The Harry Potter Train (The Jacobite)

We left Loch Lomond and headed northwest towards Fort William.  We were able to get day of tickets on the Jacobite train.  You may know this as the "Harry Potter Train."  I really did imagine myself getting on the train, on my way to Hogwarts, but sadly, it did not end at Hogwarts.

Here's my picture from the train:

And here's the clip from the first Harry Potter movie:

Although the train didn't end at Hogwarts, it did end at this picturesque seaside town:

Before we reached Fort William, we also went looking for the scene of another movie, James Bond Skyfall.  Here's my picture from today of where the filmed James Bond's secret hideaway:

And here's the clip from Skyfall:

We also had a lovely picnic near our hotel:

We are staying right next to a series of 8 "locks" called Neptune Staircase on the Caledonian Canal.  Just after lunch, they were moving these boats up to the next step, off to continue their voyage deeper in Scotland.  None of the seven boats were English speakers and a variety of relationships that I could tell- some couples, one looked to be a father and two sons.  This was so interesting to me of how they all got here, and where they were headed next.  

We've had some long days of travel, but what I love most is that we get some nice pics like these below.  Here's Emily near the Skyfall filming area.  It's so nice to have her along and she puts up with traveling with a family of four in close quarters. 

If you know Matt, you know he can be quite silly, so here he is having a little fun mimicking all the people doing this pose on the Harry Potter train. 

And sweet moments like this, a tired Abby getting some snuggles on the train.

And lastly, relaxing moments like this at the end of a long day of car and train travel.  With five people traveling, we have two rooms and Emily was kind enough to take the kids for the night, leaving some much needed quiet and restful moments to Matt and I.  We're ending the day with this view, of the Calendonian Canal locks, Ben Nevis (the highest mountain in England) in the distance, and a glass of wine.  And, would you ever guess that it's 10:00 at night in this picture.  Being so far north means a lot of daylight.