Thread by @PaliparanDotCom

With 2 weeks validity left on my 3-month Interrail pass it's time for one last trip this summer: From Romania to Scotland by train! Am a bit sad kissing the kitties goodbye, but here we go for the first leg, which can only be the Dacia night train to Vienna..

#SleeperToScotland

There she is! Naturally, I managed to get one of the few en-suite compartments in this sleeper wagon..

As I travel this route frequently (and Tweeted quite a lot about it in the past) I will take a short Twitter break and just enjoy the ride. Check the thread below for my previous experience on the Dacia train if you want to learn more about the route..

https://twitter.com/PaliparanDotCom/status/1550096541037256709?t=tVWNdJH78syVk0aetz6gHw&s=19

The window is a bit dirty and there is lots of condensation between the glass, making it hard to look out (let alone to photograph). Still, with a Pilsner and some pork cracklings (fav beer and beer snack!) it's an enjoyable ride as always..

I found an inventive new feature on board CFR sleeper trains! The windows are fitted with a spirit level, allowing you to see whether you are riding on flat terrain or an incline when the water between the double glazing shifts from one side to the other..

Apart from the en-suite bathroom (which works flawlessly and is spotless clean) this really isn't the best maintained sleeper wagon.. should have brought my palinka bottle for disinfection too!

It can always be worse though.. (worst would be a snake somewhere in Asia though!)

https://twitter.com/EricJ88238925/status/1566781399448928256?t=kFnSFYPEPcnAROzFZs6THA&s=19

The weather is more sunny today on the Transylvanian plateau at the other side of the Carpathians..

Let's visit the CFR restaurant wagon..

Mixed grill, salad and bottle of red for €15 all combined, anyone? It's not the fanciest @_DiningCar but I do love the Dacia's highly enjoyable & affordable restaurant wagon. Food is cooked on the spot, not microwaved. A honest, low-key throwback to the glory days of rail travel

When I say the dining car is basic I mean this: There isn't any real choice. It's just grilled meats plus sides. No starters, no desserts. Hence the "napolitana" waffle cookies and the coffee for my dessert!

Astrud Gilberto playing on my phone, me being slightly intoxicated.. can't wish for anything more on a night train journey! Goodnight all..

This remains one the best and most purest ever songs written, played and sung.. Sometimes I really think I'm born in the wrong decade. They just don't do songs like this anymore in the 2020s..

Good morning from Hegyeshalom at the border between Hungary and Austria! It's definitely a smoother journey than my last time on the Dacia as this time we are not thrown out in Budapest due to a big delay, nor stuck at this border station due to a missing train driver..

Vienna Hbf - with only a 25 minute delay. For a Romanian train that basically means it has arrived on time. First class Interrail pass gives complimentary access to the OeBB lounge for a much-welcomed coffee.

Train travel fans may want to follow @seatsixtyone today on his adventures in Vienna as he will visit the official presentation of the revolutionary new Nightjet sleeper wagons made by Siemens and OeBB.

https://twitter.com/seatsixtyone/status/1567011312034631680?t=9CtStQFl_SmfJydK4ZrDXw&s=19

Just 5 to 10 minutes walking from Vienna's main railway station and you are in the middle of the wonderful Belvedere palace gardens..

A stop in a traditional Viennese coffee house is of course a must..

The architecture ain't bad either, especially not if you like Art Nouveau or Vienna Secession style..

As it's a lovely day, I couldn't resist a little walk along the Vienna Ring Road for some Habsburg-era grandeur..

Let's take the metro to Oberlaa on the outskirts of Vienna..

This area far away from the usual tourist paths is known for its low-key "Heuriger" (traditional wine bars) serving affordable, quality wine and food..

On a Tuesday it's mostly pensioners around, but it's still good fun! The drink of choice on hot days like these is a "Gespritzter" - a mix between dry white wine and mineral water.

Vienna Hbf.. time to travel on!

This is the joint Nightjet departure to Amsterdam, Brussels and Hamburg (the carriages are split at Cologne West in the wee hours of morning). I'm in the Brussels portion of this night train..

By pure chance, my train has British railway royalty on board in the form of @seatsixtyone. Great to finally meet him at the station over some beers before departure together with @emwohlfarter & Austria's most seasoned train traveller @vorortanleiter.

https://twitter.com/seatsixtyone/status/1567215796878823428?t=1r-JniERFEwvRy3eRPG6Qg&s=19

Some pictures of the small meet-up.

https://twitter.com/vorortanleiter/status/1567233861590859784?t=xM_1qpf3T8VqPk-NxOSssA&s=19

My Nightjet compartment in daytime mode.. The 'deluxe' en-suite compartments were all booked when I bought my ticket, so have to do with one with just a wash basin.

There is no @_DiningCar on these night trains but you can order food or drinks with the Nightjet carriage attendant. My goulash hit the spot!

We just crossed the Austrian-German border at Passau, so time to flip over the seats into bed mode and go to sleep.. Goodnight!

Good morning from Aachen Hbf - where we arrived with a 1.5 hour delay. Had a great night of sleep, feeling fully rested.

Those who had to wake up early on our train were treated to some gorgeous views of the Rhine Valley..

https://twitter.com/seatsixtyone/status/1567375175175356417?t=Xh4Wf6zKG4xESm49EEttIg&s=19

The delay grows bigger as we wait for a locomotive to take us into Belgium..

