Vernon, you might find that working in a job as a pilot is not too different to what you do now, except that you have another pilot sitting next to you. With a lot fewer stops, it's like doing a Waverley to Kings Cross. You turn up, sign for it and get locked in a cupboard (with a nice view) for 4 hours, then you do it all again to come home.
On the other hand, Flying as a hobby.... well that's a right laugh.
The most important thing is to enjoy it. I'm sure that there are anoraks out there who would love to do a shift in a cab with you, regardless of if it's the Fife Circle or the trip to Mallaig via the Glenfinnan Viaduct. Drivers who do those routes every day would be less enthusiastic.
Some people think train driving is awesome, but there's a guy on here who gets paid for doing it, but might rather be a Pilot.
Go to Tayside, since that is closest to you. Speak to "big" Al Murray and get him to take you for a trial lesson in the new Aqulilla. Then, provided you weigh less than 12 stone in old money, go to Perth and let Jim Lister fly you in a Eurostar. Leading Edge at Perth have a collection Cessna 172/152 and PA28s to let you try different styles of aircraft regardless of what you weigh.
{If you have a military background, there are other options as well, saving you quite a bit of cash.}
Colin will no doubt pop up in a minute and suggest that you go to Strathaven and try a microlight. That might do it for you, but grass runways are not for me, especially that grass runway. I prefer the 10,000 feet of concrete and tarmac that I'm used to.
Gliding is a whole different scene, of which I know nothing, except that the fans of it thinks it's great. I prefer to have an engine.
Don't get too hung up on the exams or adding ratings. Get a licence, even "just" an NPPL and get flying. Take your mates up with you and watch the trains crawling along below you.
Flying for fun is fun, flying for work is work, even if you enjoy it.
The important thing is to establish whether or not you actually enjoy being up in the air, in control. What you do after that, is after that.