Journeys Near and Far

Ride the Jacobite Steam Train for a Scenic Journey through the Scottish Highlands

There's a reason the Jacobite Steam Train was chosen to portray the Hogwarts Express in the Harry Potter films.  The movie makers know what they're doing when it comes to scenery.

 

The route is lined with jaw-dropping vistas -- waterfalls plunging from tall mountain peaks, heather-strewn moors hugging the edges of  lochs, and hills swathed with trees in endless shades of green -- it's no wonder that this 84-mile journey from Scotland's Fort William to Mallaig has been voted by  Wanderlust magazine readers as the most scenic railway on the planet.   

The train is called the Jacobite Steam Train because much of the countryside it passes through is associated with Bonnie Prince Charlie (Prince Charles Edward Stuart) and the Jacobite Rebellion.  You can learn more about the Jacobite cause onboard the train by reading the passenger route guide, or by purchasing a souvenir map or Northern Books' little guide called The Mallaig Railway.

Fort William to Glenfinnan

The 90-minute journey begins in Fort William, a picturesque town known as the outdoor capital of the United Kingdom. 

Harry Potter fans be warned, there is no platform nine and three-quarters at this station, so please don't try running through any barriers.  Just head outside to the platform and you'll see the train.

As The Jacobite chugs away from the station you'll see Ben Nevis, Great Britain's tallest mountain, and the waters of Loch Linnhe will appear on your left as you pass through wooded shores and heather-clad hills.  It's typically beautiful Scottish Highland scenery.

On the right, you'll pass the banks of the Lochy and the ruins of Inverlochy Castle, which dates from the time of Edward I.  It is said that this is the site where King Achaius signed a treaty with Charlemagne in 790 AD.

Just past Banavie, the train rumbles over the Caledonian Canal on a 50-foot span swing bridge.  The canal's series of eight locks is known as Neptune's Staircase; the canal, designed by Thomas Telford, was completed in 1822, linking the East and West coasts of Scotland.  Steamers sail through here from Loch Linnhe on their way to Inverness.

At Corpach you can see Fassiefearn House, where Prince Charlie slept in 1745.  Legend has it that he picked a wild white rose here and pinned it to his hat.  The white rose later became the symbol for the Jacobite cause.

Scenic Sunday: View from Carnassarie Castle, Scotland

 
Scottish countryside

I took this photo in June after visiting the town of Kilmartin in the west of Scotland.  Traveling north on the A816, we stopped to climb the hill to the ruins of Carnassarie Castle.  Turning to look at the horizon, this was the view.

If you love history, you'll love this area in the west of Scotland.  It's said to be Scotland's richest prehistoric landscape, with remains that indicate people have been living here for thousands or years.  There are more than 350 ancient monuments in Kilmartin alone.

Tip:  Visit the fabulous Kilmartin House Museum to learn all about these ancient cultures. 

The Encyclopedia of Haunted Places

Travel the World in Search of Ghosts

Just in time for Halloween, I've had the opportunity to review the revised edition of Jeff Belanger's Encyclopedia of Haunted Places:  Ghostly Locales from Around the World. 

Belanger, the founder of Ghostvillage.com, the largest supernatural community on the web, has been studying and writing about the supernatural since 1997, and has authored ten books including The World's Most Haunted Places and The Ghost Files.

I haven't decided yet exactly how I feel about ghosts.  Do they exist?  I don't know.  But I'm open to the idea.  There are a few things for sure, though.  I love visiting haunted castles and inns on my travels, I think ghost stories are entertaining, and I thoroughly enjoy ghost tours.

It's easy to find ghostly tales and destinations in the Encyclopedia of Haunted Places.  The directory is packed with detailed information and intriguing stories that Belanger compiled about haunts around the world. 

In this book you'll find stories about:

• Dracula's castle, once the residence of Prince Vlad Tepes, aka "Vlad the Impaler" in Bran, Romania
• The Catacomb Museum in Paris, where more than 6 million bodies are housed
• The White House, where the ghost of Abraham Lincoln is said to appear
• And so much more

Wawel Castle, Krakow, Poland

Just for fun, I selected three haunted places I've visited recently to see if I could learn more about them from the book than I learned while at the sites themselves. 

First I looked up Wawel Royal Castle in Krakow, Poland.  Seat of the Polish kings for half a milenium, this castle is not only the home to the spirits of the royals who were laid to rest in the vaults under the cathedral, but to Smocza Jama, a dragon who lived in the 200-foot-long cave on the hillside.

I knew this story from having toured the castle and cave, but I didn't know that King Kazimir, who ruled in the 11th century, is said to have found a glowing stone in one of the tunnels that feeds and protects Krakow.  Nor did I know that King Sigismund I the Old's jester, Stancyk, supposedly appears on the castle battlements whenever Poland is in danger.  Interesting.

