To ask which which direction am I heading...

[BoysofMelody]

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

South East :)

It was on a chalk board in a bar in Edinburgh

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

How has that caused any consternation?

How is that SE?

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

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

South West.

Because it's completely counterintuitive notevernot!

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

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

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.

South

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

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

*You're travelling south and west.

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

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

serf

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

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?

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

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

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.

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.

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

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?