America has some incredibly beautiful places where you can run to get away from it all. Spots like Death Valley are bleak but enchanting, and the mountains around the Tetons are stunning. If the thought of America is just too much for you today, though, then this ride through the Scottish highlands could offer the escapism you need.
Now, I’m not suggesting we all run to the airport and descend on Edinburgh en masse, as much as I do love the Scottish capital. Instead, there’s a far easier and cheaper way to explore the wilderness of Scotland and that’s through the magic of slow TV.
This particular genre of the internet straps a camera to stuff and lets you watch what goes on for hour on end. There are enchanting slow TV films that take you on a ride through England’s canals and others that let you ride on the front of an American train. This film from British railway operator National Rail is my new favorite, as it shows off the true joys of rail travel.
The film, which you can watch for yourself below, is about 45 minutes long and takes you on a ride through the West Highland Line, a 100-year-old railway that gently meanders from Glasgow into the Scottish wilderness. If you ride the whole thing it takes a bit longer than 45 minutes, but this fun little jaunt packs in all the highlights.
It starts off with the cityscapes of Glasgow, before the wilderness opens up and the train tracks line lochs (or lakes, to you and me), expansive rolling fields and stunning hills that appear almost out of nowhere.
Over the course of 45 minutes, you can escape thoughts of the orange thing that’s going to run America, and instead think about the deep oranges and rich browns that pop from the heather and trees that line this ancient railway. It’s quite a nice way to pass the time, really.
If this isn’t quite enough escapism for today, head here to ride on the front of an English narrowboat, or here to journey along one of America’s longest rail lines. We’ll get you through the day, don’t worry.