Fort William and Glenfinnan

Today we left Iona, backtracked our steps across the Isle of Mull, and caught a mid-day bus along the west coast. We're staying in a cute B&B on the shoulder of Ben Nevis, the tallest mountain in Scotland. It's about a two mile hike downhill into town.

Fort William is one of the first towns in the highlands, and the scenery is breathtaking. As we shared a few amber beverages with two ladies from Belgium, one of them remarked what impressed her about Scotland: "So much water - and the mountains rise out of the middle of it."

We take a brief train up to Glenfinnan, site of Bonnie Prince Charlie's big hurrah. It's better known in my family as the Site of the Harry Potter Train Bridge, where Harry and Ron almost got hit by the Hogwarts Express as they were traveling by flying car. Loch Shiel, the long lake by the historical shrine, is also the movie scene for the Hogwarts Castle in the films. My daughter Meg will be impressed.

Jamie, however, was not impressed -- with me being rather insistent that we slog through the rain, yanking along our rolling suitcases down a two mile hill, taking my pictures, and then yanking suitcases back up the hill to catch our train, all so I can impress my kid. Ah, I say, these are the experiences that will strengthen a marriage!

And so I almost end up with two suitcases to pull up the hill. I have it coming.

Neverthess they're wonderful pictures. Really. I think they're worth it. And I would give my big toe to come back here and stay longer some day. It's just that beautiful.