When you tell someone you are travelling on a sleeper train, they always have the same reaction. A smile. Despite all the advances in technology and transport, it is still the snail trail which many people crave.
I have been lucky enough to experience three overnight train journeys in Europe, each spectacular it its own way. Firstly, the Caledonian Sleeper, which leaves London’s Euston station at around 9pm , the train separating en route as people head to final destinations of Aberdeen, Inverness or, for my most recent expedition, Fort William. When you get on board, there is just enough time to sample a single malt in the lounge bar, sit back and watch the city disperse into suburbs and, finally, into a late summer, rural sunset. Check out my son’s video below of this trip, his first bit of travel journalism.
The clientele on board this train is curiously mixed, with businessmen and women who are still winding up their day of meetings on iphones and laptops, sitting cheek by jowl with hikers and bikers perusing their OS maps. One half of the carriage is an ad for Hugo Boss, the other for Patagonia. We fell into the latter, heading off on a wonderful mum-son canoeing and camping trip along the Great Glen Way with the award winning responsible tourism company Wilderness Scotland.