I was very lucky to be taken on this tour by my auntie Jean, and I must say my thanks to her from the outset for allowing me to go along with her to the West Highlands and Skye.
Our tour started from Glasgow (Holiday Inn Express), where we were picked up by coach and driven the 6 hours or so up to our hotel at Morar. We drove along the banks of Loch Lomond and through the dramatic scenry of the HIghlands, on a route that is widely considered one of the most beautiful in Scotland, going past Ben Nevis.
Jean in the Holiday Inn, Glasgow, getting sorted.
Morar Hotel
Primary School at Morar - which I passed on my walk down to the bay on the second day of our tour.
The bay at Morar (renowned for its 'silver sands' - which were on the opposite bank to our hotel)
Our hotel from the bottom of the hill.
Morar Train station.
The balcony outside the restaurant at the Morar hotel, looking over to the bay and the silver sands.
Next was the trip up to Glenfinnan Monument, station museum, Jacobite steam train and viaduct (the original train used in the Harry Potter movies)
The Glenfinnan Monument and museum.
Looking back towards the viaduct.
Jean and I at the edge of the loch near the monument - it was a beautiful day, but very windy at the loch edge.
Outside the Glenfinnan museum / station waiting for the arrival of the Jacobite Steam engine.
The Jacobite Steam train
The following is from the Jacobite Steam train
website:
'Described as the greatest railway journey in the world, this 84
mile round trip takes you past a list of impressive extremes. Starting
near the highest mountain in Britain, Ben Nevis, it visits Britain's
most westerly mainland railway station, Arisaig; passes close by the
deepest freshwater loch in Britain, Loch Morar and the shortest river in
Britain, River Morar, finally arriving next to the deepest seawater
loch in Europe, Loch Nevis!'
Hogwarts Express ... aka The Jacobite
Travelling on the Jacobite over the viaduct ... and beyond to Fort William
Some of the spectacular scenery on Skye ...
A rainbow that fell into the loch ... scuse the rain droplets on the train window
Dunvegan Castle
Bonnie Prince Charlie's waistcoat
The Dunvegan Great Sword
Some more images of Skye ... turn a corner and there's a photo opportunity - it truly is magnificent and photos just don't do it justice at all.
The Isle of Skye bridge
I enjoyed this tour, although the itinerary kept getting changed, which caused a few frustrations with all the passengers. There was a lot of sitting - for example, we were on the train for 6 hours when we were coming back from Morar to Glasgow (that was killer). But overall, I felt that it was a great experience - one I'd like to do again, but self-driving, so I can stop and take in the views - and get some good photos, most of the pics I took were out of the coach or train windows, so they're not the best. Scotland - the West Highlands in particular, is so completely gorgeous - every corner you go around on Skye there is a photo opportunity, waterfalls gushing under the roads, stunning mountains peeping through the clouds, quaint little villages and crofters cottages dotted about the landscape. We didn't get to see all of it - and I definitely want to go back there again!
