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Scotland Easter 2010

Scotland March - April 2010

This was our first trip up to Scotland in 2010 we booked return flyby flights from Birmingham international airport to Inverness of course this was just the main part of our journey we still had to arrange return rail travel from Oxford to Birmingham international and from Inverness to Elgin and not forgetting the taxi from Inverness airport to Inverness train station and from Elgin train station to Allison’s mum’s.  We set out in good faith that this would be a problem free journey and well worth the extra expense incurred on this style of travel for the convenience of spending less time travelling - saving time is of the essence but is it worth chucking good money at time saving means of transport – only if the mode of travel is reliable and the answer to this is no its very unreliable all kinds of factors pop up.

We arrived in plenty of time for our flight we booked in and went to the restaurant to eat and after we had time to read the papers and relax before our flight what flight – we have been here before on the same route our flight was delayed and delayed again and then again before we took off all the advantages of taking the plain had been wasted we arrived in Inverness after the train we wanted had left and we have a two hour wait to add to our discomfort there are no services open on Inverness train station the loos are closed the waiting room was cold, and unwelcoming it was the last place you wanted to be stuck at for a couple of hours.  On a bitter cold evening with snow laying deep on the hills but clear in the towns

Inverness is a city I really enjoy visiting and I will go out my way to travel on this route and visit the town I don’t feel that I have been in the Scotland unless I make it to the capital of the highlands its steeped in history from factual to made up romantic stuff woven and intermixed with a blend of storytelling and drama and I think the tourist love hearing and experiencing it  – And in some respects that’s  what they want to see I am greatly disappointed if I do not see someone wearing the national dress  or hear the pipes, whisky and haggis and tartan are the outer hall marks with other markers as well.

Leaving Allison at the train station I ventured out into the town to take some evening photographs of the river ness and the castle I had a great time but I was bothered some by the bitter cold it was a big shock to the system we had left a wonderful mild sunny day behind and walked into Narnia a wonderful winter wonderland as the shadows slowly grew longer and darker the streets around the river ness and by the castle grew very atmospheric it was easy to imagine that hiding in the dark closes off the high street were redcoat soldiers searching the streets and alley ways hunting down the Jacobite highlander the red coat solider intent on taking no quarter and the Jacobite fleeing for his life. I rejoined Allison at the train station and we took the Inverness train to Aberdeen getting off at Elgin after a short taxi ride  we arrived at Allison’s mum’s. Who was entertaining our son Peter.

Day 1

I woke in the night and I thought it was light outside so I took a peek out the curtains to be greeted by a winter scene  it was snowing heavy and laying on the ground I soon returned to my warm bed. After breakfast Peter and I walk through the snow to the train station we were booked onto the Inverness to Aberdeen train due to the poor weather condition our train was delayed in the past snow has not been a big problem on this route however flooding is a historical problem and with the railway track at the train station being submerged in water after the river Lossie has burst its banks.

The train left Elgin for Aberdeen but our journey was very slow and we were often at a standstill and then we were on the move again as we got further into speyside the snow became deeper  and the country side was covered in a deep layer of snow we finally arrived in Aberdeen safe and sound Peter and I went for lunch at a restaurant at the train station after lunch we walked down to the harbour it was bitter cold and we took some picture and made our way to the Aberdeen Maritime Museum  to dry our cameras and to get a warm up and hot drink after visiting the museum and taking some photo’s from advantage points in the museum of the harbour we went for a walk in Aberdeen itself and then made our way to the train station.

We left Aberdeen on the Inverness train but once we got past Aberdeen and into the countryside things began to change for the worse we soon arrived at Inch train station and due to frozen points we were unable to continue to Inverness there was only one way the train could go and that was back to Aberdeen between Dyce and Aberdeen we contacted my daughter and she booked us into the jury inn Aberdeen  the hotel was great four star’s all bells and whistles we went to Frankie and Bennies for dinner and star bucks for hot chocolate and coffee before returning to our hotel for the night we laid on our beds watching tv before going to bed.