More chaos as the bag of our train attendant (with money, all train keys) was stolen! It however turned out it wasn't stolen. A cleaner found it somewhere and took it to the Lost and Found Objects department at the station! The bag is now back with our (very relieved!) attendant.

And while the train attendants were all temporarily away, we as passengers had to help an elderly lady stuck in the toilet and unable to unlock the door.. quite an eventful morning!

We are on the move again, stopping at Liège Guillemins station. It's a fabulous design by Spanish architect Santiago Calatrava (although his buildings aren't always the most practical from a passenger point of view).

Brussels South, finally there! Easy same-platform change for the train to Bruxelles Luxembourg station (yes I know, i should have gotten out at Nord and change there but I was too late!). Anyhow, let's kickstart my Jacques Brel playlist for this occasion!

In the European quarter of Brussels, Maison Antoine does the best frites and is therefore quite popular. You can bring your takeaway frites with you to the cafés of Place Jourdan if you want to drink a proper Belgian beer with it (in my case Orval, a Trappist ale).

Good fun eating chips and having coffee with an old friend working for one or the EU institutions. Old-school Belgian train now from the EU bubble around Schuman station back to Bruxelles-Midi/Brussel Zuid/Brussels South..

Am a bit early out of fear of massive queues after reading some horror stories this summer, but Eurostar check-in, security and passport control at Brussels South is a breeze today. Took just 2 minutes all combined..

My @Eurostar is finally there! Weirdly, it's only the first time I'm using this service despite travelling a lot by train. I heard from reliable sources that @seatsixtyone is the best seat on it, so that's where I'm in. Forward-facing seat at a table for two.. What's not to like?

Complimentary cold meal in "standard premier" (1st class) on the Eurostar. I went for the pesto chicken, which is tasty.

Northern France. Bienvenue chez les Ch'tis.

Into the Channel Tunnel..

And out at the other end of the tunnel in the UK! Before we arrive in London, let's take a quick walk through the train to check out 2nd class and the bar wagon on the Eurostar, where I ended up in a fun chat with a jolly group of academics returning from a conference in Lille..

St Pancras International - London's gorgeous Eurostar terminus station.

As my train to Scotland only departs on Friday, let's visit a couple of new places in England as well and do something fun tomorrow. From the railway cathedral of Saint Pancras (left) it's a short walk to the nextdoors station of Kings Cross..

Kings Cross station - with its famous Platform 9 ¾.

Quick tea and some cookies in the LNER lounge before exploring Kings Cross station a bit more..

This evening I'm on a LNER Azuma train to York..

Interrail is such great value in the UK, as normal fares are high but seat reservations optional (but always free & easy to make if you prefer). That's especially true with a 1st class pass as many train companies offer free food and drinks. LNER's asparagus tortellini is tasty!

York. What an unusual but fantastic looking station this is with its sharp curves and layout. Will be back here tomorrow during the day..

The last ride of today is a Transpennine Express train from York to Scarborough.. Quite knackered after two nights and three days on the rails and looking forward to a shower and proper bed in my hotel..

Scarborough. Where my hotel is for sure central and has a Rolls in front of the door to match the interior. For tomorrow I have something nice planned, so stay tuned!

Good morning from a beautiful but very rainy Scarborough. The weather unfortunately nixes my morning sightseeing plans..

Despite the rain I of course had to take a short walk on the beach and seaside promenade..

An old Victorian tramway links the beach with the upper town. As I didn't have breakfast yet, the tramway café called The Cat's Pyjamas seemed like one for me! No cats unfortunately, but the bacon and sausage sarnies as well as the coffee are great.

The rain-proof plan for today: An East Coast to West Coast train station pub crawl! Especially here in Yorkshire there are quite a lot of railway stations with authentic pubs right on the platform - serving excellent real ales. Let's do this!

Quick hello to Queen Victoria and a short walk to Scarborough station while listening to the Kinks' excellent song about her. Still remains Britain's best 1960s band - by a mile!

I got the idea of a Yorkshire train station pub crawl from TV greats @ozclarke & @MrJamesMay on 'Oz and James Drink to Britain'. Let's see if I will blabber in a similar way about the virtues of beer and tasting notes on pint 6..

(Watch from 21:45 onward)

Pleasant ride to York. It's noon, so let's start with the first station pub and pint: The York Tap on platform 3..

Let's start with a Galactic Tide, a rye Pale Ale from Atom microbrewery in Hull.. The Zappa hops used in this brew give a zesty bite and elicit some nice cirtrus and mango flavours.

Mood visibly changing here in Yorkshire, lots of people checking and discussing the latest news in both the station pub and trains..

https://twitter.com/b_judah/status/1567845614947385344?t=4G4Hrgn4RtzabDPy5YbGxw&s=19

Thoughts and prayers for the Queen's health as I travel on to Knaresborough..

What a lovely little station! At the Track & Sleeper I went for a Thornbridge Jaipur..

Pity I can't stay longer as the station is lovely and the town itself apparently too. Next train in the same direction it is for the 8-minute hop to Harrogate.

Quick journey to Harrogate station, which is home to the excellent Harrogate Tap station pub. A DDH hazy pale with Mosaic-Simcoe hops from First Chop Brewery from Salford, Greater Manchester it is.. Wonderfully balanced, low-alcohol while full of flavour.

On the 2.16pm from Harrogate to Leeds..

