Sunday 16 June 2013

Train journey from Kyle of Lochalsh to Inverness


To catch the train at Kyle of Lochalsh we travelled along the length of Loch Ness passing Urquhart Castle en route; the castle was blown up by Government troops in 1689 to prevent it's use by Jacobites.
Nessie didn't put in an appearance for us
Eilan Donnan Castle situated on the cusp of three sea lochs - Long, Duich and Alsh is one of my favourite Scottish castles sitting alone in majestic scenery.
Joined to the mainland by a causeway to prevent it being cut off by tidal waters each day.
The road bridge to the Isle of Skye

"Ferry me across the water,
Do, boatman, do."
"If you've a penny in your purse
I'll ferry you".

"I have a penny in my purse,
And my eyes are blue;
So ferry me across the water,
Do, boatman, do."

"Step into my ferry-boat,
Be they black or blue,
And for the penny in your purse
I'll ferry you."
Christina Rossetti
We crossed over the sea to Skye many years ago, and at that time travel was by ferry only, but since 1995 a new bridge carries you over. When the bridge first opened the toll fee was very expensive but it was removed completely in 2004 following an acrimonious campaign by the locals who found it far too expensive. The island in the middle called Eilan Ban is where Gavin Maxwell lived, author - Ring of Bright water. One of the bridge supports sits on the island.

Ruins of Dunscaith castle, Skye. Originally the castle belonged to the Clan MacDonald of Sleat. 
The clock is ticking, the Kyle of Lochalsh train is ready - back across the bridge on the mainland opposite Skye our departure to Inverness is imminent.

via
Inverness Castle
The train travelled past lochs, hamlets, moors, and mountains before arriving back in Inverness for the onward journey to our hotel and evening meal.
via Dingwall
The man in the wee boat is saying "I think I've caught something."
Artwork by David T. Gray via

54 comments:

  1. I've never been to Scotland unless you count when I was three and remember nothing of the visit. It is one of the places on my to do list. Love the photo with the reflection of the buildings in the loch near the end of this post.
    June

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. It was a last minute decision to include that photo. It had a lot of sky on it, when I chopped the sky a way it improved enormously.

      Delete
  2. Impressive the bridge going to the castle.

    Greetings,
    Filip

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. The castle and its causeway bridge are picture perfect.

      Delete
  3. Thank you so much for sharing this Rosemary. I enjoyed both this and your previous post. That castle near the river is amazing surrounded by that gorgeous nature. I have read about the Isle of Sky many many years ago. That's why at first I was surprised to read there was a bridge to connect the isle with the mainland but then I read it's only been there since 1995. What a wonderful trip you made and the train must have made it even more special.
    Marian

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. It was a very successful trip Marian, the weather being a major factor in making it so lovely - no coats all week was a bonus.

      Delete
  4. Hello Rosemary, That Inverness Castle seems a particularly harmonious and dignified building. The Scottish lochs were popular to photograph in the 19th century, and I have some old views of Loch Ness--I should get out the magnifying glass the next time I come across them, and look for traces of Nessie.
    --Road to Parnassus

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Dear Jim - would love to see your old photos of the Scottish lochs - how about doing a post sometime? The Highlands with its magnificent landscapes, highland cattle and sheep were also very popular subjects with Victorian painters along with painters of fine porcelain.

      Delete
  5. Ohhh rosemary how I wished to be with you on this traintrip. I always thought Scotland was the country with the rain. But on your photo's lovely blue sky's and sunshine. I hope I will be visiting Scotland one day.
    Have a wonderful sunday.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. We were very very lucky Marijke and did not have a single spot of rain. It was also warm - no coats required. Hope that you have the chance to visit one day, and if you do, that you are very very lucky with the weather too.

      Delete
  6. Dear Rosemary,
    More lovely Caledonian photographs!
    Skye is a place I would love to visit. I have only gazed at a bit of it from Mallaig.
    My father always spoke fondly of it. He went there often during the 1950s, for the climbing, and was lucky enough to stay at Dunvegan Castle.
    Bye for now
    Kirk

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. We only went on to Skye briefly Kirk, nice to say you have been. However, we have been there previously many years ago. My eldest son was at school in Scotland and he often went there to climb and do his geology. As I am sure you know Dunvegan Castle is on the far side of Skye.

      Delete
  7. What a nice trip you make, the landscape is so beautiful.
    And are you sure you didn't see nessie?

    Greetings,
    Inge, my choice

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Dear Inge - I did find a little nessie in my bag when I returned home!!!

      Delete
  8. The views are just breath taking, really beautiful.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. The landscape is magical, and you can drive for miles without hardly seeing anyone or a house.

      Delete
  9. These photos bought back such memories of our holiday in Scotland almost a year ago. From visiting Eilan Donnan castle - to going over the bridge to Syke,and staying in a B and B in Inverness with almost the same view as yours of Inverness castle. I hope you had, as good a time as we did. I am now off to relook at our holiday photos.
    Sarah x

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Glad it has bought back good memories for you Sarah - I am going to go and have a look at your photos too as I know that they will be very special. We do know Scotland very well as our eldest son went to school up there, and we lived in Glasgow for 5 years, but it was good to return for a holiday after so many years away.

      Delete
  10. What a beautiful trip, Rosemary! I hope some day I can go there. This is the kind of travel that my husband and me like.

    Marina

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. I do hope you can too Marina - it was a lovely trip with lots and lots of wonderful landscape to catch our breath.

      Delete
  11. What beautiful place on earth, your images make me want to pack my bag ... thank you!