As we slept safe and snug in our beds the hotel staff was at hand to take care of our wants and wishes the storm across Scotland grew wilder casing disruption to overnight travellers regardless of the mode of travel. With major travel disruption between Edinburgh and Inverness one train came to a Holt in the Drumochter moor pass and got stuck in the deep snow drifts the train its crew and passengers all needed to be rescued not an easy task for the rescuers and I am sure from the early morning new reports that Peter and I saw all stranded passengers had endured a very uncomfortable night and were only to pleased to arrived at Inverness and to get some rest at the station hotel before continuing their journey.

Day 2

After breakfast Peter and I made our way to Aberdeen train station it came as no surprise to us that the train station information boards were announcing that all trains were delayed check for further information we made our way to the ticket sale’s and booking office This was to be the only time we would witness Scot rails customers being treated in a disrespectful and rude manner by Scot rail staff. It soon became very evident that the possibility of the line between Aberdeen and Inverness being open due to frozen points at inch station was not going to be resolved any time soon and we thought that at this stage in the day we would be wiser if we checked at the coach station to see if the Aberdeen to Inverness coach was running as this followed the coastal route and stood a good chance of being open. In contrast to the scot rail staff the stage coach staff went out there way to help the stranded train customers offering advice and assistance to our delight the coastal route was open and a coach was due to leave within half an hour some hours later we arrived safely back to Elgin if a day late.

Day 3

After breakfast Peter and I made our way to Elgin train station we were booked on the train from Elgin to Inverness there we were to expect some travel disruption as alternative trains were cancelled however the one we were booked onto was going to run if only delayed by half an hour our journey to Inverness went smoothly once in Inverness Peter and I took advantage of the free time to take some photographs of the castle and river ness before going for lunch at the highland view restaurant  after lunch we made our way to the Inverness coach station we had pre booked onto a boat trip down loch ness  Called Discovery this promised a 3.5 hour coach and cruise of Loch Ness with 1 hour at Urquhart Castle

• Spend one and a half hours cruising the Loch and the Caledonian Canal
• look for hidden happenings beneath the water with the new Jacobite sonar
• Visit Urquhart Castle and its fascinating Visitor Centre
• All admissions included in the ticket price
• Enjoy a guided coach tour

Sounds great and it lived up to its advertisement Peter and I had a great time and we made the most of the photo opportunity that this trip brought our way it’s one thing to travel down the loch on the road stopping at advantage points to admire the view but it’s much better to be on the loch in a boat our first view of Urquhart castle were breath taking all my photographs can be seen at the following link http://www.flickr.com/photos/m3jfm/collections/

Day 4

Peter and I walked into Elgin and we visit the Elgin model railway exhibition at the town hall this an annual event and one we have been to in the past this time however there was fewer exhibitors by trade stands and model lay outs but we have an interesting time and took a few photo’s of the lay outs that took our interest. After lunch Peter and I took the local town bus from Elgin down speyside to Dufftown we had heard reports that the snow was very deep down speyside and we wanted to see for ourselves also a visit to Glenfiddich distillery makes an for an interesting diversion on all accounts we were not to be disappointed the tour of Glenfiddich was very interesting afterwards Peter and I enjoyed afternoon tea Scottish highland style in the new Glenfiddich distillery restaurant. Afterwards we walked in the snow from the distillery up into Dufftown before returning to Elgin on the bus. Once in Elgin we changed buses and went down to Lossiemouth all in same afternoon   we walked in the snow on speyside and in the sunshine on Lossiemouth beach.

Day 5

Sadly it was time to make the return trip home Allison and I took the train from Elgin to Inverness and a taxi from Inverness to the airport I had a hour free to spend taking some photo’s in old Inverness and the castle before heading to the airport our return trip was problem free Inverness - Birmingham then train back to Oxford. Peter remained for a few more days at Grans and took advantage of returning to Lossie to take some more photos.

to be continued