Leeds. Quick change of trains - with fortunately some time to buy a proper pastry.

Next stop: Dewsbury's West Riding Refreshment Room. What a lovely euphemism for a pub!

My last time in Dewsbury (which is an err.. interesting town!) I ended up in a lock-in at one of the local pubs with some amazingly fun & friendly ppl, who did however all resemble Little Britain characters. Let's see if I can escape unharmed this time.

https://twitter.com/PaliparanDotCom/status/1544440618423910401?t=u4gLRnK3XAZf1PMcilWUAA&s=19

It's a more innocent affair this time. Nice pub but the MBH Mobberley Citra Pale is not as impressive.

Dewsbury to Huddersfield.. This station even has 2 station pubs! (And two station cats as well - see @FelixhuddsCat). I'm going for the Head of Steam and an excellent pint of Vocation Bread & Butter dry hopped pale ale..

No sign of any station cat again (sad faced smiley) so it's onto the next train, the 4.53pm Transpennine Express to Manchester.. One more pub to go!

Stalybridge.. The last train station pub for today!

Last pint.. and a bit of an omnious feeling getting close to the 6 o clock news given some gossips I heard..

This is quite the place for @RJonTourUK and his cute dog! For me, it's time to move on to Manchester as I still hope to hit the west coast by sunset..

Sums it up.

https://twitter.com/jaimerh354/status/1567929122562916362?t=NYIsm9qvezrcKsu5BNdL9Q&s=19

https://twitter.com/b_judah/status/1567929806242697222?t=fLIPxO-0wqRpSuHzexiyDw&s=19

Was standing at a Manchester Piccadilly platform (after a last pub visit) when I heard the news. The train is eerily silent, all people on their phones and one even playing BBC news on full sound out loud.. Those who know the UK/are British realise what a major event this is..

Grange-over-Sands.. I just about made it to the west coast in time, with some twilight colours left in the sky..

Plus points to the Grange Hotel for putting up this frame at reception..

Dutch journalism at its finest. Find tourists who are in a country affected by a major world event and make the news all about them by letting them explain how it might influence their holiday ("we have a bit of fear that all the pubs will close now").

https://twitter.com/dgnijmegen/status/1567949218848849920

We are the country who can pull out headlines like "1,000 people died in 9/11 but fortunately no Dutch citizens were among them as Henk and Ingrid narrowly escaped by visiting the Twin Towers two days before on their city trip". This is not an exaggeration.

Say about the UK whatever you want but it can 1) make proper newspaper headlines, 2) has some decorum left, which is exceedingly rare in the world. I know I got quite a few UK followers who love to complain about their country, but IMO you also got a lot of admirable things.

French, Germans, Romanians: All respectful what I've read in comments, press. But check the quote tweets/replies to this post by Ben Judah how sickening the political discourse & world view has become across the pond. Where did common decency go in the US?

https://twitter.com/b_judah/status/1567845614947385344

I might get really off-topic here (and it might be the tiredness and couple of beers talking) but Brits should know that of all countries in Europe they are perhaps the most genuinely decent, polite and helpful bunch of people. Today - in time of adversity - it again shows.

Anyhow, due to all the unfolding events this is my "dinner" as I didn't have the chance to actually find a restaurant this eve (and the hotel'a kitchen is closed). Plans for tomorrow to tour the Cumbrian coast are ditched as it will be back to London early tomorrow.

Good morning from the 19th century Grange Hotel on the Cumbrian coast! I keep on getting lost in these historic British hotels thanks to their mazelike layout, but I did finally manage to find the right stairs to the breakfast room for a full English.

Can highly recommend the Grange Hotel - beautiful historic property, fine facilities and welcoming staff.

From the hotel it's a short walk to the train station of Grange-over-Sands and the coastal path, with some stunning views over Morecambe Bay this morning. What a beautiful part of the country this is!

On the same note, the station of Grange-over-Sands is surely one of the prettiest in the UK.

What a stunning station really with its location right on the bay.

Waiting for the 9.22am train to Manchester Airport, which I will take as far as Wigan. A condolence message to the Royal Family is visible on the electronic departures board.

Pretty journey along the Cumbrian coast..

A short video impression of the beautiful ride along the bay with its vast expanses of intertidal mudflats.

Today's newspaper.

New plan: Instead of changing trains at Wigan for the most direct and fastest train to London, I'm changing here at Preston to a slightly slower Avanti West Coast service via Crewe & Birmingham. Nicer station ans this train takes a route I haven't already travelled on before..

There isn't a proper @_DiningCar, but there is complimentary food in first class on Avanti West Coast trains. Couldn't resist a second breakfast of smoked Scottish salmon with scrambled eggs.

Small toast to the Queen. What I like about catering on some British trains is how they teamed up with smaller producers from around the country instead of big companies. This gin with berries & botanicals from the Peak District is made exclusively for Avanti West Coast..

Euston station. Quick hop on the underground to Green Park..

Obviously I'm not the only person to head this way today. Northerners, Welshmen, Londoners during their lunch break, foreign tourists - a diverse bunch of people all heading to Buckingham Palace to pay their respect.

Quite the crowd! King Charles has arrived back at Buckingham Palace and some 10 mins before I arrived even came outside to thank the people standing right in front of the gates.

People are quietly chatting with random strangers standing next to them, flowers are passed on to the Met Police officers who in turn put them in front of the actual palace fence. All very solemn and contemplative despite the massive crowd.

