Sunday 23 October 2016

10 Amazing places in Scotland by Public Transport

Very recently I was having a conversation about seeing Scotland using public transport. The person I was talking to strongly believed that Scotland is not doable at all without a car. While I agree that some parts of Scotland are completely inaccessible on public transport or requires a fair amount of walking or cycling or hitch-hiking should one choose to, it is also quite surprising how much you could actually see by using the various modes of transport crisscrossing the country.

Here are ten amazing areas around Scotland which are perfectly doable on public transport.


Moray Firth

The incredible coastline with its magnificent rock formations and rich wildlife is easily accessible from Aberdeen by Stagecoach bus services. The regular service also allows you to walk the coastline by parking your car at one point and taking the bus back. Cullen is a good location as a base.

Bow and Fiddle rock Portknockie
Bow and Fiddle rock in Portknockie

Loch Lomond

Though the west coast of the loch, hugged by the A82 makes the villages of Luss, Tarbet, Inveruglas and Ardlui easier on the Citylink bus services, the dramatic east coast, perceived as inaccessible on public transport, needs some more planning. Train services from Glasgow will take you to Balloch, at the southernmost tip. From here regular bus services run to Balmaha where you can go up the Conic hill for a spectacular view of the Loch Lomond islands. In summer months, a ferry service runs from Tarbet to Rowardennan and Inversnaid giving you an opportunity to explore these rich wildlife reserves and a walk up the most southerly munro Ben Lomond.

Rowardennan
Rowardennan from the ferry
Loch Lomond
Loch Lomond

Cape Wrath

The difficult way of visiting the most north westerly point of mainland Britain is by walking the challenging Cape Wrath trail. Alternatively, a bit of planning makes the place more accessible from Durness. About three miles south of Durness, the Cape Wrath ferry leaves from Keoldale to cross the Kyle of Durness. A mini bus service then takes you through twelve miles of remote wilderness to the lighthouse at the tip of Sutherland. The area is used for military training exercises and the bus service is planned around it. It is recommended to check and book in advance. Visit www.visitcapewrath.com for more information.
Durness is well connected to Ullapool and Inverness through bus services. While in Durness, visit the amazing Smoo cave and the beach at Sango sands


Cape Wrath lighthouse
Cape Wrath lighthouse

Smoo cave Durness
Smoo cave in Durness

Dunnet head and Castle of Mey

The most northerly point of mainland Britain and the Queen mother's home in Caithness can be reached by regular bus services from Thurso, though be prepared to stretch your legs for a bit. Thurso is connected to Inverness by both trains and bus services.


Castle of Mey

Castle of Mey

Applecross

The Applecross peninsula is considered as the most beautiful part of Scotland with views of the Skye Cuillins bordering the horizon. The peninsula also boasts of the dangerous and spectacular mountain pass, Bealach na Ba. Public transport is highly limited in this region and no taxi services are available. If hitch-hiking, I would try to make sure the driver is skilled enough as the roads are twisting, narrow and dangerous. Personally I have not used public transport to visit this part of Scotland, as services are infrequent through the week. However, if you have the time this is something not completely impossible. Visit this site for more details Applecross Inn

Applecross
View of Skye Cuillins from Applecross

Arran

This is the most well connected of all Scottish islands despite its relatively small size. Get the train to Ardrossan Harbour from Glasgow for the ferry to Brodick and then spend a day or more seeing this beautiful island. Buses run on three routes covering the north, south and the String road. The timings of the train, ferry and buses are perfectly matched to have a perfect break in this beautiful island, my favourite.

Machrie moor standing stones
Standing stones at Machrie moor
Goatfell from Sannox Arran
Walking to Goatfell from Sannox

Barra

Barra and Vatersay form the southernmost island of the Outer Hebrides. Barra is reachable by a five hour ferry ride from Oban, or by a memorable one hour flight from Glasgow landing on the beach, the only place in the world for an official flight. Once on the island, local bus services will give you a door to door service, though you will need to get the timetables as the services are infrequent and normally run with flight and ferry timings. Go down south to Vatersay through the causeway or travel north to see the rest of the Outer Hebrides, connected through ferries and causeways.

Barra airport
Barra airport take-off

Barra Heaval Madonna
Madonna of the seas on Heaval. Kisimul castle a distant spec 

Skye 

It is quite surprising how limited the public transport is in this most popular Scottish isle. The north of the island is much more accessible with a north circuit bus service running from Portree. The south is far more difficult, especially if you want to visit the Fairy pools and Glenbrittle at the foot of the Cuillins. Hitchhiking is the only option here. However, you can still get magnificent views of the rugged mountains of Skye from Sligachan and Elgol. Sligachan is well served by Citylink, Stagecoach and local buses. Elgol has limited bus service by Stagecoach and will need advance planning. For the local bus timings, you need to get it from the bus drivers as both TravelineScotland and the timetables at the bus stops can be out of date.

