I could sit about all weekend.

I could have had a lie in.

I could do the hoovering.

I could get out in the garden…

Or I could rail trip!!

I only decided this yesterday though I’d been thinking about it all week.

The alarm went off at 5.40am but I was awake a fair bit before that.

My train is at 7.10am from Glengarnock to Glasgow Central, walk from Glasgow Central to Queens Street then train to Oban.

Why?!?

I’m determined not to be bored like I was in the Christmas holidays. I want to get out and about and I have always wanted to travel to Oban by train just to see where the line goes.

It’s dark when we leave the house, Craig drops me at Glengarnock train station. 🚉

My friend Tracey in Canada 🇨🇦 is with me the whole way 😂 albeit in FB messenger. She is as excited as I am!!

The first train is only a half hour and then I have to walk across Glasgow. It’s almost sunrise.

The colours are lovely against the sky and the wet on the ground.

Tracey is online, in Vancouver, trying to look up what platform my train is going from!! It was lovely to have someone following my every move from such a difference. It made me even more excited!!

I break all the rules and head through for the train before the platform is announced. 😂😂 The Trainline app has already told me it’s platform 2 and there’s a queue forming.

Which side of the train to sit on?!? Oh my god they are putting seat tickets on the seats, folk have booked seats, who knew, why didn’t I do that?!? 😂

I get on the train and pick the left hand side of the carriage. I get a table, an electric socket and a window seat! Absolutely no need for the extra thinking a minute ago.

What you do forget on your solo relaxation trip is that there are lots of other people involved in your journey. I should have brought my headphones!

This is a breathtaking train journey. I’m already so very glad that I got the train. None of my photos will do it justice. I can highly recommend it.

This is the sunrise over the Clyde. Remember all of these are taken from a moving train so not the best.

The train leaves Glasgow and out through Dalmuir, Dumbarton. Helensburgh, Garelochhead and out towards Arrochar.

This is the Cobbler which rises above Arrochar.

This was the bit of the journey I was least familiar with.

The main road to Oban takes you up the side of Loch Lomond and the train goes up the side of the loch further west.

It was beautiful to see that countryside from so high up. The railway on the side of the hill.

Looking down into Arrochar.

Spotted in Ardlui… a train with a Heilan’ coo!!

The train is formed of 4 carriages. The front two split off in Crianlarich and head to Oban. The back 2 will head up to Fort William and onto Mallaig arriving 13.28. Must do that one day too.

This is Kilchurn cancel on the backs of Loch Awe.

Passing over the railway bridge beside Kilchurn.

The railway then runs right along the banks of Loch Awe. It’s really beautiful and especially on such a sunny day.

It’s done exactly what I wanted it to do, it’s let me see Scotland from a different angle. Places that I’ve driven through for years look very different from the track half way up the mountain!

I got into Oban and 11.25 and this is my hotel.

It’s only £39.60 for a single room and yes, you get what you pay for. Sadly it’s a bit run down but the room is clean and it has a wee single bed!

The skyline shows McCaig’s Tower or McCaig’s Folly as it’s known…. I head up there later. I had a good wander round all the shops, got checked in early and got a sea view room at no extra cost… then walked out to Dunollie. Love this bench!

Sat here for a while and spoke to Craigie.

Headed along back into Oban and up the very steep hill to the Tower.

Caledonian McBrayne’s Lord of the Isles is heading into dock.

I spend a good hour in and around the tower.

Once the group of tourists leave… it’s just me and silence…. And this….

I took a selfie and unbeknown to me I would get chatting to the girl who just walked in and we went shopping together with another girl she’d just met. The joys of solo travel, you hook up with like minded people. She’s staying in the Youth Hostel for £20 a night.

We put the world to rights! She headed off to the cinema while I went to pick up Fish and Chips to take back to the hotel. Heading back now.

The sky is amazing.

I’ve had a lovely day. I love it when the silence is deafening in my head. I’ve been singing random songs to myself all day.

Oban is my happy place. I’m loving the wee mini adventure.

Craig will be enjoying watching all the football news without me nagging!

Stay safe everyone ♥️♥️♥️