Wigtown Book Festival

Scotland's National Book Town hosts an annual festival featuring some of the country's best authors

Whenever I think about Wigtown in Dumfries & Galloway, Scotland, I have instant warm memories.  This little town, set amid green fields, moorland, and rugged coastline, is a haven for booklovers -- whether it's festival time or not.  

For me, my visit was a respite from a busy life of trying to get too many things done in too little time.  Being around books relaxes me.

I visited Wigtown on a quiet November day and spent my time browsing among the more than quarter of a million books, both old and new, in the town's many bookshops.   I would have loved to stay overnight and spend even more time here if it had been possible.

Designated as Scotland's National  Book Town in 1998, the town is home to more than 20 book-related businesses -- mostly book shops, some gift shops and a few cafés.

You can also visit the Wigtown Local Nature Reserve.  Climb upstairs to the viewing room in the county buildings for information on the reserve and a video on this year's osprey, as well as a fabulous view!  And if you can't get enough of books, there's a nice little library on the first floor of that building.

The Wigtown Book Festival, which opens today and runs until October 4th, is considered  by the UK's Telegraph to be one of the "best autumn festival's in the world". 

I haven't been to the festival (yet!) but this year they have over 170 events lined up with a slew of popular authors.

This year's festival is a little bit different due to Scotland's Homecoming 2009 celebrations.  They will be hosting "Whiskey and Words", a festival-within-a-festival that celebrates the connections between whiskey and writing.  There will be music, tastings, and some of the worlds top whiskey experts.  Sounds like fun!

If you can't make it to the festival but love books or nature, I highly recommend you visit Wigtown at any time of year.   I know I'm going to return next time I have a chance.

Some other articles you might like from my trips to Scotland:

• The Writers' Museum, Edinburgh
• A Visit to the Beatrix Potter Garden & Exhibition
• Mary Queen of Scots House, Jedburgh, Scotland

Scenic Sunday: Oban, Scotland

Oban, Scotland

I loved walking along the colorful harborfront in Oban, Scotland.  This city, known as the Gateway to Mull and the Inner Hebrides, is one of Scotland's leading coastal resorts -- and the Seafood Capital of Scotland.  The harbor, a busy fishing port in the 18th century, still bustles. 

We only stayed for a couple of hours so I didn't explore the town in depth.  But I recommend a walk along the harborfont, then have a salad or sandwich and a cup of Earl Grey at The Kitchen Garden on George Street, a trendy delicatessen and coffee shop.  From your table in the coffee shop above the deli, watch the Caledonian MacBrayne ferries ply their way to and from Mull and the other isles. 

See The Kitchen Garden's menu here.

Inveraray Jail: Scotland's Living 19th Century Prison

Experience Life in an Old Prison

The town of Inveraray in Western Scotland was once an important market town and port as well as a meeting place of the courts. 

Now it's a good place to spend a day in jail.

Of course, you wouldn't have wanted to be a prisoner here in the 19th century.  That's what makes the Inveraray Jail so intriguing.  You learn all about how wrongdoers were punished back in the 1800's -- without suffering the punishments yourself.

In 1820, this building, which was the meeting place of the Circuit, Sheriff and Burgh Courts, also became the principal jail for the County of Argyll.  It housed men, women and children, convicted and unconvicted prisoners, the sane and the insane.

Now it's a visitor attraction, which on first glance I thought might be too touristy, yet it was not only fun (it's interactive) but unique.  By entering the actual jail cells -- the "warden" will gladly lock you up -- you get a real feel for what it would have been like to be imprisoned here. 

The Exhibition

Inside the jail, you'll first visit the exhibition, where you'll find out how wrongdoers were treated before the days of prisons, i.e. thumbscrews, branding with a hot iron, or perhaps a public whipping. 

Often these punishments were metered out to people who had committed minor crimes such as stealing a turnip, and most of them didn't even understand the trial as they spoke only Gaelic.

The Court

Next, you'll venture into the courtroom, where you can witness the pomp and circumstance of a trial in action.  The models and soundtrack make it seem almost real.  While you're in the courtroom, think about this:  More than 6,000 men, women and children were tried in this very room. 

Scenic Sunday: Inveraray Castle

Inveraray, Scotland

Inveraray Castle, the beautiful home of the Duke of Argyll, was one of the highlights of my recent visit to Scotland.  The castle is steeped in history.  Tour the premises and see the Tapestry Drawing Room, the China Turret, the Armoury Hall and even the Old Kitchen.

