Week 28 - Fort William and Oban!

 This week I have been enjoying a week off and Adam and I have travelled to Fort William for 4 nights and Oban for 2, to explore some of Scotland before our placements end next week! 

We set off on Sunday morning following the route through Glencoe to catch a glimpse at the famously beautiful location. Its dramatic landscape and volcanic origins featured as background shots throughout the Prisoner of Azkaban as well as various other Harry Potter films. It is also the location of when Hermione punches Malfoy in the face during Prizoner of Azkaban. 

We arrived in Fort William around mid day and went to Glen Nevis for a walk to Steall Falls and the Nevis Gorge Walk. Steall falls is the second-highest waterfall in Britain, and is also featured in a few iconic Harry Potter scenes, such as the backdrop during Quidditch matches and the setting for Harry’s battle against a Hungarian Horntail dragon in the Goblet of Fire. To get to the waterfall you have to pass over a metal wire bridge which was quite exciting. The weather was glorious and it was a very nice walk! 

After visiting the waterfall we noticed signs to a Crystal and Fossil museum which we couldn't resist so had a look around before checking in to our B&B in Banavie. The museum was realy cool and had loads of samples of large crystals and fossils. 

Once we had settled into our B&B we went to a local pub around the corner for dinner. 

On Monday we were up nice and early to head into Fort William to catch the Jacobite Steam Train from Fort William Station to Mallaig! Starting near the highest mountain in Britain, Ben Nevis, it visits Britain's most westerly mainland railway station, Arisaig; passes close by the deepest freshwater loch in Britain, Loch Morar and the shortest river in Britain, River Morar, finally arriving next to the deepest seawater loch in Europe, Loch Nevis. The steam train also crosses the 21-arched Glenfinnan viaduct (a location made famous in the Harry Potter films) which overlooks Loch Shiel and the Jacobite monument. Which I was very excited about. The head of the Loch Shiel is also the setting for where Harry encounters a Dementor for the very first time in the Prisoner of Azkaban, when the Hogwarts Express stops on the bridge.

The trian route also passes past Eilean na Moine which is used  as Dumbledore’s final resting place, where Voldemort stole the powerful Elder Wand in Deathly Hallows Part 1.

Loch Eilt is also the setting where Harry, Ron and Hermione find Hagrid skimming stones over the water following the trial of Buckbeak, in Prisoner of Azkaban.

We arrived in Mallaig and had a fish and chip lunch before boarding the train again 2 hours later and heading back to Fort William. 

On Tuesday Adam and I took on the challenge of hiking up Ben Nevis, the highest mountain in the British Isles. It is located at the western end of the Grampian Mountains in the Lochaber area of Scotland, close to the town of Fort William. The summit, at  1,345m  above sea level, is usually in the clouds with only approximately 3-4 days per year with clear views from the top. It was a tiring climb that took us through all of the seasons in one day! Starting in the rain in full waterproofs, turning mild but humid (where no one had warned us of the midges that caused us to nearly run up half of it), to then being in the clouds needing winter hats before descending into immense heat and summer sunshine! The ascent took us 3 and a half hours which was much quicker than we were anticipating, then a half hour lunch break at the top and a 2 hour 45 min descent. 

In the evening we went to a nice Thai and Indian restaurant in Fort William to celebrate our success. 

On Wednesday morning we drove to Glenfinnan to view the viaduct from the ground and watch the Jacobite pass over, we completed the Viaduct and Monument trail walk in the lovely sunshine, a dragonfly nature walk near the monument and looked at the views across Loch Shiel before heading back to the B&B. We then went for a nice relaxed walk to the canal just round the corner from where we were staying to view the 'Neptunes Staircase' 

On Thursday we went to Glen Nevis again but this time to walk the Achriabhach Forest walk which was a very pretty walk with some cool wildlife. We then made the journey to Oban, stopping at Glencoe to have our lunch with the views. When we arrived in Oban we parked at our next B&B and went for a wander around the town. 

On Friday morning we went for another wander around town before embarking on a 2 hour wildlife and history boat tour in the hope of seeing a Sea Eagle. The boat took us around the  Island of Kererra, unfortunetly we didn't see any Sea Eagles but we did see some Seals, Guillimots, Gannets, Gulls and Razorbills. 

In the afternoon we went for a walk around McCaig's tower above oban before a walkon the Jubilee Bridge to view Stalker Castle, near Port Appin. It was a beautiful afternoon and a really peaceful area with a bird hide and great views. 

Saturday morning we packed up the car and headed to Sutherland Grove Forest where we went for a really pleasent walk and I even saw my first ever red squirrels! We saw 2 chasing eachother up a tree just as we got out of the car. We didn't see anymore around the walk but I enjoyed seeing them when we arrived. We then headed back towards Millport, stopping alongside Loch Etive as this is the background where Harry, Ron and Hermione escape from the wizarding bank of Gringotts on the back of a dragon after taking the Cup of Helga Hufflepuff. Once getting out of London they leap off the dragon, landing into this loch. We then made the full journey back to the Isle of Cumbrae!