Cuillins from Sligachan
Snow covered Cuillins from Sligachan

Cuillins from Elgol
Cuillins from Elgol
 

Glencoe

The dream of every walker, climber, photographer and a visitor to Scotland, Glencoe represents what people around the world perceive Scotland as. Citylink services serve the A82 tearing through the heart of Glencoe and you can enjoy the wild beauty from your seat. However, it is highly recommended you do get off the bus and have a wander around. Bus drivers normally heed to your request for a stop provided it is safe to do so while getting off. However, they may not be as compliant if you wave them down from the road. The services are infrequent, so remember the timetable, else hitch-hiking will be the only option as places to stay are far and between.

Glencoe Buachaille Etive More Skyfall
Buachaille Etive Mor - Glencoe, also known as the Skyfall hill

Loch Ossian

Finally the list is never complete without a mention of this beautiful loch on the Corrour estate with its old boathouse, now transformed into a eco-hostel. The only way to reach is by train or a long walk. Corrour is on the West Highland Line and is the highest mainline train station at 1,339 feet. This turns into a request stop at less popular times of the day when you literally hold up your hand to stop the train. The Loch Ossian youth hostel is about two miles down a well made track. Taking a cycle on the train is a good way of exploring the area.

Loch Ossian
Loch Ossian
Traveline Scotland - the one stop hub for planning journeys on public transport in Scotland. However, from my experience, I would always recommend verifying the routes and times with the suggested travel providers as databases have been known to be out of date, especially if it's not summer.

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Monday 10 October 2016

Durga Puja - South Kolkata

It has been quite a few years since I have visited the pujas of the southern part of the city. Compared to the north, these are relatively newer parts of the city and hence considered by many to be much lesser in terms of tradition and heritage. The topic has brewed too many arguments over a cup of tea in the Bengali adda circles, so its better left undisturbed. But then, no one can question the innovation and creativity that goes in to organise the pujas. From depicting a Tibetan monastery to the Jagannath temple of Puri, the pandals were built to perfection. I actually had to touch them to be convinced that it was all paper and woodwork that has built these amazing structures.

After barely three hours sleep, we left early morning for some more pandal hopping. The evenings are the best time to visit, when the lights come on, bringing alive the pandals and the idols. However, this also means passing through an impenetrable crowd and standing hours in the queue, so better left to the much younger crowd. It was just after six in the morning when we reached the city.

First stop Chetla Agrani Club

Durga Puja Chetla Agrani Club
Chetla Agrani Club Durga Puja

Suruchi Sangha, depicting a Tibetan monastery. The thought of the amount of work that has gone in to build this temporary structure and the attention to detail is simply overwhelming.

Suruchi Sangha Durga Puja
Suruchi Sangha Durga Puja
Suruchi Sangha Durga Puja
Suruchi Sangha Durga Puja
Suruchi Sangha Durga Puja
Suruchi Sangha Durga Puja
Suruchi Sangha Durga Puja
Suruchi Sangha Durga Puja
Suruchi Sangha Durga Puja
Suruchi Sangha Durga Puja
Moving into Behala next at Barisha club

Barisha club Durga Puja
Barisha club
Barisha club Durga Puja
Barisha club Durga Puja
Next stop Behala club, looked like a proper place to offer pushpanjali


Behala club Durga Puja
Behala club
Behala club Durga Puja
Behala club Durga Puja

Next stop was Deshopriya park and the highly hyped Durga with a thousand arms. Quite pointless.

Deshopriya park Durga Puja
Deshopriya park Durga Puja
And a stop at the very impressive pandal at Tridhara

Tridhara Durga Puja
Tridhara pandal
Tridhara Durga Puja
Tridhara deity
Moved to Jodhpur park from here, depicting the childhood Bengali poem 'Kumor parar gorur gari, bojhai kora kolshi hari' - a bullock cart filled with pottery

Jodhpur park Durga puja
Jodhpur park puja
Jodhpur park Durga puja
Jodhpur park Durga puja
Jodhpur park Durga puja
Jodhpur park Durga puja
Then off to Babubagan which depicted Durga in an akhara preparing warriors and Selimpur, represnting the caves of Ajanta and Ellora

Babubagan Durga Puja
Babubagan Durga Puja
Selimpur Durga Puja
Selimpur Durga Puja

South Kolkata puja is never complete without visiting the traditional pujas of Singhi Park and Ekdalia. Noticed a few foreigners around here, was good to know that people from outside India have started to take interest in the Durga Puja. It deserves a much wider audience.

Singhi park Durga Puja
Singhi park
Singhi park Durga Puja
Singhi park
Ekdalia Durga Puja
Ekdalia

Ekdalia Durga Puja
Ekdalia
It was time to turn back to Central Kolkata, so headed off to Bose Pukur. The pandal was depicted as a Bengali wedding venue. The rains came in as soon as we reached here.

