HP pilgrimage no. 99

At the start of the World Cup mountain bike track
in Fort William

Start of the day

This is one big mountain

Shot from the gondola of riders on the track

Glenfinnan Viaduct

The walk up to Glenfinnan Viaduct
to pick our spot

Afternoon train, everyone waves
and cheers 

Morning train returning,
the driver did a musical toot
all the way across the bridge

This girl was dressed the best

Fun at the Neptune's Staircase Fort William

Fort William is an outdoor action town, with mountain biking, climbing, running and all kinds of outdoor activities. Ben Nevis, the tallest mountain in the UK looms large over the town from every angle. So the first thing on the agenda for today (rescheduled from yesterday) is to conquer the mountain and get to the top.

Well actually thats not true we are doing the 8-hour trek to the top, we are taking the tourist version and going up in the gondola on the mountain next to it at Nevis Range Mountain Park. This is where a Mountain Bike World Cup race takes place every year and I have watched many videos on youtube of the elite (and crazy) bikers racing down the mountain. We are here and ready to go and one of the first ones up to the top. Checking out all the trails, the monster Christmas trees and amazing views.

Tada we are at the top, is it there? Not sure. Hmm, yes, there it is the start hut! Time for a quick test out down that ramp :) Done with style and panache I then return the bike and go back to being a tourist. Off to the veranda for more photos and a cuppa then back down we go. That was the best fun but we are not dressed in Harry Potter shirts by coincidence.

Its time to head down the road to the famous Glenfinnan Viaduct, built for a train line at the turn of the 19th century, but immortalised forever in Harry Potter movies as the bridge the train goes over on the way to Hogwarts. This particular event has to be timed to perfection. So first its the Glenfinnan Memorial, where Bonnie Prince Charles raised the flag and gathered the clans for the first time. We have seen every other historical location in this piece of history that has shaped the psyche of every Scottish person (well at least the people that write the tourist information). Tick.

So with vague instructions and other HP nutters, we start the trek to the viaduct. Its a pleasant walk then a scramble up a hill. Now I have to run around and decide which place is the absolute best to position ourselves and come back to where Jane has claimed a rock. Happy we have enough height and can't be blocked by other Harry Potter tragics.

The hill fills up more and more as the appointed minute approaches. I hear a rumble in the distance and toot, toot. Its here, video on, snap away everyone waves from the train and the hill and its done. That was perfect. Now to settle in for a few more minutes and then toot toot the morning train appears going back to Fort William. This is the steam train and the train driver makes a great show of tooting all the way across the bridge. Everyone is happy.

Walking back down the hill with the crowd all you can hear is everyone replaying the video on their phones and the toots of the train. It is a very funny moment. I started out as someone who enjoyed the books and movies, now I am definitely reaching tragic status. All the HP fans seem to like a bit of magic and happiness.