On a nice day, walk in the gardens -- the grounds are stunning.   An interesting story:  Robert Innes-Smith and George Hughes-Hartman, the authors of the book Inveraray Castle say:

"As was the custom elsewhere during the 19th century, distinguished people who visited the Castle were asked to plant trees.  These included Queen Victoria, David Livingstone, William Gladstone, the Earl of Shaftesbury and others.  Extending to some 180 hectares, they form one of the most important designed landscapes in Scotland..."

Wouldn't it be nice if that were a custom we all followed today?

The Writers' Museum, Edinburgh

If you Love the Written Word, don't Pass up this Museum

In Edinburgh, Scotland, just off the Lawnmarket in Makars' Court, you'll find an overlooked gem that most people miss:  The Writers' Museum.   It's taken me five trips to Edinburgh before I included it in my itinerary, and I highly recommend that you don't wait that long!

Having followed the Robert Burns Trail from Ayrshire to Dumfries and visited Abbotsford, the home of Sir Walter Scott, I was looking forward to learning more about  these writers as well as seeing the museum's extensive Stevenson collection.

The Building

Celebrating the lives and works of three of Scotland's best known writers - Robert Burns (1759 - 1796), Sir Walter Scott (1771 - 1832) and  Robert Louis Stevenson(1850 - 1894), the museum, located in historic Lady Stair"s House in a close of the same name, was built in 1622 for prominent Edinburgh merchant Sir William Grey.  The building is a beautiful example of 17th century architecture, and a fitting setting for collections that evoke Scotland's rich literary past.

The Collections

Inside, you'll find treasure galore:  Manuscripts, portraits and memorabilia such as the writing desk from Burns' house in Dumfries, a rocking horse Scott used as a boy, and the fishing rod, Meerschaum pipe and riding boots world traveler Stevenson wore while living in Samoa.  I especially enjoyed seeing the printing press on which Scott's Waverley novels were printed.

The museum also houses small temporary exhibitions to honor the work of other Scottish writers. 

The museum (entrance is free, by the way) has a nice little shop, where my boyfriend Finlay, who has been kind enough to guide me all over Scotland, picked up a copy of Stevenson's Merry Men and Other Stories to prepare for a future production.

Have you been to The Writers' Museum in Edinburgh?  What did you think?  Can you recommend similar museums anywhere else?

Note:

Edinburgh's rich literary history was  recognized  in October, 2004, when the city was awarded as UNESCO's first International City of Literature.  A well-deserved honor!

If you've read this far, you may also be interested in two other Edinburgh literary activities:  The Edinburgh Book Lovers Tour and the Edinburgh Literary Pub Tour.  Lonely Planet says the latter is one of the best known Edinburgh Walking Tours, so I suppose that will be next on my list!

Also, if you like Robert Burns, follow the Ayrshirebard on Twitter, who tweets "Daily lines of poetry and words of wisdom from the ploughman's poet."  

Holidays Around the World

Happy Holidays to All!

Today, while much of the world celebrates Christmas, many people are celebrating Hanukkah and Kwanzaa is about to begin, I'd like to wish all of you -- no matter what you celebrate -- a joyous holiday season and a Happy New Year.

All across the world, people celebrate the holidays in many different ways, and I thought you might find it interesting to read about some of these traditions.  So I've gathered here a selection of links to articles you might find interesting.

Christmas...

• First, take a look at BootsnAll's Five of Europe's Cosiest Christmas Markets, by Anne-Sophie Redisch.  Redisch writes about the Christmas Markets in Vienna, a city I am very fond of, as well as undiscovered Bratislava, fairy-tale Prague, mysterious Tallinn, and bewitching Rome.

• Then check out WhyGo Italy's Christmas in Italy, where you can read about the legend of La Befana, who flies on her broomstick each year to bring gifts to children. 

• WhyGo Paris offers you Christmas in Paris:  Traditions & Tourism, and  Paris in December so you can learn all about what it's like in the City of  Lights this month.

• Michelle Fabio writes about 5 Christmas Traditions Around the World on BootsnAll.  Learn about carols down under, a celebration of light in Brazil, and of course -- the world-renowned tree in Rockefeller Center, New York City.

Hanukkah and Kwanzaa...

• Click here to learn about Hanukkah in Syria, Russia and Eastern Europe, and learn more about this holiday in Jews Around the World Celebrate Hanukkah on CBNNews.com. 

• What is Kwanzaa?  Read about it here.

New Year's Eve...

And, I would be remiss if I didn't include Scotland's Hogmanay here.  This pagan festival is celebrated throughout Scotland.  The origins of this New Year's Eve celebration reach back perhaps to the Norse, and include customs from the Gaelic New Year's celebration of Samhain. 

