Hogwarts Express and Scottish Highlands Day Tour

Our guide, Duffy, was such an experienced professional that he could begin a story and finish it at the exact point of intervention as you pass by or arrive to the site. It was impressive how he managed to do this with the variable of changing traffic conditions.

I also appreciated the music during the rides. It set the mood for the drive, it filled the talking gaps nicely, and it drowned out any noise from your group. I thought that was a brilliant addition that many other tours don’t even consider. Duffy also gave pertinent advice on how to capture the best shots, get the best positions, find the best spots, optimize time, etc. He even listed his favorite places which is wonderful if you’re staying in Inverness for more than the day. His information was so helpful that it shifted your entire experience to the most efficient one possible. Lastly, he was such a genuine guy. He made the group feel as if he’s one of us. Most tour guides are very good at selling their persona, but you can see through it, and they don’t feel like your buddy. Duffy had character and was just fun to be around. He cared. He was like that one awesome professor you find in college, the one you could grab a beer with after class and have a real conversation of substance with. The company needs to give this man a raise, unquestionably.

As far as the sites and locations, they are well selected. You get a nice variety of things to see. There are several opportunities for you to buy souvenirs, grab food, or visit places in between. The tour is 12 hours, but you’re not on the bus for nearly as long as you may think. You’re actually immersed in the stops for most of the tour. Below is the summary.

You want to arrive at 7. You want to meet the driver. You want to choose a seat, and you want to grab something to snack on. That extra 5 mins you snooze over and over, it’s not worth it… trust me. You’ll be on the bus for brief periods between places and sites. You’ll also see things from the bus as you go, so keep your camera handy.

Once aboard, you’ll head toward the famous bridge (for you Harry Potter fans). Learn all about The Jacobite on the ride there. You’ll want to snap photos of the front of the train at this location because after the first stop, Glenfinnan Station, it’s very compact and far more crowded. If you’re traveling solo, it’s not hard to get someone to take a photo for you here, and vice versa. I did it for several others, there was a small queue, don’t cut.

Do your best to get yourself seated on the left side of the train. If you ask politely (key word, politely, to not live up to that typical tourist stigma), your driver may reserve that side for you. To be fair, it should be the Harry Potter Fans that get that side as the photo may not mean as much to muggles 🤣.

If you don’t secure a left side seat, don’t stress. There is another solution which I’ll describe below. The best part is that you’re in the G car which is the last car. The purpose of this is to land that long train photo when it curves around the bridge. If you were in a forward car, like 1st class, you’d only capture the front, if any. This tour gives you the best car for the best photos.

If you couldn’t get a left side seat, you’ll want to head to the section between rail cars. It will have a window that you can hang out of and capture a photo. These can actually provide better photos than the tiny opening window at each table where you sit. If you have multiple people in your party, definitely send one of them to that window so you have good chances of catching a great photo.

There is one of these sections between every car, so you’ll be able to find one. Not everyone on the train is on a tour either, many are just traveling to another point. Therefore, it may be clear towards some other sections. This viewpoint really sneaks up on you. If you get caught up making new friends, as I was, you’ll be ill prepared for the time. I suggest paying more attention than I was. I was sitting next to the window on one of the 4 person tables. You get one tiny section of the window that opens. You must shoot the photo there.

You should put your camera outside to capture the best shot. It’s not going fast enough to cause it to blow away from your hands, but be careful because there will be no retrieving what you do drop. Also keep in mind that this is a very rapid time period to capture. Your DSLR or mirrorless won’t do well unless you’re at the middle car window (due to all the people crowding). You’ll just want to use your phone to have extremely fast focus and shutter here as well as take up minimal space. You’ll also need to be respectful and let others grab a photo without your hands in it as well.

So, snap it and then move from the tiny window because when you turn around, you’ll see all the other people in that car standing behind you trying to access that tiny window as well. This is why I suggested the left side, you’ll have first access. This is a fleeting moment, we’re talking maybe 30 or so seconds, so do your best. Or, if you’re not into photos, just enjoy the view.

This will take you a few minutes to deboard, but I suggest you get off. Hop in line to exit immediately. If you need to use the restroom, the train is empty now. Once off, there is a tiny museum and gift shop. You can also grab another photo of the front of the train, but you won’t have the same angle freedom as previously. Now you can check out the onboard Harry Potter Store (which has a sister store at the final stop). The onboard store is stocked well.

There is also a cart onboard that goes through the train when it’s moving which is very reminiscent of the movie (think chocolate frogs). I told the girl, who coincidentally reminded me of Hermione, that I’d take the lot. Sadly though, I didn’t have the suitcase capacity.

Lastly, you can try to catch a photo in the steam. Not a lot of folks were doing this, but it looked kind of interesting with the station sign. Granted, I’m the least photogenic person in our group…or the country…maybe Earth 🤷‍♂️

We made the mistake of going straight to the Harry Potter store. Yes, I’m an addict. This fishing village is actually quite large. However, as with most of my road trip, it began to rain as soon as I stepped outside. Once we left the store, it was pouring rain. We went to every restaurant, café, and pub. Every single place was full. You couldn’t sit, you couldn’t even stand. Most had the workers tell us right as we opened the door that they couldn’t accommodate us.

