Scotland:
The West Coast

The Royal Scotsman pulls out of Edinburgh in the early afternoon and heads west through Falkirk to Craigendoran, where it joins the West Highland Line. Afternoon tea is served as the scenery grows wilder, so keep an eye out for Loch Lomond, the largest stretch of fresh water in Great Britain by surface area, glinting through the trees. The line then climbs through Glen Falloch, where waterfalls tumble down the hillsides, and carries on north to the village of Spean Bridge for the night.

Dinner this evening is a fine dining affair, and afterwards the Observation Car comes alive with entertainment. It is the perfect way to settle into life on board.

This morning the train runs west through Fort William, with Ben Nevis, at 1,345 metres the highest mountain in the British Isles, rising above the town. The train continues to Arisaig, where you step off for a walk along the white sands of Morar. On a clear day the jagged Cuillin mountains of Skye line the horizon across the water, and it is a view few guests forget.

Lunch is served on board as the train makes its way back towards Fort William. In the afternoon there is a guided visit to the Glenfinnan Monument, which stands at the head of Loch Shiel where Bonnie Prince Charlie raised his standard in 1745 at the start of the Jacobite rising, followed by drinks at Spean Bridge. If you would rather stretch your legs, there are optional walks instead, including the route through Glen Nevis to the Steall Waterfall, one of the tallest in Scotland. Everyone gathers back on board for dinner and an evening of entertainment, and the train spends the night at Bridge of Orchy.

A leisurely brunch is served on board as the train heads for the coast and today's destination, the Isle of Bute in the Firth of Clyde. The highlight is a visit to Mount Stuart, a magnificent Victorian Gothic house built for the Marquesses of Bute, which holds what is widely regarded as the finest private collection of family portraits in Scotland. The interiors are every bit as extravagant as the exterior suggests.

Back on the mainland, you rejoin the train at Wemyss Bay. The gala dinner is served as the Royal Scotsman travels on to Kilmarnock, where it stables for the night, so this is the evening to dress up.

Enjoy a relaxed breakfast as the train makes its way back to Edinburgh, with one last chance to take in the scenery of the west before arriving at Waverley at around 09:40. It is a gentle end to three nights filled with some of the finest views in Scotland.

Itineraries and timings shown may be changed for seasonal or operational reasons.