Blogs from Inverness-shire, Scotland, United Kingdom, Europe

Inverness has a ton of lodging options and I chose to stay at Bannerman B&B. Are there closer hotels to the city center and train station? Yes. Do they have a Rupert? Probably not. If you don't mind walking 20 minutes this is the place to stay. Alison greeted me warmly and even carried my suitcase up the stairs to my room! I was given the Snug Room, which has a comfortable bed, attached bathroom with a small shower stall, a vanity table and a tiny fridge. On top of the fridge was an electric tea kettle, bottle of water, teapot, mug, glass, tea, instant coffee, sugar and even a teacake! In the fridge was a bottle of milk. The windows opened and it was nice to let in some fresh air every night for a ... read more

Today I said goodbye to Edinburgh and took the train up to Inverness. When I looked at the train schedule, I saw I could get on at Haymarket but I thought it would be better to walk up to Waverly to ensure a window seat. Luckily the rain stopped and held off for my walk! There was a break in the clouds and the sun was shining on the castle as I walked along Princes Street. Waverly is a fairly large train station with plenty of signage to help you find your way. The ticket counter lady was very helpful and I was able to buy a return ticket as I will be passing through here again on Friday. Buying a return and then another ticket to my next destination worked out to be cheaper than ... read more

Leaving Edinburgh, we cross the modern Queensferry bridge with its wonderful views of the Forth. Most of this trip around Scotland will be sticking along the Coast. Turning onto the A92, soon we directed to scenic coastal route that would take us along the Fife’s coast. Although a low-lying area, there are many pleasant villages and harbours to explore. One was Crail a pretty village with its small harbour and cobbled streets. Afters the storm of the last few days it was great to see the sunshine, the wind was still blowing making for wonderful seascapes. Our next stop was Saint Andrews. Famed for Scotland’s oldest University, where Prince Willam and Kate Middleton met, and of course the home of golf where there are some of the best courses in the world. We camped at the ... read more

Ever since I first watched the Harry Potter movies, I knew I had to ride that marvelous steam train, the Jacobite Express across the Glenfinnan Viaduct. During my current stay in Glasgow, I took the opportunity to investigate this further, but discovered the specific famous train journey only begins and ends in Fort William (2 hours and 107 miles away). This route has been in operation each year since 1984 and covers part of the West Highland line. It’s a massive hit with tourists, effortlessly combining legendary Scottish folklore, luxury travel and fantastic scenery. Described as the greatest railway journey in the world (always subjective and open to interpretation), this 84-mile roundtrip 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 ... read more

TOUR 07 – Best of Britain - Trafalgar – 14 Days – FRI, 16 SEP 2022 - Day 9: Discover the Isle of Skye - We travel to the coast this morning to the Isle of Skye where a Local Specialist will take us on a journey to view the remarkable Cuillin Mountains. Against the backdrop of heather-clad mountains, we stop at the ancient settlement of Kyleakin. Later, we cross back to view scenic Eilean Donan Castle on the mainland. Travel through the Scottish Highlands past its picturesque lochs and glens, keeping your camera at the ready to capture 'Nessie' if you can. Hotel – The Laggan Hotel Newtonmore, Scotland; Included Meals - Breakfast, Dinner... read more