Piccadilly Circus.

Always fun talking trains and planes with one of the greatest YouTube travel bloggers in the world. Thanks for the pint Paul! Next one is on me in Bucharest when you finally manage to do the Dacia night train.

https://twitter.com/paul_winginit/status/1568273180866842624?t=GbQFeiN1Ml2feZgHazy4pg&s=19

Quick walk to nearby Drummond Street for some delicious samosas and Indian sweets at Gupta's. They go well with a pint of bitter at the terrace of the other station pub - the Euston Tap.

Tonight I'm on the Caledonian Sleeper from London to Scotland! This is the 9.15pm Highland service with through carriages to Aberdeen, Invernees and Fort William - which will be my destination.

Let's board the train! I'm in a 'club' compartment with en-suite toilet/shower. It certainly does look smart!

Wash basin in the compartment, the toilet and shower in an en-suite unit. In club, breakfast is complimentary and you can select your preferred options on the card which you hang to your door. Toiletries and some snacks and candies are also provided.

The Caledonian Sleeper has a nice @_DiningCar - with Haggis, Neeps & Tatties being the obvious Scottish choice for dinner. It's certainly good!

And a wee dram of whisky (Speyside, Tomatin 12yo) as a nightcap..

I'm quite impressed with the quality so far! Very comfortable bedding, smartly designed compartment with all amenities you need, nice dining car and that fresh smell of a brand new car err.. train which is still there.

Two negatives: It seems to be a bit of a bumpy ride and not entirely silent either. Second: Price. Even on a 1st class Interrail pass, the supplement for a club sleeper is a massive £180. Full price ticket obv even much more higher than that.

Locals rightly complain about the high prices since the takeover under new management and introduction of new sleepers. Most people on board seem to be Londoners or foreign tourists with spending power..

https://twitter.com/jm_stout/status/1563511174918213634?t=5ULLfxgjwS_n77Lu_qsyeg&s=19

On the other hand, that only other UK night train service (the Night Riviera to Cornwall) is affordable and therefore does have a whole different audience on board (also plenty of Cornishmen, middle class tourists from other parts of England)..

https://twitter.com/PaliparanDotCom/status/1543704477634535425?t=YIafn-8g6uBMhLoLembEig&s=19

Let's see what I will think about it after a night of sleep when I will wake up in the Highlands. Good night all!

Good morning from Scotland! The Caledonian Sleeper is running with a delay of more than an hour, so I'm only just outside of Glasgow. Breakfast (bacon roll, protein bar, coffee, orange juice) is served in my compartment as we ride along Gare Loch.

Loch Long.. what a views to wake up to from the train!

Loch Lomond and Crianlarich station..

The scenery is absolutely stunning as we make our way to Upper Tyndrum.

Horseshoe railway curve over the Allt Kinglass viaduct just below the mountain Beinn Dorain..

Across the viaduct..

No caption needed.

The scenery is getting more barren as we head further north.

The station of Rannoch and the desolate bogs and grasslands of Rannoch Moor..

Currour station..

Quick walk through the train. A new dining car has been attached earlier this morning in the Lowlands.. This here is the sole seating car on the Caledonian Sleeper plus a baggage car for large luggage pieces, bikes and packages..

Loch Treig - getting close to Fort William now.

Fine views over Britain's highest mountain of Ben Nevis as we arrive in Fort William. What a great ride this was!

And as the train is more than an hour late I get my expensive ticket fully refunded too!

'Club' passengers on the Caledonian Sleeper have access to the station lounge on arrival. Tea, soft drinks, cookies and a shower await you.

My next train is there: The local Scotrail service to Mallaig, another highly scenic railway line.

We are off! The first part of the journey takes you along Loch Eil on your left-hand side, but do look out for the series of locks of "Neptune's Staircase" on the right.

The highlight of this railway line is getting close now..

The famous Glenfinnan Viaduct. A marvel of British railway engineering from 1901 - which got quite touristy since it featured in the Harry Potter films.

Seems that @ScotRail took one out of the @Ryanair playbook and is now playing some trumpet music too when the train arrives at the main destination on the line.. At least the legroom on Scotrail is slightly better and there are actually power sockets.

Below peaks and along lochs. This journey is so much more than just the Glenfinnan Viaduct.

Just before Arisaig, the sea comes into view for the first time. Arisaig is by the way the most westerly train station in Britain (yeap that's right - the most westerly station is in Scotland, not Cornwall - a little geographical mind game!)

Passing by the gorgeous Morar Silver Sands before we finally arrive in the small fishing port of Mallaig - which is the end of this line. I'm of course lucky with the weather but what an amazing views really.

Fortunately I have time to spare in Mallaig for a tasty lunch before the departure of my ferry to the Isle of Skye.

Onto the CalMac ferry to Skye! The crossing by car ferry only takes 30 minutes.

Absolutely stunning views today on the ferry as well.. The few days of the year that the weather is sunny, the coast of Scotland can be as glorious as the Greek islands..

Can it get any better? Yes it can.. Dolphins!

Armadale, the Isle of Skye. Now thr question is whether there will be a bus coming or I might need to hitchhike or take a taxi. Skye has very limited public transport on Saturday and almost nothing on Sundays. Official bus schedule says no bus, online booking tool does say yes..

