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THE GRAN TOUR

Gran, 75, took a 2,200-mile trip around the whole of England using her bus pass

A GRAN took a 2,200-mile trip around the whole of England using her bus pass.

Penny Ibbott, 75, stayed in bed and breakfasts each night on her six-week journey.

Gran Penny Ibbott, 75, took a 2,200-mile trip around the whole of England using her bus pass
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Gran Penny Ibbott, 75, took a 2,200-mile trip around the whole of England using her bus passCredit: SWNS
Penny stayed in bed and breakfasts each night on her six-week journey.
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Penny stayed in bed and breakfasts each night on her six-week journey.Credit: SWNS
Penny went anti-clockwise around England from the south coast — stopping mainly in seaside towns
Penny went anti-clockwise around England from the south coast — stopping mainly in seaside towns

She went anti-clockwise from the south coast — stopping mainly in seaside towns.

Spending around eight hours a day on buses, she rode up the east coast to Berwick at the top of England.

She then travelled along the Scots border and then down the West to Land’s End before returning home.

Penny told The Sun: “I’m pretty robust but I needed a comfortable bed to sleep in along the way and, as you can imagine, choosing the bed and breakfasts was a bit of a lottery.”

Penny’s son Robin, 45, helped plan the route and she added: “Often it was like an administrative exercise because when I was on the bus, I was always busy.”

Her family and friends were waiting for her in a vintage, open-top bus to finish the final 12 miles home to Chidham in West Sussex.

The mum of three first tried the trek in March 2020 but had to head home after ten days when lockdown began.

Her adventure raised £2,500 for St Wilfrid’s Hospice in West Sussex, which cared for cancer sufferer husband Geoff, who died in 2016 aged 81.

Before her trip, funeral and wedding celebrant Penny contacted Stagecoach operations manager Collin Ashcroft for advice and he organised the surprise final leg.

Penny spent around eight hours a day on buses and rode up the east coast to Berwick at the top of England
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Penny spent around eight hours a day on buses and rode up the east coast to Berwick at the top of EnglandCredit: SWNS
Penny told The Sun: 'I’m pretty robust but I needed a comfortable bed to sleep in along the way and, as you can imagine, choosing the bed and breakfasts was a bit of a lottery'
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Penny told The Sun: 'I’m pretty robust but I needed a comfortable bed to sleep in along the way and, as you can imagine, choosing the bed and breakfasts was a bit of a lottery'Credit: SWNS
Penny's adventure raised £2,500 for St Wilfrid’s Hospice in West Sussex which cared for cancer sufferer husband Geoff, who died in 2016 aged 81
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Penny's adventure raised £2,500 for St Wilfrid’s Hospice in West Sussex which cared for cancer sufferer husband Geoff, who died in 2016 aged 81Credit: SWNS
Mum of three Penny first tried the trek in March 2020 but had to head home after ten days when lockdown began
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Mum of three Penny first tried the trek in March 2020 but had to head home after ten days when lockdown beganCredit: SWNS
Penny's family and friends were waiting for her in a vintage open-top bus to finish the final 12 miles home
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Penny's family and friends were waiting for her in a vintage open-top bus to finish the final 12 miles homeCredit: SWNS
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