The distance from London to Edinburgh is about 360 miles by road. So . . .
Back in the days of stagecoaches, a stagecoach could travel 70-120 miles per day. A mail coach in 1784 drove from London to Bristol (120 miles) in 17 hours. That means that if you changed at each staging inn, you could get from London to Edinburgh, particularly on government business, in four days easily -- three days if you were in a hurry -- when John Wesley was in his prime. For that matter . . .
According to military experts in endurance riding, a good rider on a good horse can cover 50-100 miles per day over open terrain. So back when knighthood was in flower, a royal courier could easily get from London to Edinburgh in four days unless waylaid by Robin Hood along the way. The electric car at its finest is no better than the fastest transport in AD 1200.
Today, you can drive yourself from London to Edinburgh in about six hours if you adhere to the speed limit. So, taking four days to cover a one day drive is progress?
