Caledonian Sleeper / Where To Travel In Scotland

[Dudds]

Hi,

As a treat for my son, I'm planning a trip on the Caledonian Sleeper - probably as far as Fort William. (We live on the south coast so will be an epic outing for him.) I'm planning on staying in Scotland for a couple of days before taking the same back south again - does anyone have any recommendations for the most striking rail journey(s) in Scotland to take while we're there? He loves modern electric or diesel as much as heritage steam - and I'd be happy with a view to look at while drinking a coffee!

Any help much appreciated, and many thanks in advance.

 

[Dhassell]

Fort William to mallaig on The Jacobite?
http://www.westcoastrailways.co.uk/jacobite/jacobite-steam-train-details.cfm

 

[simonw]

Hi,

As a treat for my son, I'm planning a trip on the Caledonian Sleeper - probably as far as Fort William. (We live on the south coast so will be an epic outing for him.) I'm planning on staying in Scotland for a couple of days before taking the same back south again - does anyone have any recommendations for the most striking rail journey(s) in Scotland to take while we're there? He loves modern electric or diesel as much as heritage steam - and I'd be happy with a view to look at while drinking a coffee!

Any help much appreciated, and many thanks in advance.

If you go to Fort William you are slightly limited as its a fair old journey from there to anywhere apart from Mallaig and Oban.

 

[backontrack]

Have you already booked the tickets? If not, then, asking some of the fare advisors, would it be possibly to:

-Head up to Fort William on the sleeper
-Catch the Jacobite to Mallaig
-Ferry over to Armadale (Skye)
-Bus to Kyle of Localsh
-Train to Inverness over the Kyle Line
-Sleeper from Inverness to London

...?

 

[IKB]

Have you already booked the tickets? If not, then, asking some of the fare advisors, would it be possibly to:

-Head up to Fort William on the sleeper
-Catch the Jacobite to Mallaig
-Ferry over to Armadale (Skye)
-Bus to Kyle of Localsh
-Train to Inverness over the Kyle Line
-Sleeper from Inverness to London

...?

^ That's a pretty good shout.

The latter stages of the sleeper to Fort William are very picturesque. If you're up by 0730 you'll see the best of it from the lounge car.

If based in Fort William then you're rather limited to the trip to Mallaig. If you travel May onwards the steam Jacobite will be running. (If on a budget, the Premier Inn is only £35/£45 mid week and is very close to the railway station, just across the road from Morrisons car park).

Kyle to Inverness also a great journey.

Both Fort Bill and Inverness stations have left luggage lockers that are £5 for 24 hours - very handy if you've check out of your accommodation but want to explore before your train departs.

I'd recommend looking at these links:

http://seat61.com/CaledonianSleepers.htm#.VxFUX3i6Xww
http://seat61.com/deerstalker.htm#.VxFUcni6Xww
http://seat61.com/WestHighlandLine.htm#.VxFUk3i6Xww

Not sure where you live on the south coast, but the Thameslink stop at Kings Cross-St Pancras is very handy for the short walk to Euston. Anything to save going on the tube!

 

[30907]

The Skye circular probably works best with an overnight at Mallaig/Skye/Kyle. If you spend both nights there, you are a bit light on rail options for the intermediate day though!

A variant might be to spend the second night in Inverness, then catch the Chieftain to Edinburgh, do the Borders line and then the Fife Circle class 68 working before using the Lowland Sleeper south.

 

[backontrack]

Not sure where you live on the south coast, but the Thameslink stop at Kings Cross-St Pancras is very handy for the short walk to Euston. Anything to save going on the tube!

To add further to this, it's quicker to get from St Pancras to Euston by heading down Brill Place, Phoenix Road and Eversholt Street. Credit for the map goes to yorkie.

https://www.google.com/maps/dir/51....3m2!1e3!4b1!4m6!4m5!1m1!4e1!1m1!4e1!3e2?hl=en

This saves you a trek down a busy road with loads of people. It's much easier. The full route is open to pedestrians (it's also signposted with green footprints), it's just cars that have to go the long way round down Ossulston St. You can actually see Euston from the St. Pancras end - head for the Midland Road exit, then north to Brill Place, turn left down Brill Place and keep walking. Then, once you reach the end of the road, turn right to get to the zebra crossing, cross the road, then turn left and walk down Eversholt St until you reach the stairs for Euston station. You're there!

 

[Dudds]

Ok ... I'm not sure who to thank first! Thank you SO much everyone for responding - I am now searching through info, maps and dates. Really, really appreciate the help - more than I was expecting!

 

[Crossover]

Basically anything North of the Suburbs of Glasgow/Edinburgh is pretty good scenery wise (but not for mobile data!)

Having done Kyle, Oban, Wick/Thurso and Mallaig in the last 12 months, I can probably recommend them all in one way or another. Wick/Thurso is a long journey and there is only one way back. A few of us did the round trip of Edinburgh - Aberdeen - Inverness - Kyle - Day on Skye - Ferry from Armadale - Mallaig - Fort Bill - Glasgow last summer and I can definitely recommend it

 

[backontrack]

Ok ... I'm not sure who to thank first! Thank you SO much everyone for responding - I am now searching through info, maps and dates. Really, really appreciate the help - more than I was expecting!

You're welcome.

 

[James Wake]

I would echo any sentiments to do the Skye Circular, it was stunning when I did it.

I overnighted in Inverness, started at 0855 and ended up back in Glasgow at 2130.