were called in Inverurie back in the day) and I enjoyed your trip 👍

Oi vay! . Don't you love the " Caution. Buses " sign ...... at the largest bus station in central Scotland! Reminds me of the labels which began being stuck to 500 g transparent packets of peanuts in the 1980s: " May Contain Nuts " .... Oh. And Rowies are the food of God ( from a Glaswegian).

I enjoyed your video so much I travelled down to Dundee from Aberdeen by Flixbus today. The buses leave from LIttlejohn Street (20 July 2023). If Aberdeen had built a decent Bus Station there wouldnt have been a problem with lack of capacity. Aberdeen has a rubbish Bus Station with very little waiting area for passengers and even less space for the actual buses. But then this is typical of Aberdeen, if it doesnt make money just provide a shove-by and build a hotel instead. Got myself a Dundee Cake from Clarks Bakery at 8 quid so I am looking forward to that. Winston Churchill was MP for Dundee at one time and he loved a Dundee Cake. Dundee shops seem to be doing much better than Aberdeen. They are probably struggling, but at least they are open and still trading. Well done Dundee. It seems that their Council is providing more support than the Aberdeen shower. Scott - Excellent mimic of Aberdeen Accent. Try the Peterhead one, its a scream with every vowel changed round !

I’ve never looked for a buttery in any Aberdeen bakery I’ve only ever bought them in a shop

Being from Glasgow the 2 things I wish we could get easier in the west are butteries and white pudding!

The one benefit of stopping at Broxden rather than Perth city centre is time, it means the coach doesn't get caught up in the city traffic which can be pretty bad. I got the citylink from Edinburgh to Fort William last summer that took four hours and called in at Broxden; I shudder to think how much longer a Perth city stop might have added. Plus a lot of the housing in Perth is in the west and a Broxden stop is more convenient for them than the centre

Butteries or Rowies, depending on what part of the North East you are from, but i tend to find people in the Shire call them butteries. IMO they are the best crispy & very salty. They certainly don't make them as they used to, which is why i make them myself, these days. Murdoch Allan/Thain's tend to do the crispy & salty style the best, they also do a less salty, softer buttery. Should be able to get these in most bakers, including supermarkets in the North East.

The next time you're in Aberdeen try thains bakery in George Street the butteries are brilliant from there

Loving the police are checking up on me skit!

Love the Skaughtisch accent.

Think u find the council charges them to used the bus station that's why they use that street to help keep the fares down

It's very similar in hotels for the 13 superstition. Room 13 doesn't exist on any floor. But remarkably room 101 can be found.

Great video as always❤ but please what’s with the penguins 🐧 😂

I’m 60 and Aberdonian always a Roll never a Buttery! The shop you bought the Butteries from used to be Aitkens Bakery allegedly the inventors of the Roll made with lard not butter! For a high energy bit of stodge for trawlermen! Doric accent spot on Scott

I always assumed Dundee Cake was a Large Shortbread Biscuit covered in thick chocolate.

Butteries are best in morning they are made and spread with butter ,you’ll need to come farther north into aberdeenshire tohearthe doric

Of course row 13 exists! It's just called 14!

Flixbus No Room 13 you can book that is a good joke😂

Disagree with Clarke's being best. You should try Fisher and Donaldson, bit pricey but well worth it.

That Dundee cake looks nothing like the stuff my mum produces every Christmas, I think I need to have a word with her! Re. bikes on buses, I've seen buses in the States that have racks on the front or back for carrying bikes, I've not seen anything like that over here.

Is Dundee known for Doughnuts too? I read something about it when reading up on it a while ago. A girlfriend of mine years ago travelled from Derby to London on a local company service. It's final stop was down the side of St Pancras station. So I think you're probably right about official bus station stops incurring charges.

You say Broxden is a strange place to stop off for Perth. Not so. Being outwith Perth, just off main routes from all directions, it affords easy access. There is an excellent local service which runs every 20 minutes from where all the buses come in. That service gets you direct into the City centre in less than 15 minutes. If you have certain travel cards it's free.

Butter makes life better . You could have heated those butteries before eating them ; hotter the better . Nice ride overall .

Requiring payment for operators to use the transport interchanges always baffled me. The Meadowhall Interchange in Sheffield required this and it was boycotted by Stagecoach for over a decade. Think the local PTEs should be taking that on the chin.

Ember give plenty of leg room

I bet "butteries" have increased in price the last year. They looked really delicious. Can we buy them in England ? Morrisons, I guess

To add to the rowie/ buttery confusion, as a born and bred Aberdonian I can safely say they were called rolls here. Leads to much confusion for others especially Glaswegians but we know what rolls, buns and softies are. Aitken’s rolls are legendary in the Granite City but sadly no more. Nobody bakes them quite that thin and crisp anymore.

a little bit late to the party, but maybe there is no row 13 because 13 is considered an unlucky number in big parts of europe. that's why many hotels don't have a 13th floor or a room 13.

NEC card holders cannot book a seat unless paying the full fare, so would possibly have to seat hop during the journey!

great vid! I wonder if there‘s a bus connection to Inverness?

Hi Scott ,its not down to money, its down to Stagecoach monopoly of the bus station.

Smokie apols

13 unlucky for some...

No house number 13 in road I live, goes "....7, 9, 11, 15, 17.." on the odd number side

Great travel blog as always and enjoy your reports from around the place Scott..as a born and bred Aberdonian I never eat a rowie/buttery dry..always put more butter and maybe jam or syrup on top..in my previous life I was lifeguard that started work at 6am and one of those with some cream cheese to start a shift was spot on..after doing 50 lengths in the pool. I'm nae a vegan but there is new bakery on the Castlegate in Aberdeen where you filmed that is called the Vegan Bey Bakery who also do rowies that are spot on...and nice call out to Steve Marsh ;op

I believe you are correct about them not serving the bus station is down to money. I've noticed with almost all flixbus services they don't seem to serve any bus stations other than London Victoria. On the way instead of serving main city centers they just go to some form of service station or retail park just of the side of the motorway which in my opinion is a bit silly as people may find it harder to get to these places where they stop and i think they'd find by spending the extra money to go into main bus stations they'd actually profit from extra passenger numbers.

What???What Aberdeen bakery has never heard of an Aberdeen buttery??That's shocking. They are really easy to get your hands on in Aberdeen especially on George Street.

How about an arbroath smoke??