CalMac employees and some locals don't really know either but the friendly shopkeeper of a tourist shop said there will be a 5.10pm bus to Broadford on Saturdays as locals recently succesfully campaigned to have it reinstated. There are definitely worse places to wait..!

There is indeed a big yellow bus - today just for me and two German tourists! It's a relatively short but beautiful ride to the intersection of the Armadale road with the main Skye road in Broadford, where I get off and continue on foot..

My friendly B&B in Broadford - quite happy I already booked this in May (rare for me as I prefer not to book out further than a month in advance). Skye is wildly popular again this summer and "no vacancies signs" are everywhere. This was one of the few remaining/affordable ones!

It's located in a very pretty area too - this all just within 10 minutes walking..

Light dinner of salt & pepper squid, some lovely sunset views and back to the B&B for an early night in.. Tomorrow will be the last day of travel to finally reach my Scottish destination.

My real destination on this Scotland trip is the Cairngorms. To get there, it's an early rise to catch the morning bus over the Skye bridge to Kyle of Lochalsh on the mainland. Fab views again when walking to the bus stop..

The Citylink bus to Glasgow is my bus for the short hop to Kyle of Lochalsh..

Back on the Scottish mainland. I will be back one day to see more of the Scottish isles like Skye and the Outer Hebrides..

Kyle of Lochalsh station - waiting for the train to be readied for its 10.20am departure to Inverness.

The first part of this journey takes you along the shores of the Inner Sound..

This certainly is a scenic train ride too so far..

The line runs right along the shores of Loch Carron.

What an amazing ride this is already.

When people ask why you take a week-long train trip to reach your travel destination & make lots of detours on the way, this is the answer. A journey like this can be a destination in its own right! Getting somewhere shouldn't be a drag, it can be part of the fun when done right!

This train ride alone is the perfect Scottish Highlands tour..

It's slowly getting more barren too on the halfway-mark between the Scottish west coast at Kyle of Lochalsh and Inverness on the east coast.

A couple or more lochs and dark forests and it's downhill towards Inverness..

At Dingwall, the railway line north to Thurso and Wick joins our line to Inverness, which is now just a few minutes away.

The last part of the journey is on the southern shores of the Beauly Firth, with some fine views over Inverness and the Kessock Bridge on arrival..

Inverness, the terminus station at the end of the line from Kyle of Lochalsh! Change here for trains south to Edinburgh or Glasgow, east to Aberdeen or north to Wick and Thurso..

Onto the 1.26pm service to Edinburgh - although I will already get off at the first stop in about half an hour.

It's a pretty ride into the Cairngorms, a mountain range and national park in the north-east of Scotland..

Aviemore - my stop! This Cairngorms will be my home base until Friday - so will take it a bit more easy in the next couple of days, spending time with family who arrived by car from the Netherlands..

It isn't Balmoral Castle, but this will certainly do as well as my Cairngorms hideout.

The River Spey is just a few feet away down the hill.. Quite a few whisky distilleries are located on the banks of this river or some of its tributaries.

It's a beautiful drive to some of these Speyside distelleries such as Ballindalloch and Cragganmore. We'll have a short tour in the latter one.

Cragganmore Distillery..

Of course, there is a bit of whisky tasting at the end of the tour!

Ballindalloch and Cardhu are two other distilleries located nearby. However, there are far more whisky distilleries around in this area such as Glenlivet, Tamnavulin, Tomintoul and Balmenach among others. The choice is yours!

The nearby Ballindalloch Castle and Gardens are also well-worth a visit..

After a little tea break it's time to hit the road again for a scenic drive through the Cairngorms..

It being Scotland, you have all four seasons in a single day.. I do however love how the colours of the landscapes seem to change by the minute depending on the weather, sunlight and cloud cover.

With the sun spectacularly breaking through the cloud cover in the late afternoon, we pass by the ruins of the 12th century Castle Roy..

Which also has a massive Highland cow. What a beast!

Boat of Garten station with an unexpected visitor: The Royal Scotsman train stopped by today..! Look at that @_DiningCar! Waaay above my budget unfortunately, but I was nonetheless quite excited to see this beauty.

Although it's not the Royal Scotsman, dinner at The Boat Country Inn opposite the station was certainly good. Yummy steak pie and sticky toffee pudding.

Close to our accommodation is this small spotters hut. At dusk, some 4 to 5 badgers and show themselves! Even spotted some deer running around in the fields.

Morning walk with the wee family dog around Loch Garten and Loch Mallachie..

Back to Aviemore station for something special: A ride on the Strathspey Railway!

Regular heritage steam train excursions are run by the Strathspey Railway on the otherwise disused line between Aviemore, Boat of Garten and Broomhill.

Today's steam engine is a London, Midland and Scottish Railway (LMS) Ivatt Class 2 2-6-0 built in 1952 in Swindon..

The railway is run by a lovely team of volunteers. The train drivers were friendly enough to let me have a look inside!

A variety of old British Railways carriages (most from the 50s) are used on these tourist trains. You can travel in a normal seat (with trolley service for snacks and drinks), or in a private seating compartment or the dining car if you bought a package w food/drinks included..

We however managed to get the coolest spot on the train: An old 1930s/40s engineers saloon car at the rear of the train with perfect views back over the tracks. And a lovely @_DiningCar afternoon tea service!

