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ABOARD THE ROYAL SCOTSMAN
By Carolan Nathan
And the journey begins - from the charm of a bygone age as represented by the Balmoral Hotel, an elegant Victorian hotel situate at the tip of Princes Street in Edinburgh, we are taxied to Waverly Station, one of the great rail stations built during the era of Queen Victoria, its painted steel girders reaching high across the wide and many tracks. Here, with much aplomb and a resounding Bagpipe salute, we are piped on board the Royal Scotsman by a kilted piper in full Highland regalia to experience a revival of the romantic age of railway travel. This regal train decked out in Edwardian splendour but with all the modern facilities of the 20th century is the finest way to tour Scotland and England.
Day One
I stood on the observation deck with the wind whistling through my hair and watched Edinburgh disappear behind me. The rail track ran straight and true and stretched as far as the eye could see from the point we had emerged from deep in Waverly Station. Gradually the track narrowed down four tracks and always the wheels meeting the steel rails made their own sound, clackety clack, clackety clack, an insistent greeting 'welcome aboard, welcome aboard' The further away from the city and its suburbs, the greener and more verdant the foliage and grass, and, in the distance, undulating mountains threw purpled shadows blending against the brightness of an early Autumn sun. Nature surely endowed this land with a loving hand. Even man's contribution has been kind and he has built with lovely pale grey stone in a most picturesque manner.
The tracks narrow down to two and on the Observation Deck protected by the overhang, those of us brave enough to defy the wind are served wine and appetizers and watch the ever changing scenery of the Clyde estuary, its sand flats inhabited by white winged gulls. The shining waters of Loch Lowe and Loch Lomond with a view of Ben Arthur, its distinctive peak set amidst deeply bosomed hills and the breathtaking forests of trees with their multi-varied foliages in colours ranging from pale mist grey to deep glossy green, the last heather bravely facing the cooler temperatures as Autumn comes to this bright and shining land.
In the afternoon we arrived at Dalmally and disembarked to visit Inverawe Smokehouse. This family-run Smokery is situate on the West Coast of Scotland amongst the great Highland mountains overlooking the lower reaches of the River Awe. Here Robert Campbell-Preston took us through the many stages of salmon curing, from the slicing of the locally caught fish to the last stages of smoking using the old-world traditional and not the modern time-saving kilns. Afterwards we were invited to the Campbell-Preston's fascinating 17th century Scottish manorhouse to sample the many delicate varieties of sliced smoked salmon, trout and a variety of delicate pates accompanied by wine.
We returned to the train for dinner and later were entertained by accordianist, Paddy Shaw, singing grand Scottish ballads. Around midnight we sleepily returned to our staterooms and spend a quiet night stabled at Taynuilt.
Day 2
Early in the morning the train pulled out and outside my window pale, ghostly branches poked out of the mist as darkness gave way to a watery dawn. Over the hills the early sun reflected off water falling down the steeply wooded hills and burned away the last vestiges of morning mist. The train clacked on following the narrow shelf carved in the hillside between the slopes of Ben Cruachan and the River Awe. Time for breakfast and truly 'twas a pleasure munching on hot brown toast and freshly cooked kippers, their glistening scales reflecting the sunlight streaming through the windows of the train as it huffed and puffed past Stirling with its magnificent Royal Castle dominating the surrounding countryside, the site of the Battle of Bannockburn, and the monument to William Wallace.
We pulled into Perth station mid-morning and disembarked to visit St. John's Kirk which dates from 1128. This quite awesome church was at the epicenter of the Reformation when John Knox and his fellow Protestants changed the country from Catholicism and vast schisms broke the already delicate balance of power between the many Clans and the battle-scarred countryside of Scotland. Returning to Perth station, we were once again greeted with an assortment of drinks before boarding the train for a light lunch.
A word about the head chef, John Paul Burns who creates such heavenly food aboard the Royal Scotsman. In 1994 he became first Head Chef at Newmiln Country House Hotel where he received 3 Rosettes and runner-up in "Taste of Scotland /MacAllan Country House Hotel of the Year 1996." Now he is preparing sublime cuisine aboard the Royal Scotsman using fresh, local produce purchased at the train's stopping points and keeps on board a fine, select stock of wines and liquors - all adding to the sensory pleasures of the guests.