At this point, there were two options. Huddle in the train station with the others that weren’t eating or walk out in the rain. I chose the latter. Eventually we found the grocery store. It isn’t labeled as easily as you’d think, but it’s right across from where you exit the train…go figure. We enjoyed what little time was left, then headed to the bus. We ate on the bus which was actually nice.

There are restrooms by the bus stop where your driver will meet you. There is also a final chance to poke your head over a fence and capture the train with no one by it. Beautiful water views are on the opposite side. Moral of the story, go directly to a restaurant the second you deboard the train. If you’re not hungry, you’re going to be fine. If you want food, you need to secure a spot. The train houses an extraordinary amount of people and it’s funny how the entire village can become engulfed.

If you just couldn’t capture that shot from inside of the train, you can now get a photo from outside of the train. There are two options here. There is a short 2–5-minute walk (depending on your mobility) to the quick viewpoint of the bridge which is immediately off the parking lot, next to the shop (shown above). Or, there is the longer 10-15 minute walk toward much closer viewpoints, literally below the bridge (shown below). If you’re up for it, I suggest doing both.

You’ll have plenty of time to run up the first point. The limiting factor here is the slower folks on the narrow path, but be kind and courteous when going around them. You’ll get a shot of the back valley, which is nice, and you’ll see the bridge from afar. Head back down the trail, go across the parking lot, and get onto the main path. It’s very clearly labeled and outlined with wood all the way down. You’ll walk along a little river as well. You can get to the bridge in 10 minutes or less, if you’re quick. You can also choose to go further up the path to the left and become level with the bridge. Or, you can go much further forward and get behind the bridge.

I chose to just stay in front and be on the side where it curved toward you. If you climb the little hill, you’ll be above most others. There are lots of people here. I was shocked at how busy this place was. Be prepared for that. The weather is so dynamic here, you’ll have rain happen every few minutes at times. Also be prepared for that. Duffy tells you exactly when the train should pass. There is a variance though because the train itself can run early or late, but you’ll be ready either way.

If you want to hear about my failure story attempting this, read it here.

Take your photos, shoot your videos, do the best you can. Don’t feel bad if it’s not perfect. If it is perfect, yay.

If you’re like me, you’ll try to take a few more photos and putter around when all the people leave. After the train passes, it’s like a mass exodus. You’ll have lots of space now. I pulled out a tripod.

Also like me, you’ll have to run back to the bus when you realize you spent too much time there. This was the only time I was nearly late. Don’t worry, they won’t leave you behind, ever. However, be on time when you can so they don’t want to leave you behind 😉.

This next little village has lots of places to eat, shop, explore, sit, and relax. The other main attraction here is the views of Loch Ness. It’s just a few minute walk to the waters edge, on either side. I learned some very interesting things about Loch Ness from Duffy. I think it was the most interesting bit of trivia of the whole trip.

The Canal is entertaining to watch. If your timing is right, you’ll catch it running like a waterfall. There may be boats crossing it as well, but that can take quite a while to complete the task.

Make sure to pay attention to your guide on the way here, it’s so entertaining. If need be, there are restrooms next to the parking lot where you exit the bus. Grab some hot chocolate and walk the canal, buy a souvenir, or sit and take in the scenery.

Hop back on the bus. You’ll see some sites from the road. The guides will point them out as you pass. You will be returning to Inverness on an alternate route than before, a more scenic route than you first traveled on. You go up and over the mountains, among other things. During May, the sunset was near 10pm or later. You can see everything, and the daylight seem to last forever.

I happened to get very lucky the day I went. The nearby hydroelectric dam was open which cause the soft water flow to become a powerhouse. It was funny, we were warned the falls were diverted many years prior and aren’t anywhere near what they used to be as far as flow. However, we approached them with awe.

The falls were very powerful, and loud, beautifully loud. It was really a site to see and hear. There are two viewpoints. One from above, and one from below. There are large, predefined steps to each path, but the way back up may be tedious if you’re not ready for the climb. It was quick to descend, but not so quick to return. I got down to the bottom in maybe 2-3 minutes. Only a handful of the group went down, so it’s rather easy to capture photos here. I enjoyed the waterfall immensely, although I enjoy all water features that I get to see. It’s really not difficult access, so do it.

This is just a little viewpoint, but it’s very scenic. It is uncrowded and peaceful here. There is a tiny shop to get food or souvenirs, but that’s it. This is your chance to land a nice photo with the “Loch Ness” sign. Walk around, sit on the dock, play with the ducks, or take in the ambiance and relax.

All that remains is the return. Once you return to Inverness, you’ll still have time to explore the city a bit. Or, it’s perfect timing to head out for a night of pub crawling with some of the great recommendations given during your tour. Personally, I grabbed Domino’s pizza and went back to unwind at my Airbnb because these were the final days of my two week road trip. In retrospect, I was still up for some partying 😈

Duffy’s (pictured above) skill of eloquent narration while navigating tiny roads in a large bus was impressive, to say the least. I would gladly do this tour again. I highly recommend anyone heading to Scotland to add this to your experience.

When you finish the journey, you reflect. You almost feel accomplished as you step off the bus. It was such an awesome day.