This railway used to be the main line to Inverness (a roundabout route via Grantown-on-Spey, Dava and Forres) until the Inverness and Aviemore Direct Railway opened in 1898. The line was closed in the 1960s and most of the track has since been removed..

Short stop at Boat of Garten station..

We continue towards Broomhill station, which we pass by without stopping as we continue for a few 100 yards more to a double-track passing place..

Here, our locomotive is deattached from the front of the train and attached at our end..

The entire process in pictures..

The train driver attaching the locomotive to our end and doing some visual checks. We will now be the first wagon directly behind the steam engine as we drive back!

Broomhill station, which featured as the fictional Glenbogle railway station in the BBC TV series 'Monarch of the Glen', hence also the 'Glenbogle' name sign!

Full steam along the River Spey back to Boat of Garten and Aviemore!

The views aren't bad either!

Arriving back in a rainy Boat of Garten..

Departure from Boat of Garten back to Aviemore. The acceleration isn't exactly fast, but it's great fun to be right behind the steam engine and hearing all the sounds.

And back at Aviemore with another rainbow to welcome us. What a great trip on the Strathspey Railway! Can highly recommend it.

In the last couple of days I made some other trips throughout the region as well. Among others I visited the lovely Highland Wildlife Park..

The open-air Highland Folk Museum featuring some historic Scottish houses with original interiors..

The city of Elgin with its ruined cathedral..

But mostly, it was about enjoying the fine Scottish scenery and spending time with family..

All good times must come to an end, so it's time to head back home from Scotland to Romania. Just like the outbound journey, I will solely use overland transport to get me back to Bucharest - a trip which will take just over 3 days. Aviemore station at 7am is the start..

Unfortunately, LNER cancelled my direct train to London, so it's out of bed a full hour earlier to catch the 7.22am Scotrail service to Edinburgh instead..

A fine journey to Scotland's capital..

Edinburgh Waverley station must have one of the most amazing locations for a railway station in the world, it being located directly below the Royal Mile in the very heart of the city..

No time for sightseeing though! A quick coffee in the first class lounge and onto the 11am LNER train to London it is..

Little snack on the train while riding southward along Britain's eastern shores..

Quite a view today!

Around the Scottish-English border..

Back in England, crossing the River Tweed at Berwick-upon-Tweed..

After a brief stop at Newcastle station, we cross the River Tyne and approach Durham, with some fine views of its cathedral from the train..

Pleasant onward ride from Yorkshire down to London..

And now a quick journey across London.. A short walk across the square from King's Cross to St Pancras station, where I take a Thameslink train to London Bridge..

The view from Blackfriars station over the Thames and downtown London is amazing. On the right you can even see THE QUEUE which runs all the way from here to Westminster - easily 8 hours waiting time to see the Queen lying in state..

Quick change at London Bridge for a Southeastern train to Waterloo East..

Which is a short walk to London Waterloo station proper. A Southwestern train to Portsmouth it is for me..

Portsmouth & Southsea station.. From here it's an easy 20 minute walk to the Brittany Ferries terminal..

Besides being a major commercial port, Portsmouth is also an important naval base of the Royal Navy. Lord Nelson's flagship at the Battle of Trafalgar, the HMS Victory, can still be visited in dry dock at Portsmouth!

The Brittany Ferries port.. It's too early for check-in and embarkation, but fortunately there is a great pub just a stone throw away!

Fish and chips, garlic bread, pint of strong bitter. Not a bad way at all to end my British travels!

Back towards the Brittany Ferries terminal to check-in for my ferry to France! I'm taking the overnight ferry to the port of Ouistreham just a few miles north of Caen in Normandy (Brittany Ferries however markets this as the Caen ferry despite that city being inland).

Good news: I checked in for my ferry! Bad news: Embarkation for foot passengers only starts at 10pm.. Good news: Wasn't there a pub nearby to wait?

I quite hate waiting, but at least the couple of pints of beer in the pub and Madness songs playing on my phone as the quintessential British soundtrack makes it tolerable.

Even if it wouldn't have been for the Queen's death such live footage of people orderly queuing would have been the most British thing ever.

Airline-style security before embarkation. Overheard staff talking they had 57 foot passengers today (but lots of ppl in cars, lorries or bikes). Even when I'm not at an airport I still get a bus gate.. It does however have the advantage of being able to make a pic of our vessel.

As the cabins are still being cleaned, let's have a look around the ship, the Mont St Michel.. Due to staff shortages the restaurant is closed, but the self-serve buffet is open..

The bar is open too and there is a huge queue of people who like me were eager to order "une pinte de Kronenbourg" while waiting for their cabins to me ready...

My cabin was one of the most basic I've yet seen on a ferry, but did the trick for a decent night of sleep. This ferry is a nice service and handy link, but the catchy wake-up tune which is played does come rather early at approx 5.30am French time.

The port of Ouistreham! Setting foot on the Normandy coast soon now..

The harbour and beach resort town of Ouistreham was famously liberated on D-Day (6th June 1944) by the Free French Forces commanded by Philippe Kieffer, a moment immortalised in the classic film 'The Longest Day'.

I successfully managed to invade Normandy as well, although unlike Kieffer I have to wait 20 minutes for the public bus and can't roll in on top of a Sherman tank..

Ouistreham to Caen by local bus, leg 7 of my Scotland to Romania journey. As the ticketing machine inside the bus was on strike, the bus driver let us all board for free. The money instead went to a much-needed pain au chocolat and coffee on arrival in Caen.

