We were up at 05:00 for a quick light breakfast then up and over the hill back to Strathcarron station, taking exactly 48 minutes for the 8.4 miles as estimated by Google Maps. We had 15 minutes to wait for the train, lightly loaded as expected until we got within commuting distance of Inverness where we arrived at 08:50.
I enquired about bike reservations for trains south but was told there were none available all day! We were advised to check with the conductor of the 09:41 Edinburgh service then to dash back for tickets if we were allowed on. The conductor was amenable but I had only a few minutes to sprint back, ask if I could jump the queue, buy tickets to Perth and return to board the train, which was very busy by the time we reached Perth. There the booking clerk advised us that the 12:38 to Glasgow Queen Street was unlikely to be busy and sold us tickets, reassuring me that she’d refund them if we couldn’t get a train that day. Within half an hour of our arrival we were on our way, reaching Glasgow before 2pm.
Rather than risk getting stranded or arriving home very late, we booked into a Travelodge situated between Queen Street and Central stations and had a wander round the city centre. We had a reservation for the 12:00 to Crewe tomorrow but called in at Central and luckily there were spaces on the 10:00 so we could get home earlier.
In the evening we ate at Las Iguanas, a relaxing end to the day.