Glenfinnan Viaduct

Did you watch the Harry Potter movies? Then you know the Hogwarts Express... In reality it is an old scottish Train called "The Jacobite" which runs from Fort William to Mallaig. It crosses the famous Glenfinnan viaduct.  Last time I visited Glenfinnan Station and walked up the hills to that spotter place... waiting for the steamtrain! I was really really anxious and didn't want to take the camera down for one second too afraid to miss it! Thank you littel sister for coming along and taking that shot!

Finally I could hear the typical sound of an approaching train and the steam appeared in the small wood. It was great! Excited as a child I jumped and waved and started to take photos. It was over to soon. On the way down it started to drizzel, but nothing could lower my spirits. After 15 minutes we arrived at Glenfinnan Station and the "Jacobite" was still there. What is so cool about steamtrains? I have no idea but I love them! As did my father. Glenfinnan Staion is a small privat museum with a shop, a sleeping car hostel and a diner car with scones and soup. Perfect! I think, I will feature it in another post...

Today I wanted to tell you about the swim. A few meters from the station is Glenfinnan Monument at Loch Shiel. From here you have a nice view on the viaduct from below. And I thought, it was a perfect place for a swim. It was not. There is a small beachy area where a dropped my stuff and changed into my wetsuit. I walked in and walked...     and walked ...  and walked...

the water wouldn't get any deeper! Finally I reached waist high water and got in, just to be in the water at least once! I came back really frustrated.
So I will forget about the swim and remember the steamtrain ;-)

Can't wait to go back and wait for the Jacobite to arrive!

You never regret a swim ....
well...

Location:

Glenfinnan just off the A380, Inverness Shire, PH37 4LT, United Kingdom

The Station is reason enough to visit or spend a night:

 http://glenfinnanstationmuseum.co.uk

Want to arrive via steamtrain?

http://www.westcoastrailways.co.uk/jacobite/jacobite-steam-train-details.cfm

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Rhein river splash

Normally I don't like going by bike, but yesterday a friend of mine suggested a small bike tour along Rhine river.
I live on the southern edge of Cologne in the district of Porz-Zündorf and the Rhine river is just a 2 minute walk.

Yesterday it was a 1 minute ride by bike ;-)

We headed along the river to the south, but didn't get far.

I saw a small "beach"  (if you want to call it beach... it is really just a bit of sand on the river bank between two groynes, so it looks like a small bay...) where children were playing in the water.

So we stopped for the first picknick at the beach and watched the action in the water. The kids were splashing about and two boys even dived. So I thought "challenge accepted" and walked into the river to find out that it was freezing cold.
It was 22 degrees outside, but the water had only 15 degrees  (I looked up the water temperatur online). Nevertheless I was already in the mood to make a quick splash. I went further in and the two boys came up to ask, if I believed that they even had their heads under water and dared me to sit down. It tooked some time, but I went in splashing and swimming for a few seconds.

You never regret a swim!

I changed into my jeans and we continued the bike tour, me being already very happy with the adventure of the day.

In the evening we found a small open air cafe with deck chairs. You can either sit on the "beach" Patio or at the river bank with your feet in the water.

Spots:

51143 Köln Porz Langel

the next street is "In der Aue"

just walk along the foodpath next

to the river to find the "beach"

Mondi Beach http://www.rheingold-hotel.com/7.html

Please notice, that swimming in the Rhine river can be dangerous! Swimming is at your own risk! Wildswimstories expresses personal experience and gives no advise on the safety of the swim spots.                                

                                                                       

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