Messing around on trains with my Dad

Wednesday 5th to Saturday 8th September 2018

After a week spent in the fabulous Isles of Orkney I finally caught the ferry back to John O’Groats and waited for the bus to Thurso. The bus was due at 11.35, but when this time came and went there was still no sign of the bus, so as the minutes passed I became increasingly concerned that I would miss my connection with the train in Thurso back to Inverness. At twelve o’clock I could wait no longer and started putting my thumb out for a lift, but after no more than three cars had passed me by I couldn’t believe my eyes when the bus appeared in the distance. Rushing back to the bus stop I caught the bus and sat impatiently as it diverted to every little village between John O’Groats and Thurso so that a thirty minute journey by car took an hour leaving me with just five minutes to catch the train and no idea where to find the station in Thurso. Fortunately, when I asked the bus driver he offered to take me to the station, and at the moment that I ran off the bus and into the station the train was just pulling into the platform. Giving a thumbs up to the bus driver in thanks I got onto the train and was finally able to relax for the four hour journey along the Far North Line all the way to Inverness.

Waiting for me at the station was my Father who had just arrived in Inverness having travelled all day to meet me there. Earlier in the year my Dad had said he wanted to travel on the North Highland railway lines, especially the line that I had just travelled on between Inverness and Wick/Thurso, so I suggested he join me in Scotland to do them. Back in the eighties my Dad and I would often go out on train trips to many places all over the country, but we’d never gone as far north as Inverness as we’d always had to be back home by the end of the day. Now I would get a chance to relive my childhood and mess around on trains with my Dad while exploring the scenic lines of the North Highlands. The following day we set off on our first train trip together in decades as we caught the train heading west over the Scottish watershed, past the mountains of Achnashellach and the Coulin Forest and eventually reached the west coast of Scotland at Kyle of Lochalsh. Dark clouds and rain accompanied us as we passed the mountains, but by the time we reached Kyle the sun was out and there was a stunning view across the channel to Skye, and beyond the bridge to Beinn na Caillich and the other Red Cuillin mountains, who were basking in the sun.

After half an hour in Kyle we got back on the train and headed over the mountains again where the dark clouds and rain lingered before descending once more into the gentler terrain of the east coast until finally returning to Inverness. Since it was still quite early in the afternoon I suggested we hop onto the train towards Aberdeen getting off half way at the town of Keith. The contrast with the mountainous terrain around Achnashellach and the west coast was now even more marked with low hills filling the horizon and farmland covering the landscape. I had never taken this train through Morayshire before and at first appearance there is little that would draw me, although I’m sure if I looked closer I would find some good walking. Actually, two years ago I spent a couple of days walking through the County of Moray on the Speyside Trail, and on that occasion I caught the train from Keith to Aberdeen. Now, my Father and I got off the train at Keith and waited just ten minutes for the train coming the other way to take us all the way back to Inverness.

The following day we got up extra early, too early to get any breakfast at the youth hostel, and caught the train up the Far North Line all the way to Wick. This was the line that my Father had expressed the desire to travel on and now he was finally getting his desire fulfilled. Unfortunately the weather was pretty miserable. While I was in Orkney I had enjoyed glorious sunshine almost every day, but the weather had started to deteriorate the day I left and now we had low cloud and mist for almost the whole of the journey north. I was particularly taken with the terrain around the Kyle of Sutherland, not far from Carbisdale Castle that until recently was a youth hostel. The area is heavily forested so would lend itself to some good woodland walking even though they are mostly conifer plantations. The terrain becomes particularly bleak as the train continues north and enters the blanket bogs of the Flow Country. If a relatively dry route can be found through this amazing area it would be worth my while doing some walking in this bleak, though appealing landscape. Eventually we reached the coastal town of Wick at the end of the line, and once again after a wander around we got back onto the train and headed all the way back along the line to Inverness.

After our third night in Inverness my Father and I finally prepared to head home, but rather than taking the direct route through Perth I thought it would be a good idea to take the scenic route. We got onto a coach in Inverness that took us along the Great Glen beside Loch Ness and Loch Lochy to Fort William where, under the shadow of Ben Nevis, we caught the train along the West Highland Line through spectacular scenery that puts to shame anything that we had seen during the last two days. I have travelled on this line many times and I had no hesitation in taking my Dad along this fabulous stretch of railway. In Glasgow we crossed the city between Queen Street and Central station before continuing our journey home and I left Scotland behind for another year. This was a wonderful way to end my fortnight in Scotland, and a chance to spend some quality time with my Father. When I was a child we spent many days on train trips together and I always look back on them with affection. It was fabulous to be able to share with my Dad the great scenic railways of the Highlands of Scotland where he had never travelled before, and where I have spent many days walking through this awesome scenery and up so many great mountains.