I do fortunately have some time to look around Caen and some of its historic sights before I move onward..

The city centre - still deserted at this early hour - is certainly pretty..

The main sight is probably L'Abbaye-aux-Hommes (Men's Abbey, picture 1). This giant Romanesque church and former Benedictine monastery was built under the reign of William the Conqueror, whose tomb is also located here.

Normally I would now hop on a train with comfortable Corail wagons to Paris. Unfortunately, there are track works on the line and lots of bus replacement services. Besides it being a hassle I would also risk my onward connection due to uncertainty of travel duration..

Therefore there is no other option than to walk into the adjacent Gare Routière and to do something highly unusual for me: Take a long-distance bus.. I'm booked on this bright green-and-orange Flixbus thing.

On the bright side, it is quite cheap. The Flixbus ticket itself was just €11, my seat reservation for 1D just €3 plus another €2.75 to keep the seat next to me guaranteed empty. Well-worth the small surcharge for the extra room as it makes bus travel somewhat bearable!

Not as great as the view from a train or plane window, but it will do.

Especially with some good French music playing it's a decent enough ride by bus. The bus even has WiFi internet, power sockets and USB charging ports!

Paris, finally!

Leg 9 of the journey back to Romania: Across Paris by metro..

Great to meet up with @locoetsacados again at a Paris railway festival. Thanks for the pack of Berlingots de Nantes!

My journey continues from Paris Gare de Lyon..

I'm on the upper deck of a TGV Lyria train to Zurich. The Interrail supplements for Lyria TGVs to Basel, Bern or Zurich are quite hefty (€35 in 2nd class, a whopping €68 for first) but as I don't have much flexibility in my itinerary I can't really avoid it.

Not a bad ride at all at speeds of around 300kph. Been a long while ago that I took a TGV (Brussels-Marseille more than a decade ago) so feels great to be back in one!

Of course, there is a @_DiningCar on board these TGV Lyria duplex trains which I just had to review. €15 buys you a cheeseburger (quite tasty actually!), some apple-vanilla compote aa dessert and a small bottle of wine.

Even though the cheeseburger was tasty it's a shame that the French - with their great culinary reputation - seem unable or unwilling to offer a proper dining car service on trains like the Swiss, Germans, Poles, Czechs or Hungarians. Would be a massive hit if they did!

The ride itself is enjoyable. After the high-speed line we trundle through some lovely rural areas with the mountains of the Vosges visible in the far distance. On-time arrival in Mulhouse as we make or way to Basel in Switzerland..

Last bit of French-language music before we hit German-speaking lands.

On-time arrival in Basel as the weather is getting worse and dusk is setting in.. An hour more to go until Zurich now.

Zurich HB, bang on time! I've got an hour to stock up on some groceries before the departure of my next train, which will take me a lot closer to home..

I'm booked on the night train to Budapest. In fact, this is an Austrian Nightjet service from Zurich to Vienna, but it has MÁV (Hungarian Railways) and ČD (Czech Railways) through sleeper carriages added which will be coupled to Budapest/Prague trains later on..

It's the first time I'm travelling in a MÁV sleeper carriage. It has all you might need such as a wash basin and power sockets, but I really have a hard time getting used to the blue-and-yellow colours and wall-to-ceiling mirrors in my compartment..

There is however complimentary sparkling wine, which makes it easier for my eyes to adjust to the interior. Nighty night!

Good morning from Győr! After a good night of sleep in this Hungarian sleeper wagon, breakfast is delivered to my compartment. The Hungarians aren't stingy when it comes to the portions of the cold cuts as it's way more than I couls possibly fit on the two mini baguettes!

Budapest Keleti station, always a pleasure to be back here no matter how many times I paased through.

Hands down my favourite station in all of Europe, although it does help that this also happens to be my favourite part of Europe too and that so many great destinations can be reached from here.

A shower would be most welcome after a night train ride. Fortunately, there are some decent showers available about a 30-minute walk away from Budapest Keleti station..

Ah yes, the Széchenyi Thermal Baths. Perfect!

Each pool has a different temperature, mineral content, with signs advising you how long to stay inside for the best health effects. Hungarians do take their spa time seriously! I certainly feel rejuvenated after some time in the pools and sauna.

It's however the architecture and vibe of the place which makes a visit so worthwhile.

Walking around the city park and Vajdahunyad Castle is always a pleasure too..

The M1 metro line - the oldest in continental Europe.

In front of the opera, a giant Hungarian flag is rolled out and carried through the streets. No idea what's the reason behind it! It's anyway a better idea to escape the crowd and dive into one of Budapest's classic grand cafés (Callas in this case) for some coffee and cake.

Little walk around the city centre of Budapest, a quick lunch and it's time to slowly get back to the station..

Back at the gorgeous railway cathedral of Budapest Keleti pályaudvar. I'm a bit early for my train, but I want to inhale some of the timeless railways and travel vibes of this station as I don't think I will be able to do another big train trip like this anytime soon.

Another Hungarian night train this time for me. I'm travelling on the 'Corona' sleeper train to Braşov via a roundabout route through the Szeklerland of Romania - an area with lots of ethnic Hungarians who form the bulk of the passengers of this service.

My private compartment for tonight is in an old but charming sleeper wagon. I much prefer this over the bright blue-and-yellow coloured and mirrored compartment of last night! It's still in seating mode - I can flip the seats over later to create the bed..

