The Train And The Journey North

It was early to rise on this day of long journeys.
With bike and bags packed, my heart was a pounding with the knowledge of the challenge that awaits us in Scotland.
I was eager to get there and so were my team! 
It was glorious sunshine that greeted our journey from Peterborough to Inverness and the 12:47.

Yes they are with me and will tell a story, a journey to be had and enjoyed by these soft toys! Afterall, they are helping me to raise funds!
Whilst the girls clung to the window watching where we were going, the boys had other ideas and not really knowing!


With little effort we glided along the track, bags in carriages and people about, it was a busy route which we were bound.
With York our next stop I peered around and saw its arches and intricate artwork standing out and proud.
Its National Railway Museum not too far away, I shall have to pay a visit to this old town, one day.
It has its moors and castles and its dungeon so sinister, but I love old York and its medieval Minster and its ghoulish tales and stories of horrible flails!
But along the track we rush passing fields of green velvet brush and bright yellow rape.
I turn my attention to those on the train, the businessman, the bags, the strain.
With ipods and pads, kindles and phones, to books and papers and bags and sacks, to those young and old and the sounds of laughter to behold, people unwind, and sleep or recant their own stories to be told.
Perfect strangers meeting on a train then friendships formed easy and untamed.
As the train trundles along, we pass Durham and its mighty cathedral then `tis not long before we reach Newcastle and  over the Tyne...

I have to have a smile as this was the place I used to work many years ago and hearing Gazza`s voice singing fog on the Tyne is all mine is something of a cringe factor!
But there was no fog today, just broken sunshine filtering through.
Newcastle has some of the finest food places around and why not visit the life centre, I enjoyed the space exploration section.
I like stars and planets!
Oh well, end of reminiscing! Back to reality and the continuing journey.
We continued to hurtle along and watched the changing landscape and then the tides of the could be visible, though the clouds appeared to lose their whiteness and dark grey consumed them.
It wasn`t long before the spatter of train hit the windows though only in short bursts and by the time we reached Berwick Upon Tweed, it was back to the sunshine.

Many a battle has been fought over this place, with its inhabitants being part of England, then Scotland and back again.
This has been going on since medieval times.
Whilst the people class themselves as Scottish, the English parliament class the town as English!
Even in these modern times governments are still arguing!


As the train continues ever northwards, clouds are still increasing, but the journey is still enjoyable as we pass through Edinburgh and Falkirk and onto Stirling where the castle still stands and William Wallace Monument adorns the hillside.

This is the first time I am able to complete the whole journey in broad daylight and it is something special as usually it is a dark September`s evening when I come this way.


Though as we travel and pass through Gleneagles, Perth, Pitlochery, Kinguisse and Aviemore before reaching Inverness, we are treated along the route with an array of rainbows that just seemed to go on and on and on........

What a journey and with the dark clouds gone, I am at Inverness and the B&B I call home here.........