Inverness to Kyle of Lochalsh rail line closed due to flood
Engineers are expected to carry out an inspection on Tuesday morning. Met Office weather warnings for rain were in force across the region on Monday and overnight until 06:00. Network Rail said it would be working to clear the silt from the tracks as soon as possible. "Floodwater has subsided, but the debris it's brought with it is blocking the track and the station area," it said in a statement.
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ITV News
2 hours ago
- ITV News
Bristol Balloon Fiesta: All you need to know including city's best viewing spots
With the Bristol International Balloon Fiesta around the corner, hot air balloon enthusiasts will be coming from far and wide for a weekend of mass ascents and celebration. The free event will be held from Friday 8 to Sunday 10 August at Ashton Court, with flights of more than 100 hot air balloons scheduled twice daily. The Fiesta attracts huge crowds to the city and provides a busy schedule - so here's a list of all you need to know. How do I get to the Bristol Balloon Fiesta? Ashton Court sits to the south-west of Bristol city centre and directions are signposted from all routes into the Fiesta. For those driving to the event, car parking tickets must be purchased in advance. It's also worth keeping in mind that Bristol operates a Clean Air Zone, which may affect your journey. Tickets can also be bought for a shuttle bus from Bristol Temple Meads and the City Centre to the event. The service is operated by StageCoach and runs from 10am on Friday, Saturday and Sunday, with return journeys running until 11.30pm on Friday and Saturday and 9.30pm on Sunday. The nearest train station to Ashton Court is Parson Street, which is a 30-minute walk from the site. Those wishing to walk or cycle can take 'Festival Way' - a traffic-free path which will open on the weekend, connecting the city to Ashton Court Estate and beyond. What's on at the Balloon Fiesta? Weather-dependent mass ascents are scheduled at approximately 6am and 6pm each day. After dark on Friday and Saturday visitors can stay to watch the Nightglows - during which dozens of balloons inflate to glow in time to music. The main arena is also programmed throughout the day with music and events including Meet The Pilots, inflation races and tethered hot air balloons, to stunt displays, interactive challenges and Samba bands. Where are the best places to see the hot air balloons? For those not planning to be on-site at Ashton Court, there are plenty of other locations around the city which allow for stunning views of the balloons in flight. Less than a 20-minute walk away from Ashton Court, Greville Smyth Park can be a great spot to watch the balloons setting off across the city. Victoria Park is another nearby option to catch some views of the ascents. Over towards Clifton, the Observatory, the Suspension Bridge and the Downs are all popular areas for balloon-chasers. For those looking to sit in bars and restaurants to watch the ascents, heading to the Harbourside will make for a great evening. Gaining some height will allow for some good views of the flights, so it's also worth climbing up Brandon Hill, Troopers Hill or Perretts Park. If you're willing to go out of the city, Dundry Hill near Bristol Airport is a great location for peaceful views of the balloons.
The Independent
2 hours ago
- The Independent
Stunning amount Trump's Scotland trip will cost taxpayers – largely to promote his golf courses there: report
Donald Trump 's five-day golf trip to Scotland is expected to cost U.S. taxpayers millions of dollars, according to a new report. The president departed Joint Base Andrews in Maryland aboard Air Force One on Friday morning, hoping to leave behind the MAGA firestorm around his administration's handling of the Jeffrey Epstein case. After an estimated 43 golf trips in the first six months of his second term, Trump's Scottish visit for the opening of a new course, being billed as 'the greatest 36 holes' in the sport, is expected to cost about $9.7 million, according to an analysis by HuffPost. Those estimates are based on a Government Accountability Office report detailing the costs of Trump's 2017 trips to his country club in Palm Beach, Florida. Costs were not adjusted for inflation, meaning they could be substantially higher in today's terms. This trip will mark the president's fifth international trip since beginning his second term in January. Designated by the White House as a 'work trip,' Trump is expected to visit his Turnberry and Menie golf courses, as well as open the new MacLeod Course at Trump International Golf Links near Aberdeen, dedicated to his mother. He is also expected to meet with British Prime Minister