Thanks for the replies so far guys, appreciate your help.
Whirls, don't worry about the risk of lack of experience with local flying...personally the minute I had my PPL the last thing i wanted to do was stay local or sit in the circuit. Needless to say 30 of my 40 hours in command are cross country including trips to Scotland (with an unplanned diversion back to Carlisle) and Bournemouth. Only way to really build experience and confidence, especially with planning to do ATPL!!
Ooh and did I mention 5 of those are PIC cross country flights in the USofA
