Personally I have always found that the way off a plateau is by playing with other people. My guitar playing has improved various times - since I started accompanying two singers; since I played in a band or two and enjoyed the interaction of working out how to play things 'our way'; writing and recording a backing for a friends unaccompanied song; since going to new and different sessions/singarounds/open mics; and listening to a lot of things and thinking "I'd like to play that" and doing something about it. And I am quite comfortable sitting in sessions and playing along - if there are guitarists already there I'll either find somewhere else to play on the guitar or put it down and listen.

Each of these takes me out of a comfort zone and teaches me something new. Even if it is just that I need to practice something technical or rethink something.

Other people though is the biggest stimulus and catalyst. Watching, listening, copying, adding and interacting are the things.

And there are places I go where I can learn to try and avoid some of the worst excesses of non-sympathetic playing. There is a place I have a few times recently where several people in the room think they are really ace solo guitarists and most of them aren't. Playing a pentatonic lick or two over each song is not good soloing.

And playing with others (especially when I don't know the songs) is great for training my ears (which are fairly good anyway) and transposing stuff on the fly. Even two guitars just played in different registers on the guitar adds something often - if it is in time and in tune.

So I would recommend finding people to share music with. I go up to Arran every other year or three and always find places and people to join in with. You are not a million miles away so I can't believe it is that different. It is just that the make up of a session may have a harp, pipes and other instruments less frequently found in Yorkshire (though I do come across them here - and cellos and a tuba...)