Edinburgh revisited!

We set off for Inverness Station after a leisurely breakfast and a trip to Tesco for lunch provisions.

Caught the train at Inverness for Edinburgh, a journey of just under four hours. the route follows the A9 most of the way and although not as spectacuar as some of our previous trips it was still interesting

 Snow capped mountains at Avimore

 Forth Rail Bridge in the mist

Crossing the Firth of Fourth

 Managed to get our drone out the window (and back) and clear the mist for these pics!

Our train from Inverness to Edinburgh (ex GWR ?) HST Intercity 125 only just come into service. Interior still has GWR moquette!

Short walk across Princes Street to our hotel (Apex) where our cases have already been delivered courtesy of man in his van!

Another 'disabled' bathroom room!  Very plush but no towel rails!

Looks newly refurbished and nice decor - almost as good as a Premier Inn

Time for another look around Edinburgh in the 25c hot sunshine - Cross over the railway then  a walk along the Royal Mile to Nicola's Fortress!

 

Holyrood Castle

We were meant to have a Gala Scottish dinner but copped out as it was too late so an excellent meal at Cote to finish the holiday

Booked on the 08 30 Edinburgh to Kings Cross tomorrow and should be home by 5pm

Monday and it's another Castle!

Up early and after breakfast a trip to Tesco to get our lunchtime sarnies

and then off to Inverness Station to catch the 08 55 Kyle Line train to Kyle of Lochalsh - a trip that should have taken around 2 and a half hours.

Just after leaving Inverness we spot the A9 road bridge over the Ness and Caledonian Canal

We trundle though the countryside which slowly gets more spectacular

We then reach Garve we are told that there is a signal problem and we need a key to be brought from Dinwell and this delays us by an hour - at least we were offer free drinks from the trolley! we had time to stroll along the platform and decide if it was safe to cross the rusty footbridge!

So on through mountainous scenery to Kyle of Lochalsh

 Spotting the bridge to Skye just before reaching our destination

of Kyle of Lochalsh station

Here we picked up our coach for a quick trip over the bridge to Skye

and then onto Eilan Donan Castle

And view up and down Lochalsh

And so back by coach along pretty empty and good roads to Inverness, dinner and getting ready to start our long journey south. Tomorrow we leave for Edinburgh where we have an afternoon free and a night at the Apex Hotel and our final farewell dinner ( whisky tasting and a piper -- might give it a miss)