The Hogwarts Express

Fort William maybe the outdoor capital of the United Kingdom – it might host every one of the nation’s mountain climbers – every one of its long-distance trampers - its endurance road cyclists – the majority of its sea kayakers – every aspiring mountain biker – every skier BUT - for the kids it is the place you get to ride on the Hogwarts Express! – The Jacobite from Fort William and return over the famous Glenfinnan Viaduct.

You could be forgiven for believing that this was the actual train that conveyed Harry to school but a closer reading of the material indicates that this might be just a slight overstatement of reality!

The Jacobite lists its attractions like this:

Bernie is instructed by Matilda to "take a lot of photos Nonna" - as it turns out we deem it more important the Nonna appear in the photos in place of Harry.

The promoters claim that someone else has claimed that it is the greatest railway journey in world -  on arrival at the station, I was not sure if the crowds that queue for tickets for every trip are there because of the journey's reputation or because of the inherent magnificence of the journey itself or because they or their children or their grandchildren or some other acquaintance are Harry Potter "tragics" - after taking the trip I am inclined towards the latter!

The reality is that it is an exceedingly pleasant experience - the scenery is lovely - the trip sufficiently long to be enjoyable without being so long as to induce boredom.

Do my comments about the trip sound a little restrained? - My sense is that in common with many other tourist endeavours that have some significant marketing advantage, this tourist phenomenon  is showing the first signs of becoming fat and lazy! -why so? - windows that are dirty - booking arrangements that ensure premium seats go to Abercrombie and Finch type premium tour groups creating a reality that for most people their is no such option as first class or selected seats - gift shops clearly aimed at captive parents and grandparents that sell Potter memorabilia at exorbitant prices -  not that we chose the 10 pound high tea option but were still a little shocked to find it distributed as a boxed lunch served on the train immediately following the mid-trip extended lunch break at Mallaig.

To end on a positive note - the trip is a pleasant experience - the reality though, is that the trip itself may well be better experienced by joining the multitude of walkers, riders and hire-car pilots who adopted roadside vantage points to photograph the train as it made it way through magnificent scenery - scenery that was clouded for the passengers by windows in need of the attention of an appropriately skilled window clearer - certainly the crowds that took up photography position as the train passed over the Glenfinnan viaduct were significant -

We are out and about in Fort William at around 6.00 in search of sustenance - we smile as we sit and watch trampers and cyclists who have clearly just finished their day's chosen adventure - the riders are bearing muscles that that are hurting to such an extent that the pain has driven any trace of a smile from their faces - the trampers put one foot in from of the other - as each foot heads to make contact with the ground its owner causes its speed of descent to decrease rapidly - it pauses just above the ground - it is then lowered until contact is established - as contact is established the trampers face twists into a shape that is not reflective of joy and contentment.