Keir Starmer to discuss trade and Scotland's First Minister, John Swinney. Expenses factored into the upcoming trip include Secret Service overtime, the hourly operating cost of Air Force One for its 3,000-mile transatlantic journey, and the transportation of Marine One helicopters and motorcade vehicles aboard C-17 aircraft. According to the GAO report, the hourly operating cost to run Air Force One is just over $273,000, meaning the total for flights to and from Scotland alone would be around $3.8 million. Marine One helicopters cost between $16,700 and nearly $20,000 per hour to operate, according to Pentagon data for fiscal year 2022. Estimates also include the need for a second aircraft for Trump aides who would not travel domestically. HuffPost has based its forecast on a modified Boeing 757 being used, which is much cheaper to run than Air Force One, a Boeing 747. According to previous reporting by the news outlet's analysts, Trump's golfing trip bill for his first term, including taxpayer-funded travel and security, totaled $151.5 million, and a total of 293 days at his own resorts. 'We're at a point where the Trump administration is so intertwined with the Trump business that he doesn't seem to see much of a difference,' Jordan Libowitz, vice president of Citizens for Responsibility and Ethics in Washington, told ABC News. 'It's as if the White House were almost an arm of the Trump Organization.' Trump's visit is expected to demand a major police operation, which is expected to cost Scottish taxpayers millions of pounds, as protests are planned throughout the weekend. During the president's four-day trip to Scotland in 2018, the BBC reported that more than 5,000 police officers were deployed, with the U.K. Treasury contributing about £5 million ($6.8 million) to help cover the costs incurred by the Scottish police force. A decade ago, Trump frequently and venomously blasted then-President Barack Obama for leaving the White House for the golf course. 'I don't have time for that,' he said at a campaign rally in 2015. 'I love golf. I think it's one of the greats, but I don't have time.' Trump went on to play about 260 rounds of golf during his first term, according to estimates by The Washington Post, and declared himself the 'best golfer of all the rich people.' This term, the president's expensive golf trips have not gone unnoticed. At the House's Delivering on Government Efficiency March, Democratic Congresswoman Jasmine Crockett criticized the Trump administration for what she called hypocrisy in its government spending. 'If we are gonna talk about efficiency,' she began, taking a jab at Trump's government slashing force, the Department of Government Efficiency. 'Let's talk about the fact that, as of March 30, Trump's golfing has cost us approximately $26 million.' 'Maybe we need to talk about the president and his golfing habits,' the Texas lawmaker added.
Telegraph
2 hours ago
- Telegraph
Five essential things to know before you board a Majestic Line cruise ship
Named after a fictional cruise company in the Scottish TV series Para Handy, The Majestic Line was set up in 2004 by friends Ken Grant and Andy Thoms. It now operates four small ships around the Inner and Outer Hebrides – two 11-passenger converted fishing boats, Glen Massan and Glen Tarsan, and two purpose-built 12-passenger vessels, Glen Etive and Glen Shiel. The line came to national attention in 2017 when TV presenter Jane McDonald burst into song in Fingal's Cave on the island of Staffa while sailing on Glen Tarsan for her Channel 5 cruise series. As an epidemiologist, Dr Ken Grant worked as a public health consultant in more than 30 countries – a background that helped The Majestic Line become one of the first cruise companies to restart operations in August 2020 following the Covid pandemic. Over the years, he and Andy experimented briefly with smaller boats but returned to the four favourites, all styled like a 1930s gentleman's motor yacht with golden funnels like the ships in Para Handy. In 2024, the pair sold the company to Craig of Campbeltown Limited, which is refurbishing the fleet. As well as general cruises, the ships are also available for private charter. 