Bose pukur
Bose Pukur
Bose pukur
Bose Pukur

 Dark clouds covered the entire sky and the drizzle grew stronger. Change in plans and we decided to head back, after visiting Sribhoomi. This was my favourite pandal which depicted the Jagannath temple in Puri. The artwork was amazing, and as like other years, the Goddess was decked up in real gold.

Sribhoomi Durga Puja
Sribhoomi
Sribhoomi Durga Puja
Sribhoomi

Sribhoomi Durga Puja
Sribhoomi 

Sribhoomi Durga Puja
Sribhoomi
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Saturday 8 October 2016

Durga Puja - North Kolkata

North Kolkata, a part of the city that still holds on to a bygone era. Old mansions towering over interconnected narrow lanes, are both a charm and a cause of confusion to the uninitiated.

Durga puja
A 300 year old traditional puja of the zamindars
It was in these part of the city when Durga Puja, once a proprietary of the rich zamindars (landlords) broke out from the realms of the privileged and came to the common masses. It became an event for the community, of the community and by the community, Sarbojonin Durgotsav was born and Bagbazar was the first place to celebrate it over a century ago. The puja in its current form is being celebrated for the past 77 years, retaining its traditional roots in the image of the deity and the celebrations. When the world has moved on to more theme based pujas, taking artistic liberty in depicting the Goddess, Bagbazar remains a breathe of fresh air. It has always been my favourite.

Durga Puja Bagbazar
Bagbazar Sarbojonin with its impressive chandelier 
Durga Puja Bagbazar
The traditional image of the Goddess in Bagbazar
Durga Puja Bagbazar
Bagbazar Sarbojonin pandal
A cup of hot tea in earthen cups, it was time to move on. The crowd was gradually building.

Next stop, Kumortuli, the neighborhood of the potters. This is the place where the Goddess takes her form in the deft fingers of the artisans. It is a photographer's paradise in the months preceding the puja, capturing the flurry of activities. Work proceeds at a blinding pace to cater for the  thousands of orders placed from all across the world. The idols have to be ready and carefully packed to be shipped to far distance places months in advance, to Europe and the States, where the local Bengali community will be trying to painstakingly recreate a piece of their homeland. Once the mad rush ends, it is time to worship the deity in the same neighbourhood she was born in. A couple of famed pujas of Kumortuli, who try to see the Goddess in a different from than the traditional.

Durga Puja Kumortuli Sarbojonin
Durga in a circus act - Kumortuli Sarbojonin
Durga Puja Kumortuli park
Styrofoam Lotus - at Kumortuli park
Durga Puja Kumortuli park
Kumortuli park sculpture 

Kumortuli Park's depiction of the Goddess

Walking through the narrow lanes, the next stop is Ahiritola, another puja famed for its different outlook, well, sometimes can be too bizarre of which they also have a history of. This year, it probably was an artists workshop, unfinished artworks stacked around the deity.

Durga Puja Ahiritola
Ahiritola

Durga Puja Ahiritola
Ahiritola - artist's workshop

Durga Puja Ahiritola
Ahiritola exterior

It is always a pleasure to visit some more of the pujas around Ahiritola, especially the traditional puja of B. K. Pal park

Durga Puja B K Pal Park
B K Pal Park

Durga Puja B K Pal Park
Photographing the Goddess - at B K Pal park

Durga Puja Ahiritola Jubabrinda
Ahiritola Jubabrindo
Durga Puja Ahiritola Jubabrinda
Ahiritola Jubabrinda
Durga Puja Ahiritola Jubabrinda
Ahiritola Jubabrinda
As I said earlier, in the past couple of decades, Durga Puja has moved from the more traditional to a theme based celebration, where current affairs play a significant role. Industrialisation, and the human race's complete subjugation to the machines with a complete disregard to nature is one of the such. This is the theme at the puja of Kashi Bose Lane this year. Well depicted taking aide of sound and lighting, the puja has won the best theme award in North Kolkata.

Durga Puja Kashi Bose Lane
Kashi Bose Lane - Humans and Industrialisation

Durga Puja Kashi Bose Lane
Kashi Bose Lane

Durga Puja Kashi Bose Lane
Kashi Bose Lane

Durga Puja Kashi Bose Lane
Kashi Bose Lane 
The rush of Panchami (fifth day, the sixth day is considered the start of the puja) evening was starting, so was time to escape before mobility was heavily hampered. The law enforcers were everywhere in large numbers, as were volunteers systematically managing the crowd and the traffic. It was time to head back home but not before visiting the FD block in Salt Lake. The theme was digital, where we are hooked up to the network, physically a part of it, through our social media and the internet in general.

Durga Puja FD Block Salt Lake
Digital world - FD block, Salt Lake

Durga Puja FD Block Salt Lake
FD block, Salt Lake
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