The rain and clouds make the Western Highlands Line from Glasgow to Oban and Mallaig one of the most dramatic in the world. The grass is green, the hills are only lightly spotted with trees. My one photo out the train window shows the stone bridge at Glenfinnan, the climax of the Fort William to Mallaig segment. The bridge overlooks the famous Loch Shiel and the statue of Prince Charles Edward Stuart, who launched the 1745 Jacobite rising at the spot.

One of the other sights to see in the Highlands is the regular overflights of fighter aircraft. This is Britain's premier pilot-training area, and the pilots seem to have a special affinity for overflying moving trains and ferries.