We journey north passing Dunkeld, the beginning of the Highlands, set in Birnam village and immortalized by Shakespeare in his play 'Macbeth'. Catching glimpses of Blair Castle as we pass Blair Atholl, the train seems to fly through Dalwhinnie and Aviemore, thro glens where the cold waters of the burns flow unceasingly into great lochs and the purple hills blend into gold-tipped clouds, to disembark and visit Ballindalloch, one of Scotland's most romantic castles. Set in the magnificent surroundings of the Spey Valley, this castle has been completely refurbished by the owners, the Macpherson-Grants, whose ancestors have lived here continuously since 1546. Although Highlanders, they did not support the cause of Bonnie Prince Charlie and thus escaped the ravages of war. We were taken on an extensive tour of the castle by the irrepressible Lady Macpherson-Grant and, of course, a ghost, the Green Lady, which yours truly did not see! Ballindalloch is also where the famous Aberdeen Angus cattle are bred. The Royal Scotsman that night was stabled at Boat of Garten on the private Strathspey Railway.
Formal dining was the order of the evening and at cocktails a little later, the men came gloriously turned out in black tie, some wearing their Scottish kilts with all the accoutrements.
Day 3
We board our motor coach to visit Highland Wildlife Park located in Kincraig, Inverness-shire in 260 acres of the beautiful Strathspey. Our guide discourses about the differerent birds and animals, some now extinct in the wild, who roam freely in the Park run by the Royal Zoological Society.
Now the train heads north up the central valleys of Scotland to Inverness and we catch glimpses of the beautiful waters of the Moray Firth. We are making our way west to Kyle of Lochalsh on what has been named the most scenic route in the British Isles, passing through Dingwall, Garve and the Torridon Mountains so ancient they contain no fossils. We climb to Luib summit and marvel at the green-gold foliage of Achnashellach forest before arriving at Strathcarron where we disembark to visit Eilean Donan Castle. This incredibly old stronghold perched on a rocky promontory since the 7th century was used in the making of Highlander. It played a significant role during the Jacobite Rebellion when the Highland Clans with Charlie Stuart at their head marched through Scotland into England 'til they gave up, turned back and were defeated at Culloden near Inverness back in the 1700's.
We rejoin the Royal Scotsman at Kyle to stable overnight. Once again attire is formal and over cocktails before dinner, the guests chat about the many interesting sights and sounds they have experienced during the day's adventures. Mary Strach, a local lady, entertains us with her clarsach - an ancient Scottish instrument - in the Observation car.
Day 4
The next morning we board our motorcoach which takes us over the bridge to 'the Misty Isle" of Skye which is the largest island in the Inner Hebrides. We visit the ancestral home of the Clan Macdonald, Kinloch Lodge, and are entertained by Lady Macdonald, a well-known writer and chef. She treats us to a gourmet cookery demonstration and has us in peels of laughter as she stresses the use of whole milk, cream and everything that is a no-no to those who have been brainwashed by media advertising that low-fat is best. Even the most-hardy advocate of tasteless, fat-free food had to smile when she bit into the iced Honey and Whisky Creams.
We return to the mainland passing the towering mountains of Crullen with its outcroppings of volcanic basalt which gleam when the sun strikes. Everyone makes a dash to shop in Kyle, tartan skirts and scarves, whiskey and Scottish marmelade, silver pins and Celtic jewellery being the order of the day! After lunch we journey through the central valleys of Scotland, past low hills with rock-girded streams flowing alongside the railway tracks. Later that afternoon we visit Strathisla Distillery, a traditional working Highland distillery, home of Chivas Regal, and sample some of the fine single malts and other whiskeys.
Dinner that evening aboard the Royal Scotsman is slightly sad as we know we shall be leaving this magical ride the next morning. The train heads south in utter darkness to Aberdeen, the University city of Scotland, then we follow the coast through Stonehaven and Montrose before reaching Arbroath and stable overnight at Perth.
Day 5
Early the train pulls out and we travel past the great Forth Railway Bridge with its concrete pilings and silvered loops reflecting the rays of the sun as it straddles the Firth of Forth. Then, as if blessed by an unseen hand, a double rainbow appears, seemingly starting out of the Loch touching over my head as I spend my last few minutes on the Observation Deck to catch again the spirit of Scotland before we steam into Edinburgh Waverly station and disembark.
Information and Reservations:
Great Scottish & Western Railway Co. Ltd.
Tel: 01144131 55 1021 (UK)
Abercrombie & Kent
Tel: 800 323 7308 (USA)
British Airways fly direct from London Heathrow
To Edinburgh Airport
1-800-AIRWAYS
InveraweSmokehouses
Nr Taynuilt, Argyll, PA35 1HU
Tel: 1866 822446 Fax: 1 866 822274
email: info@inverawe.co.uk
Ballindalloch Castle
Banffshire, Scotland AB37 9AX
Tel: 1 807 500206 Fax: 1 807 500210
Eilean Donan Castle & Visitor Centre
Tel: 1 599 55 202
Strathisla Distillery
Union Street
Strathisla
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