Take the train from Glasgow to Fort William. It has the reputation of being the most beautiful train ride in Europe. And though I have been on very few train rides in Europe, I cannot imagine my jaw dropping any lower than the moment when I looked up from my computer to see the sun setting over the beginnings of the Scottish highlands.
Pictures are insufficient. You must go. It will be a wonderful day, and as my thesis director insists every time train travel gets a mention, "It's wonderful. You can have lunch on board."
I went to the Highlands to hang out and write, and to climb Ben Nevis, the highest mountain in the UK. It is short enough that I ran up most of it....past the tree line...
...until I reached the North Face of Nevis....
...where I joined forces with a very gentlemanly Polish medical student. We spent the day attempting to climb the North Face, instead of going up the easy-peasy tourist route.
This was about as high as we got. Then the fog rolled in. We spent some time clinging to some grassy cliffs, before I suggested that we make our way down to sanity. So we never made it all the way up, though we were only twenty feet from the ridge. Both our mothers heaved an unwitting sigh of relief, as we slid our way slowly down. Out of the fog, it was fun to ramble and trade stories.
Down in Fort William (the hub town for Nevis), the weather was downright sunny, and I had a gorgeous run back to Ban Navie (a tiny little enclave where I stayed). A little trail meanders through pastures to join the two towns.
As if the scenery weren't enough, there is also a ruined castle along the route (Inverlochy).
And a canal to explore....
....with a fancy Victorian loch system (Neptune's staircase) to gawk at.
And my lovely mountain to salute. Next time, Ben Nevis, I will climb you.
The train is now famous as the Hogwarts Express....
...but there was lots to see besides the aqueducts. For example:
(Yes, that's Scotland.)
Scotland, I'm in love.
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