9th to 11th of May, 2017.
We wanted to go to: Inverness (and check our beloved Nessy) and Fort William (it is a quite important old town and it is in the middle of the way) and Glenfinann (the town of the magic scenery of Harry Potter: the viaduct from which the Hogwarts Express pass all the time). We all were with a low budget but we decided we would make it.
The girls paid fifty Pounds each to Callum drive us there (before we had decided to go together, I had bought a bus ticket at thirty Pounds coast, so de girls lovely decided to pay the amount to Callum). We would sleep in a train station or something, to save the hostel money (because the places around are all too expensive) and we would come back by hitchhiking.
First step: Inverness. We walked around to see the town, the Inverness Castle (with a gorgeous view from the bridge) and some beautiful old churches. After discovery that the train station would be closed very early, we decided go to the McDonald’s and get some connection to plan our trip a little. We had some coffee and enjoyed the rest of French fries that some other customers left. We went back to the station and stay there with the hope they left us overnight. There was just the three of us and another guy. A lady starts to clean. At some point she came to all of us and said she had to close at midnight. The guy left. We start to put in all our clothes because we knew that outside it was freezing. We would freeze. But when we where almost leaving, the wonderful lady came to us again and said she would left us stay in the waiting room, where she even turn on the hitter! (actually it was an old on so he have to press a button each two minutes but still…) Plus, in the middle of the night she unlock the bathroom for us because we really needed to use. That wonderful person save us that night!
Very early in the morning, after buy some markers and ask for some cardboard to make our beautiful sigh with a cute Nessy on it, we start to hitchhiking. When we fought it could be difficult because the road was not quite good, a very nice young couple stooped for us. Actually, it was not that far as Google had told us. At least this point, where there is the warn saying Loch Ness, is totally possible to walk from the town, maybe one hour or more. We stay there for a while, just appreciating the view and enjoying the feeling to be in one of the most famous and mysterious places on Earth. That feeling is so fucking good.
Next stop: Fort William. Again, the road was suck. Almost no cars coming. But it did not take us to much time until a nice old man, who was working in a construction in the way to Fort William, stop his pick up to us. He left us in a such better place. Some shops and a restaurant. After some minutes, this really charming man stopped. He was going even further our destination so he could drop us there. In the way he told us had done a lot of hichhiking before he get married. He even admit that maybe if he could back in time he would rather keep travelling than get married. It was so funny when a few minutes after he said that, his wife call him. Unfortunately, Fort William was not that far (laugh) so we say good bye to the charming man.
You can totally go around the town by foot. The sighs are not that far and you ended up with a nice walk with such a great view of the Ben Nevis Mountain. So you can follow our steps if, as us, you do not have money. And of course you can enjoy a little more if you have more time and had some proper food. We went to see the Ben Nevis Distillery, very popular, but you have to pay to go inside and enjoy a little degustation tour. From there, you can go to the Inverlochy Castle Hotel, which is a beautiful place, that you can visit, but you might also try to go not from the front of the castle but from another way in the back, where you can take some good pictures with the lake view. Once we were in there, I decided go inside and ask how much it coasted the most expensive room. The attendant it was such a gentleman and treat us very well, even that looked obvious we were not potential guests. He even gave me a pretty nice book with all the similar castles around Scotland. The Old Castle is actually a real one, well, the ruins, of course. It is free! Oh! Such a nice place, with a nice back view with a old bridge (where the train is still passing) and the river. For us that it was it. But if you can and want, you can do a hiking on the Ben Nevis Mountain. I think could be wonderful. It is very popular.
After our last horrible night, we decided to gave up of a couple of Pounds and to have a good night of sleep. Of course, if you plained you trip well, you can totally find a better solution, like make camping in any place of that beautiful landscape. Just be award to bring some food to cook or to buy somewhere in town before you take the road to Glenfinnan. We could not find any store. We choose the cheapest hostel in the way to Glenfinnan, Chase the Wild Goose, and ordered the cheapest food: pizza. In the morning, after having breakfast and I had made some food reservation for us, we left.
We left too late, around 9.30p.m. If you decide to do the same plan, please leave very early, maximum at 8 o’clock. Why, Lei? Well, if you are going to Glenfinnan not just because of the history but also because of Harry Potter, you cannot miss the Hogwarts Express, which pass just two times per day: at 11 o’clock in the morning (when it is leaving) and at 3 o’clock in the afternoon (when it coming back). Of course you can also pay the ticket and take the actual train. But since you are not going to Hogwarts anyway, I really do not think it worth it. Go for the view! So, you will hichhiking from to the Glenfinnan Monument (is how it is called), which will be in your left and the Glenfinnan Viaduct is in your right, so you must have a good margin of time.
Now, a very important information: you have three options (at least) to see the train. First of all, you climb a small mountain, the trail starts just beside the Coffee shop, and when you hit the top of the mountain you can watch the train from there. Second of all, once in the mountain, you can keep walking, climbing down now, and in a while, 20 minutes maybe, you will be very close to the viaduct. Third of all, you can find a trail, just after the bridge, about four hundred metres from the Coffee house, and then have the best view of the train to take a good whole scenery picture. But be warned: pay attention because there are two trails: take it the second one, you will be able to follow it with your eyes and see that it cross under the viaduct. If you take the first one, you will also get in there but you will have to cross the small river.
For us, it was a bit fail. First, we climb the mountain. Once in there, me and Georgina get disappointed with the view. Checking the time we decided it worth it going back, left our bags in the Coffee shop (to be able to run faster), and take the trail (which we could see from the mountain). Unfortunately, we took the wrong trail, and ended up on the small river. I took my shoes of and crossed but Georgina could not. She said I should go (that it was a sad movie scene) and I ran. But before I get close enough the train passed. It was 10.45a.m. I was able to take a picture but the feeling was not good and I was sad for Georgina had not made it. So we talk and decided we would wait for when it would come back. Luckily we had a lot of time to come back before it gets dark, so why not? Naz it was not to much interested, so she went to do some other castle and old trails. Me and Georgina went to the Coffee shop, ordered a coffee to have it with our stock food and made it a plan. Each one decided took a place: I choose be on the ground after the mountain and she choose the trail. At the end, I think both of us were very happy with the results.
From the Monument we need a small ride until the busy road which would lead us back to Glasgow. We start to ask for rides on the parking and I was so happy when I got one! A French couple drive us all the way to the road. Once in there, after a while a nice woman with her daughter and a cat stopped for us.
She was this adorable lady, with a lot of knowledge about the region and Scotland in general. After let her daughter at home, she drive us a little around, telling us some nice stories and showing us some places where they filmed some scenes from Harry Potter. She was there by the time. So lucky! At the end, she was not going to Glasgow but left us in a good place to hitch.
It was so could that we could almost no handle keep our arms and thumbs up. After a while, a nice couple from Asia stopped for us and they were going to Glasgow. Almost unbelievable! The girls ask them for a little detour and they dropped them in Stirling City. For me, they just left me very near to Callum’s house, at George Bridge.
After all, even that we had some difficulties, we had such a great time with a lot of funny moments and very good memories.