1. Where does the Majestic Line cruise? The four-strong fleet based in Oban sails between April and October each year. Wood-hulled Glen Massan and Glen Tarsan offer three or six-night cruises within the waters of the Inner Hebrides, from Islay in the south to as far north as Skye. They also head inland via Loch Ness and the Caledonian Canal to Inverness. The more modern steel-hulled ships, Glen Etive and Glen Shiel, are fitted with stabilisers so are able to operate three, six and 10-night cruises farther afield to the Outer Hebrides, St Kilda, the north-west mainland coast and even Orkney. Wherever it sails, The Majestic Line is unusual in not having set daily itineraries. Instead, captains assess the weather and sea conditions each morning and adjust their course accordingly. Guests' preferences for a certain port or are also taken into account and the captain will pull into a sheltered bay or harbour when it's time to eat. Highlights might include sailing past picturesque Eilean Donan Castle or visiting small islands such as Rum, Muck and Eigg. One of the closest and most popular destinations is Mull with its colourful capital Tobermory and Duart Castle on the coast. Life on board is laid-back, as are shore excursions. Passengers are dropped by tender boat at a landing or jetty, given a time to return and left to their own devices. Of course, there are plenty of walks, castles and distilleries to enjoy. Wildlife spotters may see dolphins, porpoises, seals, basking sharks, minke whales and orcas, as well as sea birds from puffins and petrels to gannets and guillemots. Passengers keen on fishing can dangle a line off the stern, help collect lobsters from creels or join the crew when they head ashore to collect mussels. 2. Who does Majestic Line appeal to? Passengers are mainly from the UK, followed by the US, Germany and Australia followed by the Canada, France and the Netherlands. This is slow travel at its best with ample time to admire the Scottish scenery. The four crew – a skipper, chef, engineer and steward – all pitch in, so it's not unusual to find the captain serving toast at breakfast. Foodies will enjoy the beautifully prepared meals, snacks and nibbles made from local produce in a small galley and served at a communal table (passenger preferences are noted beforehand). On such small boats, you're never far from your cabin or the sun deck, weather permitting, and the captain welcomes guest visits to the open bridge. With everyone eating together and sharing the small lounge and bar, there's plenty of chance to socialise and make new friends. The dress code is relaxed and there are no casinos, theatres, spas, pools or any entertainment. There's not even a TV in the snug en suite cabins. Children aged 12 and above are welcome on all cruises and youngsters of any age can sail on private charters. 3. The Majestic Line's fleet Glen Massan and Glen Tarsan (11 passengers) Glen Massan, a 1975-built trawler saved from the scrapyard, became the first Majestic Line ship in 2004 and was followed three years later by another converted fishing boat, Glen Tarsan. Both have two cabins with a small opening window on the main deck and four more rooms downstairs with fixed portholes, accommodating a maximum of 11 passengers, either as five doubles and a single or four doubles and two singles. There is a combined lounge/bar/dining room and outdoor areas include a sun deck and whale-watching spot. Books and games are available and a plasma screen in the saloon shows the ship's position or films about local wildlife. Sometimes the crew will put on an episode of Para Handy, the comedy that inspired the line. Though small, these two older wooden-hulled ships are preferred by some Majestic Line loyalists. Bookings still spike whenever Channel 5 repeats the Jane McDonald episode when she sailed on Glen Tarsan. Sails to: Inner Hebrides, Caledonian Canal Glen Etive and Glen Shiel (12 passengers) In 2016, The Majestic Line acquired its first purpose-built ship, Glen Etive, from a yard on the isle of Bute, followed three years later by Glen Shiel, another steel-hulled vessel. The sister ships have seven cabins, one on the main deck and six below, taking up to 12 passengers as five doubles and two singles, or six doubles and one empty cabin. In contrast to Glen Massan and Glen Tarsan, the dining room and lounge were separated and the ships were fitted with stabilisers for longer voyages in the open sea. Glen Etive's lower deck has more of a hotel feel, with cabins off a corridor running the length of the vessel, while Glen Shiel is more like a country house, with two stairways down to the lower cabins. The small bar offers a selection of gins, whiskies, beers and soft drinks. Both ships have outside seating, viewing areas and a sun deck. Sails to: Inner Hebrides, Outer Hebrides, St Kilda, the north-west mainland coast and Orkney scheme The Majestic Line is not currently operating a loyalty scheme. 5. Access for guests with disabilities Due to the size and nature of the four ships, accessibility is limited, especially because of narrow corridors and the stairs between decks, as well as steps down to the tender boats which are used to go ashore. People who need to walk with a stick are advised to book a main-deck cabin. Some passengers have used fold-away wheelchairs on shore.
