Shiel

Bad sleep but an improved feeling of lightness on waking up to the start of leave. Perhaps more than on any previous holiday it’s important that I switch off notifications from any work-related Yammer, Outlook, Teams, Skype or Sharepoint type thing. Even listing them is tiring. With some phone faffing I disabled a few which will hopefully keep interruptions to a minimum whilst I’m off.

Our stress levels remained high arriving at Edinburgh Waverley because our Uber was delayed and due to arrive at the station at 10:15 for a 10:15 departure. Driver Peter managed to shave off some minutes, earned a good tip, and we dived onto the train to Glasgow with our luggage with seconds to spare.

The train journey from Glasgow to Mallaig on the west coast has been described as the world’s most scenic. This is quite the billing and was initially incongruous with the train staff’s quibbling over which carriages were not remaining at Queen Street for maintenance and which of the departing ones would not divert to Oban. We eventually boarded the correct one.

The journey was memorable and spectacular as promised and a great way to begin the holiday wind down, complete with a bag of Mackie’s haggis crisps (which are more peppercorn than haggis). Ancient hulks and hulls rested on the mud of the River Clyde. The meeting of Lochs Long and Goil is as stunning as anything the Norwegian fjords can muster. The Trossachs, cementing their place as surely one of the most beautiful parts of the UK. The picturesque Glenfinnan Viaduct framing the pretty Loch Shiel (as pictured). Views over to Eigg as the train rounded the west coast.

At the end of the line in Mallaig we stretched our legs in the hills around town. Lovely harbour views and a tantalising taste of the Scottish highlands. We were checked in at the Mallaig bunkhouse by the informative Darina. She has provided earplugs in the rooms due to the screeching of gulls which have earned her negative TripAdvisor reviews, unfairly in my opinion.

Fish and chips on a bench overlooking the harbour naturally formed the inaugural evening meal in such a location. Holidays are the best thing ever, so many thanks to the unions and gallant workers who have gone before us and fought for employees’ privileges.