Road To Mastering The UK: The Comback!
A gripping GeoGuessr showdown between me and my truck driver dad. From Irish luck to a Toby Carvery in Aberdeen, here's how I clawed my way to victory
Welcome back to Pin Point's blog series, where I continue my slightly humiliating journey of battling my dad — a retired truck driver with a borderline encyclopedic knowledge of UK roads — in GeoGuessr.
If you missed the first part of this series, go check it out here: Road To Mastering The UK: Can I Beat A Lifelong Truck Driver.
This week? Oh, it's a different story. Strap in. The comeback is ON.
Round 1: Northern Irish Hunch
We kicked things off in what looked like rural UK countryside — hedgerows, narrow roads, the usual. But then I caught a street sign that just didn’t feel mainland. The name had that distinct Irish vibe. With limited info, I hedged near Armagh, thinking Northern Ireland made the most sense. My dad took a more obvious choice and guessed Belfast.
Turns out I was closer — 870 points of damage closer. A small but confident lead to start the match.
Score: Me – 5130 | Dad – 4260
Round 2: The Elgin Blunder
This one hurt. We spawned in a dreaded, quiet housing estate. I didn’t clock anything useful — no signs, no bin clues. I panicked and clicked near Peterborough (yes, again — it’s a recurring issue).
My dad? He went just outside Glasgow, which wasn’t particularly close to the actual location — Elgin, way up in the north of Scotland — but it was miles closer than me. He chipped away 743 points of damage.
Score: Me – 4387 | Dad – 4260
Round 3: Bin There, Guessed That
Sometimes the game just hands it to you. This was one of those rounds. We dropped in a fairly urban area, and almost immediately I spotted black wheelie bins lining the pavement.
Glasgow City Council printed right on them.
We both recognised it instantly and guessed smack in the middle of Glasgow. He was just a hair closer and landed a light tap — 19 damage to me.
Score: Me – 4368 | Dad – 4260
Round 4: Absolute Smackdown
We landed at a roundabout with multiple exits and — thank the GeoGuessr gods — a signpost. I saw Grimsby on it and immediately guessed nearby, just outside in Scunthorpe, hedging between known towns.
Dad, however, didn’t just recognise it. He’d clearly driven it.
He clicked right on the actual roundabout. His pinpoint guess earned him 4839 points to my 2769. That translated into a brutal 3168 points of damage to me.
I was reeling.
Score: Me – 1200 | Dad – 4260
Round 5: Irish Redemption
Now at critical health, I knew I couldn’t afford a misstep. Luckily, another Irish-sounding road sign appeared early in this round — one of those brown directional signs pointing toward local attractions. The names gave me a hunch: Northern Ireland, again.
I stuck to my gut and clicked just over the border. My dad? Maybe second-guessing himself, dropped his pin in Suffolk, England.
Big mistake. I scored 5066 points, bringing him to a dangerous 64 health.
Score: Me – 1200 | Dad – 64
Final Round: Aberdeen Saves the Day
One final round. I had 1200 health — more than enough to tank one bad guess, but my dad only had 64. The pressure was massive.
We spawned in Scotland. My heart sank.
But then — divine intervention. A Toby Carvery came into view. And right under the logo: “Aberdeen”.
Without thinking, I slammed the pin down in Aberdeen. My dad guessed near Edinburgh, likely unsure.
I scored a nearly perfect 4965 points, dealing a massive 7698 points of damage.
Victory.
Final Score: Me – victorious | Dad – defeated
Lessons Learned (Kinda)
So what have I learned?
- Always trust your Irish gut instinct.
- Look at the bins.
- Never underestimate my dad near Grimsby.
- And if a Toby Carvery ever gives you a clue... take it.
This match might have gone my way, but the series is far from over. Let’s see how long this winning streak lasts.
Want to play along or test your own UK GeoGuessr skills? Check out some of the games and quizzes on Pin Point.
And if you’re curious about Toby Carvery’s UK locations (I wouldn’t blame you), you can find them here.
Until next time — may your guesses be lucky and your dads be slightly off the mark.