Hey all,
This year I have LOADS!! of free time and wanted to learn web design. Can anyone suggest a route for self taught i.e books maybe lynda.com ?
Main goal for this designing a website from scratch and using my own images using photoshop.
Quite a task, good luck to you!
Bare in mind that it will take years of working towards this goal to achieve it, atleast to a decent standard, just like anything!
There are quite a few sites that offer tutorial sets for complete beginners (nettuts.com are quite good), you will want to read blogs on a regular basis and slowly absorb the information but the best way to learn is to do.
Don’t worry about web hosting or domain names or anything that costs money to begin with (including training websites). Ignore HTML5 and CSS3, start with XHTML 1.0 Strict and CSS 2.1, this will get you into good habbits early. HTML5 and CSS3 are usable now but are no where near ready for wide spread use and especially not a beginner.
Start with:
Basic HTML and then basic CSS (W3 Schools are great for this, w3schools.com)
Intermediate HTML and CSS, using HTML and CSS to build a website from scratch without using HTML tables for the layout.
Introduction to using an image editor (Photoshop, GIMP, Fireworks or similar) to concept a design.
Using HTML and CSS and Images to replicate the concept into a static website.
Moving on to:
Advanced HTML and CSS subjects such as the correct use of position, z-index etc in CSS and semantic/validated (W3C Validators) HTML coding.
Introduction to Javascript (before you go near JQuery or another Javascript framework).
Hosting your own website and domain name (how to use FTP, how to use web hosting correctly and safely) and website/domain security.
Receiving a design from someone else and producing it as HTML and CSS.
Eventually
Intermediate use of Javascript and introduction to Javascript frameworks.
Introduction to programming language such as PHP.
Introduction to database usage etc.
There are no hard and fast rules when it comes to this, obviously all the above is just my own opinion. I am self taught and now have 5 years of commercial experience, it is more than possible to get yourself into webdesign but it is a long road.
Forums are your best friend as they allow quick and easy access to allot of knowledge and resources however you need to use them correctly, which comes with experience.
Thanks NuttySkunk 
I would strongly suggest http://www.Lynda.com for most of your learning! My wife learned web design there.
learnable.com can be a good resource, depending on what you want. They do have a few nice courses about CSS, HTML, PHP and Javascript.
But if you want to concentrate on graphics and design, creativeedge may be of help too. Although they mix print and web 
lynda.com is a good place to learn about web designer and developer
It’s all in there.