Oh, Monday! I knew you would arrive just as you always do, even after our week of escape and adventure. We were in Scotland, in the Highlands, as far as the Isle of Skye, which was once only a place in a song I sang as a lullaby, and is now somewhere to hold in my head as I fall asleep myself. We have plenty of pictures, we have plans to go back; and that's a mighty fine result for a break planned only a few days before we left.
I didn't take my laptop; but I had my phone and so I was able to jump onto instagram in the evenings, back at the hotel. If you spied my pictures you'll already know that one of my highlights of the week was my discovery that I might be a bit of a trainspotter at heart.
We were driving through swirling Scottish mists one day, past wild countryside and sparkling water, when we suddenly heard alongside us a sound we recognised as a steam train. I've never been close to one moving before. We had caught up with what looked like the real Hogwarts Express - actually the Jacobite train travelling what is known as "the greatest train journey in the world" - heading towards the viaduct it crosses on screen. It steamed along beside the road, we drove beside and it was a strangely moving experience. Once it pulled ahead, then we caught it, it slipped behind the trees, we found it again.
I took photos with my phone - the instagram ones, fast and fun - but soon I realised we were travelling with her and that I had time to get out my camera: these are my pictures. I couldn't resist keeping the car wing mirror in shot, so there I am: trainspotting...
...until the moment when the mist finally came right down and the moor rose up and she disappeared as her smoke hung on in the air..
She was beautiful.
So that's my memo for today. Turns out I like trains. How about you? Anything new? I have a deliciously full to bursting Feedly to fill me in, and I'll catch up as fast as I can. But for now, maybe you'd like to make a memo too? I have links to share from the week before last:
and I'll pick up the rest as I travel through the week. Not on a train. But I can always dream. Anyone else fancy a trip? Have a good week!
24 comments:
what great serendipidy - good to hear you had a lovely holiday and hope you have a good week back home
How fun to ride along side! Can't wait to hear more about your vacation - have a good week.
I know exactly where you are and I have followed that very train. It's interesting that you say you haven't seen a moving steam locomotive before. I was brought up living and breathing steam trains. My father has been and still is a life long steam enthusiast. All our holidays involved following various steam trains across Great Britain and Europe . We had a model railway in the garden. Real live miniature trains that you could ride on. It was actually a great hobby for a dad to have. We were taught that "diesel " was a dirty word! I can smell and hear your pictures from here.
I'm glad you had a great holiday and look forward to more stories and pictures.
I would have done the same! Great photos; glad you had a lovely holiday.
What a fun adventure; like the photos & Hogwarts train you say - oh yes I would have followed & Mr Man would have been driving willingly, he likes trains.
I love steam trains ... happy memories of childhood and also of visiting steam days at the local conservation railway with another steam nut (my late partner). Your photos are brilliant!
Now you know how exciting 40mph photography can be when the subject is that good! I have engine envy, because you can learn this on a Monday. The locomotive at the front is either an engine or locomotive, the whole thing complete with carriages is a train. What makes it go is NEVER a train...................... Aaaah, eeerrrr, hum, OK My name is Ladkyis and I am an locomotive addict. I am also a 40mph photographer
Sounds like a wonderful holiday - well done on getting such great photos. I am married to a rail enthusiast so I am afraid I tend to switch off about trains after a while - he not only works with trains all day it is his hobby too.
I look forward to hearing about the rest of your holiday - particularly the Outlander bit - did you do any stone circles and try to pass through the stones LOL!!
Something romantic and comforting about a steam train, that I really don't blame you. Looks like a wonderful holiday was had xxx
Wonderful photos! The train is amazing. The closest I get to a steam train is when we go to our heritage park every summer and take the old steam train for a 5 minute ride through the park. I still enjoy it every time. We are making our annual trip this Friday. Glad you had a fun holiday. Sometimes things that aren't over planned are the best time.
Glad to hear you had such a lovely time in such a beautiful part of my homeland!...fab pics xx
Looks like you've had a lovely relaxing holiday, what great photos too!
I can still remember taking a steam engine trip between Grosmont to Goathland and reading a Laura Ingalls Wilder book along the way - I must have been about 9 or 10. I can even remember looking out of an open window and feeling a breeze ... ah ... you're sending me back.
[BTW: I assume that line is still running - add it to your hypothetical itinerary for visiting this neck of the woods!]
Looks amazing...course, saw it over at Insta but not in this detail....looks a lovely lush part of the country, too. Lucky you getting to Skye. That must've been amazing :)
I love trains and I've actually travelled on that one! It sounds like you had a really lovely time away x
Beautiful pictures! I went on the train when I was 16 from Los Angeles to Portland, Oregon. It traveled along the coast and then up through the mountains. I was too young at the time to appreciate a lot of the journey; I was alone and terrified! lol Always wanted to take a nice scenic ride through the country somewhere. Loved your post!
what beautiful photos and how could anyone not fall in love with that scenery and that fabulous steam train?
I swear your photos look like something straight out of the 1800's!!! Our trains are rusty old things---not nearly as exciting or interesting.
oh I so enjoyed this post! We live above a train (up on the hill) and it's somewhat magical when it goes by! I say somewhat as it's quite a regular thing so it has migrated to the background...
Glad you had a lovely break. Ours seems so far away, especially as Uni and college terms end so early! Nice to have it still to look forward though.
Oh what a great moment that must have been!
Glad to read you had a grand time in Scotland.
We are enjoying walking from Coast to Coast (Lake District these days)
Oh, I love these photos! How FUN!! Hope you had a great birthday this month. We always fancy a little trip around here & snuck away for a few days last weekend. :)
Oh how fun - last minute trips are often the best somehow due to all the surprises.
That's something I didn't get to see in Scotland, but would have LOVED to! We only made it to the Western Highlands and then not very far. Only so much you can do with a day tour. But I very much enjoyed Duone Castle where Outlander was filmed.
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