Western
Scenic Wonders

The Royal Scotsman departs Edinburgh in the early afternoon, heading west through Falkirk before reaching Craigendoran, where the train joins the West Highland Line. This is one of the great railway routes in the world, and it announces itself quickly. Loch Lomond appears to the left as the train climbs into the hills, the loch stretching north further than the eye can follow. Glen Falloch, rich in waterfalls and increasingly dramatic as the train gains height, follows before the train reaches Spean Bridge for the night.

Afternoon tea is served along the way, and dinner this evening is a proper occasion. The Observation Car provides the entertainment afterwards, which on the Royal Scotsman means live music and good company in a carriage designed for exactly that purpose.

The train continues west from Spean Bridge with Ben Nevis visible to the south. At 1,345 metres it is the highest mountain in the United Kingdom, and from the train it looks the part. Fort William, the largest town in the West Highlands, is passed through before the train reaches Arisaig, where the morning excursion begins.

The Morar Sands are one of those places that consistently surprises visitors who expect the beaches of northern Scotland to be bleak. The white sand is luminous rather than grey, and the views across the water to the jagged Cuillin ridge on the Isle of Skye on a clear day are extraordinary. A stroll along the shore is time well spent before the train retraces its route to Fort William for lunch on board.

The afternoon offers three choices, all of them good. The first is a visit to the Glenfinnan Monument with a local guide, where the stories of the 1745 Jacobite rising are told in the landscape where they happened, followed by cream tea at the Glenfinnan House Hotel. The second is a rewilding walk with expert guides from Scotland: the Big Picture, beginning at a waterfall and exploring how nature regeneration and community-led conservation are changing this remarkable landscape. The third is a walk through Glen Nevis to the Steall Waterfall, a moderately demanding route through some of the finest Highland scenery in the country. The train collects everyone at Fort William and heads south towards the small Argyll village of Bridge of Orchy for the night, with dinner served on the move and music in the Observation Car to follow.

Brunch is served on board as the train makes its way to the coast, and the destination this afternoon is the Isle of Bute. This charming island in the Firth of Clyde is less visited than many parts of the west coast, which is part of its appeal. The excursion is to Mount Stuart, a Victorian Gothic house of real ambition that contains arguably the finest privately held collection of family portraits in Scotland. The architecture alone is worth the visit, and the grounds are considerable.

The train returns to the mainland at Wemyss Bay and the gala dinner begins as the journey continues to Kilmarnock, where the train stables for the night. This is a formal evening, so dress accordingly. The food and the setting do the rest.

A final breakfast is served as the Royal Scotsman makes its way back to Edinburgh. The western scenery of the previous three days gives way to the more familiar landscape of central Scotland, and Edinburgh Waverley arrives in the mid-morning. Three nights, four days, and some of the finest scenery in Europe seen from the comfort of one of the most celebrated trains in the world.

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