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Thank you Merisi for your very kind comment - do hope that you will visit Scotland at some time in the future.

      Delete
  12. Dear Rosemary,your pictures are so alive!!It's like i'm there!!!!I love Castles and i want to visit Loch Ness and maybe, to see Nessy!!I believe she lives in the lake!!Thank you for sharing all those wonderful images!!
    Dimi..

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Glad you enjoyed the photos Dimi - sadly the only Nessie we saw was the little one I bought back in my suitcase.

      Delete
  13. Dear Rosemary. You are visiting some fantastic places , such wonderful landscapes and castles, and very lucky with the good weather !

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. The weather was a bonus Jane - just one more post before I say farewell to lovely Scotland.

      Delete
  14. I've never been to Scotland, but your photos make me keen to try it!

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. You travel all over the country Nilly and you are almost there from Yorkshire - do give it a try.

      Delete
  15. Dear Rosemary,

    Your inclusion of the photo of Inverness Castle prompted me to read more about it on Wikipedia. It's a handsome structure — too bad there's no admittance, I'm sure the inside is as interesting as the outside.

    I like your photo of the ruins of Dunscaith Castle — a great composition of old and new.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Inverness is a very fine city, the most northerly one in Britain. The river ness flows through it and out into the Moray Firth. I know Aberdeen well, but had only briefly past by Inverness before, and found it an impressive place.

      Delete
  16. I've never been to Scotland too. Your train journey was so fascinating, passing through many different towns and lakes. Great views and castles along the way. I wonder if you had any sunny breaks during this trip? Is it true that it is seldom sunny in Scotland? Wonderful photos Rosemary.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. It was lovely weather all the time we were there. No coats and no rain. The skies normally have plenty of clouds bobbing about due to all the mountains, but we were lucky weatherwise.

      Delete
  17. Beautiful scenery...love the thistles.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Glad you enjoyed seeing the landscape - no thistles here, do you mean the bluebells?

      Delete
  18. It is all so breathtaking and Romantic, Rosemary! Now I have the Skye boat song in my head, which is not such a bad thing, along with the news that there is now a bridge. The maps of your route are very cute indeed, and my absolute favourite photo is the first one, of Urquhart Castle: Gorgeous! thank you for a lovely post.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. So glad you enjoyed the post Patricia - I now have the Skye boat song in my too!!!

      Delete
  19. The photo with the reflection in the water looks like a painting...gorgeous. J

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. I nearly did not include that one Janice - the buildings were too far away and the sky too top heavy. A little bit of cropping - removing the sky completely, then getting in nearer to the water, and voilà.

      Delete
  20. Dear Rosemary, What a beautiful journey! Thank you for including the maps. Helps sort things out. The roundel and that beautifully designed bridge is a winner. ox, Gina

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Thanks Gina - at first I did the bridge photo in the square - the roundel added a much better dimension to it though.

      Delete
  21. Those castles capture the imagination, Rosemary, especially Eilan Donan Castle by the loch.
    I expect there's a lot to interest the historian, a lover of wild life or a photographer/ painter of landscapes. As always your photos are so beautiful and clear because of the light due to good weather.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. We certainly thanked our lucky stars with the weather Linda - Scotland has a very photogenic landscape, and also as you mentioned lots of interest for the historian.

      Delete
  22. Your posts of your trip to Scotland brought back found memories of my vacation there some years go. I want to go again and my HB says we are going to include Sanda Island on our itinerary!

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. That is interesting - I think Sanda Island is just off the Mull of Kintyre. Glad the post bought back memories for you.

      Delete
  23. Wonderful photos. The castles look so romantic in that beautiful scenery. Although it looks peaceful, it's easy to imagine a history of battles and clans, too. A fabulous place to visit.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. You are so right Wendy - it all looks peaceful and lovely now, but centuries ago the Highlands were a continual battleground of clans fighting clans, and battles fought by the Jacobite pretenders to the thrones of England, Scotland and Ireland.

      Delete
  24. Rosemary - Your photos are just gorgeous!! Lucky us! Scotland is high on my list, and perhaps I'll get to visit this fall. Is that the rainy season? We just returned from Sweden and Denmark. Had the best weather, mostly.
    Thank you for these beautiful photos :)

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Hello Loi - pleased that you have had a lovely trip yourself to Sweden and Denmark - more lovely objects winging their way over to you?
      Autumn should be OK in Scotland, and if the weather is good it will look magnificent with the tree colours and the heather.
      PS I am not on Instagram - all I do is blog.

      Delete
  25. I've lost you posts about Scotland but I am reading now, and the rest in the evening dear Rosemary
    (...and yes. I suppose I did fancy a rugged scott with a kilt : D )

    ReplyDelete
  26. Looks very interesting. I have some Scottish ancestry, I should try and get there one day! x

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Having said that, I am now wondering whether or not your ancestors came from Paisley?

      Delete
  27. Absolutely wonderful Rosemary, what a joy to follow your Scottish tour via these stunning, atmospheric photographs. My one and only trip to Loch Ness was in torrential rain which was all rather exciting, I ventured out of the car onto a jetty to see if I could see Nessie but I could barely see more than a few yards because of the weather but I know she was there waving at me with her little webbed hands :)

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. That is a shame Paul - Scotland can be two very different places. The good weather gods were shinning down on us for our trip. Give Scotland another go sometime, you would love it, both the landscape and the castles are wonderful.

      Delete

❖PLEASE NOTE❖ Comments made by those who hide their identity will be deleted


“You can't stay in your corner of the forest waiting for others to come to you - you have to go to them sometimes”

― A.A. Milne, Winnie-the-Pooh