17 May 2008 →Thurso (North Highland)

Piching was excited to reach to the northernmost town on the British mainland, Thurso. It took almost 4 hours from Inverness. Piching expected to see something different. Similar to West Highland lines, there is only two runs of train in North Highland line on Sunday and are three runs in the other days. There was not much passenger on that day so Pigen and Piching could sit anywhere they like. Along the rail line, the landscape changed from the lake, the green land, the ocean to wizened highland. Piching's mind returned to three years ago when she went to Las Vegas and the Grand canyon with her parents.
終於要踏上本島鐵路能到達的最北邊的樂索小鎮(通常John o' Groats普遍被認為是最北邊的村莊，所以才有Land's End to John o' Groats的諺語，意指旅行橫跨英國最北及最南，然而最北既非John o' Groats，最南也不是Land's End，反而是Duncansby Head比John o' Groats更北，而Land's End確實是位於最西南端，卻不是最西邊或最南邊)，從茵凡尼斯出發，搭乘火車約四小時。滿心期待會看到點不一樣的景致。班次同西高地路線一樣不多，非週日三班、週日兩班，這天搭乘的旅客並不多，所以位置隨P根與P青坐。沿線風景從湖泊、綠地、海洋變化到乾枯的高地，P青此刻心情彷彿回到05年與爸媽去拉斯維加斯及大峽谷的心情。

Inverness to Thurso 07:14-11:05
07:28 Beauly
07:34 Muir of Ord
07:45 Dingwall
07:57 Alness
08:02 Invergordon
08:13 Fearn
08:19 Tain
08:35 Ardgay
08:41 Culrain
08:42 Invershin
08:53 Lairg
09:07 Rogart
09:18 Golspie
09:22 Dunrobin Castle
09:29 Brora
09:48 Helmsdale
10:01 Kildonan
10:10 Kinbrace
10:23 Forsinard
10:33 Altnabreac
10:42 Scotscalder
10:53 Georgemas Junction

(沿路兩豬的糧食就是前一天在CO-OP買到的折扣麵包，每樣通通10便士，便宜程度是其它地方所不及的，於是P根挑了一袋香腸麵包捲，P青拿了塊比臉還大的雜糧麵包，總計台幣不到15元。)

It was a long journey so sometimes they took pictures. They didn't sleep well last night so they took turns to take a nap. Some interesting stops caught Piching's eye and she would try her best to shot for record. When the train stopped at Georgemass Junction, most of passengers were off the train to breathe the fresh air and got on the train as it was going to depart.
因為車程很久，前晚也沒睡好，所以除了偶爾拍拍照打發時間外，兩豬輪流補眠以備到達後有充足的體力逛。沿線有些有趣的車站，讓疲倦的P青眼睛為之一亮。大部分旅客到Georgemass Junction都會下車活動筋骨，發車時再上來。

Speaking of walking through a bridge beyond the River Thurso in a park, a passing old Scottish pointed to Tesco's carrier bag in the riverside and told to Pigen and Piching that it's the way Scottish deal with the refuse. Piching had nothing to say in reply but laughed. It was common in the United Kingdom especially Tesco's bag littered about even in this small town. That means Tesco is everywhere!!!
話說經過公園穿越樂索河上的某座小橋時，一個經過的蘇格蘭老先生指著河流邊的特易購塑膠袋對兩豬說，這就是蘇格蘭人處理垃圾的方法。P青無言以對，只能笑笑，終究這樣的情況在英國是屢見不鮮了，特別是特易購的塑膠袋到處都有，連這小鎮都有，可見其超市普及的程度。

Walking from the rail station, Pigen and Piching turned right to the Lovers Lane and found the River Thurso which flows into Thurso Bay and the Pentland Firth. From the bay or beach, you could see Hoy of the Orkney islands and the famous towering Old Man of Hoy. All kinds of ferry information could be found in the station's bulletin board. Walking to the east north direction, you could see Thurso Castle nearby the sea. On the contrary, walking to west north direction, you could find different sea shore from the east north's.
從車站走出來，往右手邊的情人巷直走，便會看到樂索河，通往樂索灣與彭特蘭灣(有人說彭特蘭灣比較接近海峽性質)，從港口或海邊可以看見奧克尼群島的Hoy及高聳有名的Old Man of Hoy。從彭特蘭灣西邊的Scrabster可搭MV Hamnavoe渡輪到奧克尼群島的Stomness，可在樂索車站佈告欄看各種渡輪旅遊資訊。在東北方向的海邊，可看見樂索城堡；而往西北邊Scrabster方向走，可看見與東北方不太一樣的海岸景觀。

"Happily" is the only feeling for them to come to Thurso with a population of more than 8000 only. Walking on the street, you would find it's difficult for residents not to meet an acquaintance.
對於樂索的感覺是「幸好有來」，雖然只是一個人口八千多人的小鎮，走在街上，居民們很難不遇見熟識的人而打招呼、閒聊著。
Since they are in Thurso, why not go to the last stop, Wick and take train returning to Inverness.
既然都來到樂索了，不如就到鐵路最後一站-威克看看，再從威克搭火車直接回茵凡尼斯。

[→ Wick but what happened?]
[順便去威克，結果發生了什麼呢？]

Go to Pigen's Flickr to see more pictures.
到P根相簿瀏覽更多相片。