{"id":10555,"date":"2018-06-15T09:07:08","date_gmt":"2018-06-15T09:07:08","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/michaelandpamstravels.com\/?p=10555"},"modified":"2019-05-25T10:36:10","modified_gmt":"2019-05-25T00:36:10","slug":"the-jacobite-express-central-highland-of-scotland-2018","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/michaelandpamstravels.com\/?p=10555","title":{"rendered":"The Jacobite Express, Central Highland of Scotland 2018 \ud83c\udff4\udb40\udc67\udb40\udc62\udb40\udc73\udb40\udc63\udb40\udc74\udb40\udc7f"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

Date: 14th June 2018<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Travelled:  148 kilometres from Balloch to Fort William in the central highlands of Scotland.<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Visited:  Loch Lomond and Trossachs National Park and the Jacobite Steam Train \u00a335pp<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Stayed:  Nevis Range car park, free. N56.84245, W05.04346<\/a><\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

We wake to rain and howling wind this morning.  Glad we have nothing to much planned today other than make our way to Fort William.  Having a little lay-in seems apropriate after the long walk yesterday, but its not easy with bits of tree falling on the roof of the Hymer.  It eventually eases a little, we breakfast and make our way to the A82 heading north.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The road narrows as we follow Loch Lomond north.  Its really a bit of a goat track in some stages and passing oncoming trucks a challenge.  As is my practice I turn the music up, to drown out the sounds of Pam screaming.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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The road turns north-west from the loch onto the Strath Fillan. The wind is really blowing here, but the scenery breathtaking.<\/figcaption><\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n\n
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The driving wind and rain makes the drive a challenge, especially for the numerous walkers, cyclist and motorcycles we pass.<\/figcaption><\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n\n
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Must have had some rain here last night ?<\/figcaption><\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n\n
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We eventually rolled into Fort William, the weather has cleared a little.<\/figcaption><\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n\n
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We have looked online for tickets to the Jacobite Express (steam train) along the west highlands line from Fort William to Mallaig without success.  I phoned them yesterday and they do hold some platform tickets for every trip.  So we plan on calling to the railway station and checking out the ticket process for tomorrow.  Calling into the ticket office we are told to come back at 2pm today.  So we head off to the supermarket, then have lunch before returning to the railway station.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Joining the queue there are 4 people in front of us so it looks good.  Chatting away and getting some strange looks, we find they are couples from Brisbane and Wollongong.  Doesn\u2019t matter where you turn, there are baby boomers out spending there children\u2019s inheritance.  Pam secures two second class tickets, then I run the Hymer down to long term parking and cough up \u00a35 for the priviledge.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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We really didn\u2019t expect to have this opportunity.  We looked at tickets 6 weeks ago and it was sold out then.  We wouldn\u2019t have booked it anyway, in a motorhome its difficult to know where you are on a particular day.<\/figcaption><\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n\n
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The 21 arch Glenfinnan Viaduct.  According to the blurb the longest concrete arch span bridge in the world, when the line was opened in 1901.  The Jacobite steam train features as the Hogwart\u2019s Express in the Harry Potter films.<\/figcaption><\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n\n
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