Fort William Sojourn (1)

Where's The Station?

Fort William used to have a magnificent Station Hotel. It was grand and luxurious ...

... and it even had extensive greenhouses to ensure its clientele had the freshest and best produce.

But there was a snag. Back in the day, the station was in the middle of town ...

... right on the lochside and offering a full multi-midal transport interchange.

Unfortunately, the Hotel was way up the hill ...

... seen above lower right. There was a stiff climb from the station ...

... then a walk along a narrow lane ...

... and round a hairpin bend ...

... and up another hill! 

Fortunately, the fbbs were delivered to the door by coach yesterday evening after a lengthy but comfortable drive from Seaton (depart 0600)

And the views are gorgeous.

The Station Hotel closed in 1910 to be reborn later as the Highland Hotel.

fbb has found no corroborated evidence of the extra line and station at a higher level, serving the hotel. It may have been a fanciful aspiration.

The station was relocated to the north of the town and the former site and its approach tracks replaced with a road!

Shame!

APOLOGY

after a long, long journey hampered by several heaps of road works, the fbb's arrived at the hotel (as above) at 2100. This was approx 90 minutes late! Departure from Seaton was at 0600.

After a late dinner, your weary blogger was simply incapable of battling with technology. 

This was written on the phone as Lochs and Glens negotiated yet another chunk of road works on the approaches to Fort William.

Sorry about the lack of anything much in the way of topicality. 

The above mini blog was prepared last week. Just in case.

FOR THE RECORD

Just tried before "turning in". Internet works but is patchy. Here is the schedule for yesterday. It will be repeated tomorrow with fuller information.

Arrived Fort William 2054

It was a long tiring journey ...

BUT

Boy, it will be worth it. The view from the fbb's window at 0700 today, Tuesday.

It will become more glorious. Below, 0830.

Internet is "sticky" but works - so normal service should be resumed tomorrow. By "sticky", fbb means that "stuff" doesn't happen as instantly as it ought to - possibly a bandwidth width problem, ot simply the fact that the internet has to work so much harder to climb over the mountains!

 Next Fort William blog : Wednesday 13th September