Budapest departure - as seen from the rear of the train. This is leg 12 on my Scotland to Romania journey and the penultimate train ride of my three month Interrail pass..

The windows are rather dirty, but fortunately I can open the one in my compartment for fresh air and photography. There isn't much better when it comes to train travel than hanging out of an open window to feel the wind in your face and enjoy the views!

Let's visit the (rather empty) Hungarian @_DiningCar for one last celebration on this epic journey from Romania to Scotland and back again.. Food pictures to follow soon as I'm taking my time to savour the moment.

A proper @_DiningCar session! Hungarian sparkling wine as aperitif, goulash soup as starter, duck with mashed potatoes and caramalised cherry sauce as main, chocolate pancakes as dessert. Plus a bottle of red. Total damage: Less than €25. A big reason why I love train travel!

Some evocative Hungarian 1980s music goes well with the wine this evening..

Upon my arrival back in the sleeper wagon, the friendly attendant prepared my bed for tonight. Will however wait for an hour more before going to sleep as we still have to clear Hungarian and Romanian passport control at the Niyírábrány-Valea lui Mihai border..

At the Hungarian border station of Nyírábrányi.. Passport control is taking place on the train. I for one can't wait until Romania is finally allowed into Schengen (which ironically is being blocked by my native country only at this point...)

Not the most comfortable night ever on a train as the bed was rock hard and the pillow too small and soft, but I still managed to get a decent amount of sleep. With views like this of my beloved Romania from an open window in the morning, all is however great again!

On the Budapest-Braşov 'Corona' train you get a voucher for a cooked breakfast in the @_DiningCar if you travel in a sleeper. Ham and eggs it is for me! As I have some Hungarian forint left, I upgraded it and went for a champagne breakfast it being the last night train this trip.

Ah yes, what a morning this is! We're following the course of the River Mureş as we cross the eastern part of Transylvania from north to south..

Let's open the window and hang out of the train a bit to absorb the beautiful Transylvanian countryside. As usual in Romania, speeds aren't much higher than 50kph max on this old and twisty railway line.

This is the heart of the Szeklerland, a part of Romania which is home to a Hungarian-speaking majority. If you want to learn more about this region and its great sights or Székely culture, check the thread below of a road trip I made here in August.

https://twitter.com/PaliparanDotCom/status/1556696245577687048?t=BrmKn3oZ939sp_5LE-qHcA&s=19

This time around, the weather is far more gloomy. Yet even now I do love these Romanian landscapes and villages in which time seems to have stood still.

Some of the stations along the line, of which Miercurea Ciuc (Hungarian: Csíkszereda - last picture) is one of the most popular with both passengers from Budapest getting off as well as locals getting into the 2nd class seating wagons of the train..

Picking up speed as we ride south through the Ciuc Depression. Some of the villages we pass have fortified churches, for which Transylvania is well known.

After a while we enter a narrow gorge with dark forested hills on both sides of the track. This is the way to Băile Tușnad (Tusnádfürdő), a small but popular spa and tourist resort.

I visited it once in the midst of winter whem the snow was two feet high up. Nice little place.

https://twitter.com/PaliparanDotCom/status/1355419079360868352?t=oguBC9sSHbdxgf-YcEjOvQ&s=19

The woods here are home to a relatively large population of bears. When locals go hiking on these forested mountains, they often take a small whistle with them and repeatedly blow it in order to avoid an encounter.

As we arrive at Sfântu Gheorghe - the penultimate station of this nigjt train - let's make one last stop at the dining car for coffee and cake as I still have some Hungarian forint left to spend anyway..

Braşov - the final stop! What a great ride this night train is, partly thanks to the amazing crew of sleeper attendants and dining car staff.

The question is what to do now: Take the first train departing Braşov for Bucharest? Or wait an hour more for the connection afterwards, which happens to be the Vienna-Bucharest 'Dacia' night train which does have a proper dining car for lunch..

The earlier train it is.. Normally I would have waited and taken the Dacia, but I do miss my cats and can't wait to be back home at this point.

Off we go! Braşov to Bucharest: Leg 13 of my Scotland to Romania trip and the last journey with my 3-month Interrail pass.

Dark skies overhead as we cross the Carpathians..

Sinaia station, the last of the Carpathian mountain resort towns when crossing from north to south. It's also the most famous thanks to Peleş Castle, which used to be the mountain palace of the Romanian royal family when the country was still a Kingdom.

Bucharest Gara de Nord - finally at my home station after a 3-day overland trip by train, ferry and bus from the Scottish Highlands to Romania. Thanks for following along for the ride!

Liked the impressions of the Romania to Scotland train trip? Consider buying me a coffee for just €/£/$5. Although I gladly share all info on Twitter & the Paliparan website for free, a fiver in support is a great way to help out an independent publisher!
buymeacoffee.com/paliparan

Thanks for all the kind comments and support - both from me and the cats, who were all so happy to see me. And to be honest, I really missed them too! Kitty is growing taller every day, Molly grabbed my leg and didn't let go of me, and Pixie was as sweet as she always is.

Both my body and mind as well as my bank account need to recover from the insane amounts of travels during the last months and a new trip anytime soon is therefore unlikely. However, spending a lot of time with these three sweethearts at home is hardly a crime. Goodnight!