A trip to the North of Scotland by train, May 2023.
In 2017 when the All The Stations team of Geoff Marshall and Vicki Pipe finished visiting all the railway stations in the UK they did so at Wick, at the end of the North of Scotland line. Watching that final episode I had the idea that I wanted to visit Wick by train too. A reason to do so wasn’t required – the journey is the journey.
Fast forward 3 years and booked the leave, booked the hotels, booked the tickets, and was all packed and ready to go. It was 20th March 2020. So that didn’t happen.
Another 3 years on and I thought I’d try again. My previous plan had been to take the Caledonian Sleeper to Inverness, then ScotRail to Wick, stay 2 nights and then come home via Glasgow. Since the only company to actively avoid giving me a refund 3 years ago due to not being able to travel because of the Covid 19 lockdown was Caledonian Sleeper they were definitely not getting another chance to screw me over. Also I have more time now since I don’t have to fit trips around work. From what I’ve since read about the Caledonian Sleeper service it seems to be an expensive lottery of a service with no guarantee of a night’s sleep, or even any hot water.
This time I would take daytime trains and stop over in Edinburgh and Inverness on the way to and from Thurso, where I’d stay the weekend and take a trip to Wick and back on the Saturday. I booked my tickets via GWR not because they are good but because I already have an account with them and had physical tickets delivered by post. Having a Senior Railcard now makes for a slightly less painful bill.
So if anyone is interested in the ramblings of an old man on a train trip here’s how it went, helped by some notes I made on my phone as I went along.
A train trip to Scotland Day 1: 10/05/2023 Home to Edinburgh.
I had by way of deft packing and compression straps managed to get enough stuff for the trip into a 40l backpack. I like to travel light and I like to have both hands free if possible. Also I’ll have a mile walk to and from the station more than once on this trip. Wheelie suitcases are a pain and the handles are never long enough for me to avoid stooping or catching my heels.
The Sandhurst to Reading train was on time for a change. This leg of any trip is always the one that makes me nervous, I’ve had it all go wrong at this stage more than once before and is why I favour flexible tickets over advance singles. The guard actually appeared and checked my ticket, she remarked that I had a long trek ahead and I replied that it had at least started well. At Reading I was to get the 1104 to Paddington but experience has taught me to jump on the first available train, in this case the 1054 from Newbury. Checking later this turned out to be a good move, the 1104 was delayed getting to Reading. Quite normal for GWR.
No problems with the Hammersmith & City Line so I arrived at King’s Cross with plenty of time before my departure on the 1218 Lumo service to Edinburgh. This was my first experience of a Lumo train and it was a positive one. Their baggage restriction wasn’t going to affect me but thankfully does put off those who cannot travel without taking the entire contents of their home with them. Although I was in a window seat at a table I was a bit hemmed in by the mobile office crowd with their laptops open and plugged in, charging cables tangled round all our feet, even when most of the time they were scrolling on their phones. It’s a bloody long way to Edinburgh but just north of York we were welcomed to “The North '' by a torrential downpour. I hoped this wasn’t to be a foretaste of things to come. We arrived on time at Edinburgh Waverley at 1641.
It was easy enough to find the Terrace Hotel although I’d not registered that the route from the station was up and over Carlton Hill and I’d forgotten what a big lump that is to climb over. From the info on booking.com I’d been a little concerned that the hotel was still in full COVID19 mode but it was OK. The restaurant was still closed, not that I usually eat in the hotel, and a selection of (not cooked) breakfast items could be ordered and would magically appear in the early hours in a paper bag outside your door. The building itself is part of Royal terrace built between 1823 and the early 1830s and reputedly the longest Georgian terrace in Europe. It’s within the Edinburgh New Town UNESCO World Heritage Site. What that really means is there’s no lift and you’re on the top floor. It’s nice though and quite relaxed, you’re given the room and front door keys and told to just leave them on the table in reception when you check out. I had a twin room with a huge bathroom with a skylight. Also free WiFi that doesn’t require you to hand over all your personal data. I did have to turn off the heating mind you – it is nearly Summer!
Later I walked back to the city centre to find somewhere to eat but it was pretty packed with overseas tourists. Decided nothing more adventurous than KFC would have to do. Walked out of the city to Abbeyhill where it was quieter and to the Artisan’s Bar where a pint of cask Loch Lomond could be had for only £4.30. So I had two and then retired to my hotel bed.
A train trip to Scotland Day 2: 11/05/2023 Edinburgh to Inverness.
I had a disturbed night’s sleep, nothing to do with the hotel or the bed which were fine but a week or so ago I did something to my shoulder and last night it decided to give me gyp. Getting older sucks.
I ate my breakfast, keeping back a couple of things for the journey then showered, packed, and checked out with plenty of time to walk to Waverley station. With time in hand I was able to climb to the top of Carlton hill and get some photos in the bright morning sunshine. The air was clear and you could see a long way from the top. Coming down the other side I faced several busloads of German tourists climbing up from the city. I found a seat in Princes Street Gardens by Walter Scott’s monument to wait until it was time to go and get the train. Here I could watch a succession of young ladies from the far East posing for Instagram snaps. I took the opportunity to use the station loo before getting on the train, coming out of the gents I was halted by some utter cockwomble trying to wheel his huge fat-tyred electric mountain bike into the toilets. What is it with cyclists? Does the constant battering by the saddle damage their brains?
The platform number for the 1033 to Inverness wasn’t announced until 10 minutes before it was due to depart, even though the train was standing at the platform, which resulted in a rush to the ticket barriers as everyone tried to get through. Then we all stood and waited another 5 minutes before then opened the train doors so then there was a scramble onto the train. I bagged a priority seat for legroom purposes, window side but facing backwards. We departed at 1040, perhaps they should have let us on board earlier and could have left on time. Away from Edinburgh the scenery just got better and better and the train was pretty quiet making for a pleasant journey. Managed to spot the surreal looking Falkirk Wheel canal boat lift some way off from the railway.Sitting on a train watching the scenery pass and listening to podcasts is a nice way to travel. The sun stayed shining and yet there were still patches of snow on the tops and upper slopes of the Cairngorms. It stayed bright until about half an hour from Inverness when everything went grey and Scotland disappeared into the mist. By the time we got to Inverness seven minutes late the mist had cleared to be replaced by overcast clouds and a cool breeze.
Premier Inn Inverness Central is a bit of a misnomer being nearly a mile walk from the station and not wanting to walk back and forth too many times I got something to eat for tea and a couple of beers on the way to the hotel. Premier Inn now has self check-in terminals in the reception but I gave that a miss as one couple were already fighting it and when they’d finished they still had to join the queue anyway. Not sure what the point of those is if you end up queueing twice. I was given a ground floor room at the back away from the busy road. It was 1630 and my lack of sleep was catching up so I had a cup of tea and then decided on a short nap. Woke up 90 minutes later. Had some food and a couple of beers in front of the TV and then turned in. Slept like a log.
Part Two to follow, Inverness to Thurso, the Far North.
Here’s the Flickr Album with all the photos (249) that I took on the trip.
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