If you can't make it to Scotland in person this year, watch this video of Edinburgh's Hogmanay Torchlight Procession.  Although Hogmanay is celebrated throughout Scotland (you can read about some of this year's events on Hogmanay.net), my favorite place to celebrate is Edinburgh.  Learn what's going on this year on Edinburgh's Hogmanay website.

And don't miss these holiday stories on Journeys Near and Far:

• Christmas in Nuremberg
• Gingerbread, Sausages, Prune Men... and Hot Mulled Wine
• The Nuremberg Christmas Market  and
• a series of articles that begins with Holidays in the Hudson Valley

Note:  National Geographic Intelligent Travel Blog did a fabulous month-long series this year called The World of Christmas.  Check it out to see how the holiday is celebrated in 18 cities around the world.

Photos:  Top - Nutcracker in Nuremberg, Germany.  Bottom - Christmas crafts for sale at the Nuremberg Christmas Market.

 

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A Visit to the Beatrix Potter Garden and Exhibition

An Exhibit in Birnam, Scotland, Honors the Author and Illustrator of Peter Rabbit

Last May, when I watched the 2006 biographical movie Miss Potter starring Renee Zellweger, I was immediately drawn to the story of Beatrix Potter's life.  I wanted to learn more about her.  So in June, while traveling in Perthshire, Scotland with my friend Finlay, I was happy to see that there was a Beatrix Potter Exhibition and Garden at the Birnam Arts and Conference Centre in Birnam, near Dunkeld.

The exhibit was small, but charming.  It taught me a lot about Beatrix Potter, the talented author and artist who created the Peter Rabbit books.

Born in 1866, Helen Beatrix Potter grew up fascinated by wildlife and nature.  "Everything was romantic in my imagination," she wrote.  "The woods were peopled by the mysterious good folk.  The Lords and Ladies of the last century walked with me along the overgrown paths, and picked the old fashioned flowers among the box and rose hedges of the garden."

Potter isn't the only one who has been stirred by the natural beauty of Dunkeld and Birnam.  The area has drawn artists and writers since long before Potter was born -- long, even, before travelers ventured by railway into the Highlands.  It's no wonder that the stunning scenery, immortalized by the poetry of Robert Burns and the romantic novels of Sir Walter Scott, became Potter's muse.

Through her interest in mycology Potter met Charles McIntosh, the postman who delivered mail in the Dunkeld area where Beatrix and her family spent many care-free summers.  It is thought by many that Charlie Macintosh was the inspiration for her character Mr. McGregor, and comparing the photos there are some similarities!

When you first enter the exhibit, you'll see a selection of Potter's fungi studies from a collection of originals housed in the Perth Museum and Art Gallery.   Here, in what resembles a Victorian schoolroom, you can sit and browse through a collection of Beatrix Potter books. 

In addition to many wonderful illustrations from her books and information about Beatrix Potter's life, the exhibit also contains scores of specimens from nature that inspired her drawings.  Kids can try their hand at pencil sketches, pretend to be a school teacher at the blackboard, or entertain the adults with a puppet show in a Victorian style theater.

It was Potter's time spent in Scotland where she was free to explore the countryside that had the most enduring influence on her life.  Here she brought her pets and created most of her animal studies.  "After breakfast, " she wrote in her journal, "taking Mr. Benjamin Bunny to pasture at the edge of the cabbage bed with his leather dog lead, I heard a rustling, and out came a wild rabbit to talk to him."  And so The Tale of Peter Rabbit was born...

The Beatrix Potter Garden features Peter Rabbit and many of the other beloved characters from the books.  See some photos of the Garden here.

I picked up a nice little booklet at the exhibit called A Fascinating Acquaintance, mainly about the friendship between Charles McIntosh and Beatrix Potter.  It was published with the help of the Beatrix Potter Society.  You can also learn more about the life of Beatrix Potter by reading these books.

For additional Beatrix Potter places to visit, see this list on The Beatrix Potter Society website.

You can also explore some of the beautiful natural areas in the United Kingdom which Beatrix captured in her exquisite watercolors.  Just download the movie map. (You'll also find some beautiful wallpaper for your computer there).  And:

• In Scotland, follow the A9 north from Perth to explore the Dunkeld, Birnam, Inver and The Hermitage areas, where Charles McIntosh lived and met Beatrix.
• In the Perth Museum and Art Gallery, you can see 25 watercolor studies of fungi by Beatrix, as well as specimens, correspondence and memorabilia belonging to Charles.
• The Victoria and Albert Museum in London contains a large collection of Beatrix Potter's watercolors, including her childhood sketchbooks (call for an appointment to view as material may not be on display:  020 7602-0281 Ext. 212.)

Photos courtesy of Visit Scotland Perthshire (top photo); The World of Peter Rabbit (center photo) and the Birnam Arts and Conference Center (bottom photo).