To ask which which direction am I heading...

[BoysofMelody]

I'm traveling from Edinburgh to Bristol - what direction am I travelling?

[catmumof1]

South East :)

[catmumof1]

[catmumof1]

It was on a chalk board in a bar in Edinburgh

[BoysofMelody]

Thanks - this has caused consternation amongst anyone I've told this too!

[notevernotnevernotnohow]

How has that caused any consternation?

[SerfTerf]

How is that SE?

It's very close to being due South, but not quite. Definitely South West. Just.

[SerfTerf]

Oh bugger. I got a ruler out and I think it's right. I don't like it!

[SleightOfHand]

South West.

[SerfTerf]

Because it's completely counterintuitive notevernot!

[BoysofMelody]

Disbelief that you can go from the north east of the country to the south West by travelling easterly.

[notevernotnevernotnohow]

You're not travelling easterly though. You are travelling south and west.

[SerfTerf]

I don't know if you meant to, boys but you've sparked an all-age geography activity here (and, yes, consternation aplenty). This is DS's factcheck effort.

[TwoKidsAndCounting]

South

[Sonders]

Definitely south west, the points of a compass don't change based on which way you're facing. You're travelling down and left as you see it I guess :P

[Sonders]

Wait, I'm totally wrong. Ignore me. I'm now very confused as I've made this journey so many times!

[BoysofMelody]

*You're travelling south and west.

I'm not, I'm traveling South and East!

[notevernotnevernotnohow]

No you aren't. West is west no matter which way you are facing. It's not like left and right!

[BoysofMelody]

serf


Well done that young man, I've saved his effort on my phone to show doubting Thomases!

[cardibach]

Is it because the UK is not oriented north/south as we envisage it from maps? It's on a tilt, which affects this type of journey?

[BoysofMelody]

No you aren't. West is west no matter which way you are facing. It's not like left and right!

But Edinburgh is further West than Bristol

[tobee]

You are travelling south east.
But you are travelling to the south west.

[notevernotnevernotnohow]

Using the map shown first above, the route takes you westerly on the ways south. You're not a crow, you aren't flying straight down.

That said, I'm not very familiar with UK geography so if that map is inaccurate I have no idea.
The second map seems to show it as due south, neither east or west.

[BoysofMelody]

Using the map shown first above, the route takes you westerly on the ways south. You're not a crow, you aren't flying straight down.

No, i am not a crow, but I I will be passenger on an Airbus A330.

[notevernotnevernotnohow]

On a road, which appears to go to the west a little as it goes south!

[SerfTerf]

Is it because the UK is not oriented north/south as we envisage it from maps? It's on a tilt, which affects this type of journey?

Yes. The British Isles have terrible posture, don't they?