What a coup!

A click of the camera & a photo check confirmed I had conquered the peak of Ben Nevis. Just! What a coup! What a start to the day!

From the base station at Aonach Mor, a mountain gondola transported us approximately 2000 feet up the Nevis Range. The outlook was amazing, the scenery was stunning.

for Jack

At 2:30 p.m. with a blast of steam & a regulatory warning whistle, the Jacobite Express chugged out of Fort William towards Mallaig. We glimpsed a flight of eight locks known as Neptune's Staircase as we crossed the Caledonian Canal at Bonavie.

                     

The train followed the shore of Loch Eil before making a steady climb to the twenty-one arched Glenfinnan Viaduct. I understand this was made famous in scenes from the Harry Potter films.

A twenty-minute stop at Glenfinnan Station was insufficient time to appreciate the Railway Museum. We estimated a passenger list nearing 720, so sheer numbers made it impossible to get into the museum in the allocated time.

Arisaig's claim to fame is its geographical location, making it the most westerly station in Britain. It enjoys a mild climate due to a warm gulf stream. Today the weather was perfectly perfect! Sunshine. Breathless.

On our approach to Mallaig we were treated to amazing views of the sea & inner Hebridean Islands, the Isles of Rum, Eigg, Muck, Canna & Skye.

Mallaig was the terminus for today's train journey. Ferries to the islands also operate out of Mallaig. It is the main commercial fishing port on the west coast of Scotland. Given the ideal conditions the fishing fleet were at sea, so it was impossible to determine the number of fishing licences operating out of the port. The seagulls were aggressive! They were comfortable sharing a table & a meal!




The rhythmic clackety-clack of metal on metal, wheel on track, had a soothing hypnotic effect as we clattered along our 84 mile round trip that took us past Britain's highest mountain, deepest loch, shortest river & most westerly station. Ben Nevis, Morar Loch, River Morar & Arisaig respectively.

Tomorrow we travel south to Northumberland. I've not had an opportunity to read up on what awaits us there. It's all been magical so I expect tomorrow is the mystery part of the tour!