Scotland Road Trip | Day 12 & 13, Eilean Donan Castle, Fort William and the Jacobite Train

So look: It’s been seven years since I failed to finish writing about this trip. After Fort William, we headed straight to a whirlwind three days in London, then back home and back to work, but not back to the vacation blog. Well, I’m coming back to it now, but it’s going to be fuzzy on details for obvious reasons. Also, keep in mind that most of these photos were taken on very old iPhones!

Day 12: Eileen Donan Castle, Fort William, Neptune’s Staircase, Gluten-free Fish and Chips
We had to leave everyone’s favorite place – the Isle of Skye. The world is a big place and there’s lots to see, but I wouldn’t mind seeing Isle of Skye again some day.

On our way to Fort William (it’s just about a 2.5 hour drive without stops) we stopped by yet another castle: Eilean Donan Castle which may look familiar because it’s a popular movie location. Perhaps most famously, this castle appeared in the James Bond film, The World is Not Enough. Goodness, look how young we were!

We later arrived at our adorable little B&B situated just on River Nevis. If I remember correctly, we relaxed on their beautiful grounds for a little while…

…before heading out to see Neptune’s Staircase – a flight of eight locks on the Caledonian Canal. Perhaps what was most shocking about this canal was the lack of fencing or walls so that anyone might fall in at any time. By now, we are used to the fact that Europeans don’t take nearly as many safety precautions as we do in the USA. And before you decide that they care less about people’s safety than we do, remember, it likely has more to do with Americans’ propensity to sue for damages when something goes wrong, than anything else.

Something we really loved about Fort William was the take-away spot offering gluten-free fish and chips! I still remember driving around the town trying to find the little shop. I can’t be 100% sure, but I think it was Sammy’s Fish and Chip Shop. We had to wait a bit for our order so we drove around and ended up in a little neighborhood park where we saw a beautiful sunset. The apartment buildings nearby all had little yards enclosed by chain-link fences and it seemed that every other yard had a trampoline. Apparently, in 2016, trampolines were all the rage in Fort William, Scotland.

While we were stopped in our car, a little blonde haired, freckled boy came up to the driver side door and, in what was to us a perfect Scottish accent, said, “Excuse me, sir. Have you lost your dog?” In that moment, it was as if every Scottish and British stereotype I’d ever encountered surfaced in my mind and, because I couldn’t see the boy very well from my side of the car, I immediately envisioned a fair-haired, freckle-faced little boy in a green plaid jacket and breeches. I still remember him that way! For reasons unknown to us all, rather than immediately saying “no,” Doug asked the boy, “What kind of dog?” As if this dog could, in any way, be ours! The boy responded, “I don’t know. A terrier?” Well, of course, a terrier, what else! It was then that Doug said “no” and we went on our way. Somehow, it was one of the most memorable moments of our trip. Looking back, I think it was perhaps the most authentic interaction with locals we had throughout the whole trip. We still quote the exchange and laugh about it today!

We ended our evening enjoying our genuine UK fish & chips back at the B&B.

Day 13: Time to ride the Hogwart’s Express! (otherwise known as the Jacobite Steam Train)

Thanks to Harry Potter, the Jacobite Steam Train is probably one the most recognizable trains in the world. That’s because the Hogwart’s Express that you see in the Harry Potter movies is, in fact, the Jacobite Steam Train traversing the Glenfinnan Viaduct in Scotland. The train runs the 84-mile stretch separating Fort William from Mallaig on the West Highland Railway Line, and is marketed as “the greatest railway journey in the world.”

I can’t attest to the truth of that claim as I have not ridden nearly enough trains but I can say that it was a major highlight of our trip, and not just because of Harry Potter. First, we got to ride a genuine steam train. Second, the views along the way were stunning, allowing us to see parts of Scotland we wouldn’t otherwise have seen. And finally, our visit to Mallaig was delightful.

Some things about the Jacobite Train that might be helpful to know:

1. The train is not air conditioned! On the day of our trip we had what many would consider perfect weather – sunny skies and low humidity at about 75 degrees. That coupled with our relative inexperience with steam trains, and well…let’s just say we did not anticipate the sweltering, suffocating, metal coffin that our train car would become.

The worst period of time was between boarding and departure. We took turns stepping outside to cool down, but there was little relief. Once the train started moving there was some improvement as the wind blew through the open windows, but it took quite a while for the car to cool down. For the first 20 minutes or so of the trip, my mother-in-law and I stood in the alcove by the car door because at the time that window wasn’t in direct sunlight and there was stronger breeze. It was BRUTAL. So my advice: even on a cool day the sun will heat up that train so dress in layers, bring ICE cold drinks with you, and anything else that helps you stay cool!

2. This steam engine is powered by coal (although now, in the summer of 2023, Scotland is going through a dangerously dry period so the train is temporarily being powered by a diesel locomotive). When running on coal, “firemen on these locomotives shovel about 3.5 tonnes of coal on each Jacobite trip.” This means that at some point during your ride, ash will likely fly in your window, your hair, your mouth, your eyes, your food. It’s no big deal. All just part of the experience really. But maybe don’t wear white. (The saddest thing about writing this post seven years later is that we have misplaced the hard drive with the photos Doug took on his camera. I know we have pictures of the men shoveling coal somewhere!)

3. There are all sorts of hints and tips for getting that famous shot of the train going over the viaduct. The ones we found most helpful are:
• Sit on the left side of the train heading to Mallaig and the right side of the train heading back.
• Choose a car around the middle of the train so you can capture the engine in the photo.
• Take your shot through an open window. (Hold on tight to your device!)
• Be warned: There will be swarms of people with cameras jostling through the same windows for the same shot! (see photos below) There’s not much you can do about this but if you get in place early, and if you’re really committed, you just may be able to get a shot without a dozen other cameras in your photo. (see photo above)
• Some of us used the window in the train car door (see Doug below) as it was a bit less crowded and there are no seats or tables in the way. He did have to stake out that spot early and he was also kind enough to share it with others when asked. This was also the spot where my mother-in-law and I stayed cool on the first part of the outbound trip.

4. Even if you don’t care a wit about Harry Potter, the views on this ride are stunning!

5. The train stops at Glenfinnan Station giving you enough time to stretch your legs, visit the little gift shop, and take some photos.

6. Like anywhere in Scotland, the weather varies! In Mallaig, the skies were a bit overcast and the temperature much cooler than in Fort William. (And MUCH MUCH cooler than our first hour on the train!) In fact, it was cold enough for us to order hot chocolate! Again: LAYERS are your friend.

7. The Tea Garden Cafe in Mallaig is an adorable little place to grab a bite. We sat outdoors on a little terrace surrounded by flowers in bloom. My favorite part of the meal was the hot cocoa. They brought us hot milk in a glass and solid chocolate on a popsicle stick. We were then instructed to swirl the chocolate in the milk until it melted. What fun! And so delicious!!!

Our return trip was much more comfortable, very relaxing, and just a beautiful. No, it is not dark out in the photos below. We are in a tunnel! It was August and still light out in the late afternoons in Scotland.

I don’t remember much about the evening. We did walk around Fort William a bit, grabbed a bite to eat and did some shopping. Then I suppose we were quite busy getting ready for our drive to London the next morning.

All in all, we really enjoyed our time in Fort William, and we all HIGHLY recommend riding the Jacobite Steam Train!

From here we headed to London for an absolutely crazy, but awesome three days. More to come on that…probably…