#Glenfinnan Monument!

[vox-anglosphere]

A bird's eye view of Loch Shiel from the Glenfinnan monument

[mightywellfan]

Loch Shiel and Glenfinnan monument

[elismor]

A piece of my personal fannish history came back to me today and I want to share the story of it because, to me, it's about the very best part of fandom: friendship.

In 1996, I went to Syndicon in Baltimore, Maryland and met my friend Virginia in person for the first time. We knew one another from HIGHLA-L (that's an email list for all you youngsters wondering wtf a -l is) and spent an evening sitting on the floor in a hotel ballroom talking about fanfic and life and Highlander while everyone around us danced to Jim Byrnes and his band.

In 1998(ish) two other HL friends and I went to Scotland for a con where Peter Wingfield was appearing and took a day to drive a massive loop through the highlands. We stopped at the highlander monument in Glenfinnan (on the shores of Loch Shiel--because no HL fan can say Glenfinnan without adding that) and, on a whim, decided to bring a bottle of water from the loch back to Virginia. So, we scoured the car for a bottle and got to work.

I fell in while scooping the water out. It was February.

This past summer, Virginia passed away from cancer and her niece contacted her closest group of fandom friends to ask us if we wanted anything to remember her by (as she was a collector of fandom things) and, on a whim, I said that if she still had the water, I would love to have it.

It arrived in today's mail. I always figured that V would decant it out of the Cherry Coke bottle we had on hand and put it into something fancier for display...but she did not. So there it is, stashed on my office bookshelf until I figure out where I'm going to put it for real.

Twenty Seven years of friendship and laughter (and tears) and inside jokes and fandom drama (and real life drama) and joy...and now grief.

Everyone does fandom in their own way and mine has always been more about the connections with fellow fans than the source material. Virginia and I ran a fanfic archive together. She met me at Five Points Station in Atlanta in 1996 when I was there for the Olympics. She came out to me on a beach in Florida in 2002(ish). We went to Dragon*Con together and bought lightsabers. And she kept this bottle of lake water I got her...for all these years.

Cherish your fandom friends, folks. For they surely cherish you.

[scotianostra]

Saint Mary & Saint Finnan Kirk.

The Church of St Mary and St Finnan was formally dedicated by Archbishop Eyre, Administrator of the Church’s Western District, assisted by two English bishops, on 19 August 1873, in the presence of a gathering that included MacDonald of Glenaladale, whose seat was at Glenfinnan House.

The Church is situated in one of the most picturesque and historically significant areas in the Highlands; standing at the head of Loch Shiel, where Charles Edward Stuart raised his standard before the gathered clans. 

The church is treasured by its parishioners and locals alike it is open for everyone who passes providing a peaceful place to rest and stretch your legs,  as you take  the "Road to the Isles.

The church stands immediately to the south-west of the A830 "Road to the Isles" as it climbs from the Glenfinnan Monument at the head of Loch Shiel towards Glenfinnan Station.

[masked-life]

 Loch Shiel - Glenfinnan Monument via NTS

[dioshablahoy]

 Loch Shiel and Glenfinnan Monument [uncredited]

[mialiteralmente]

 Glenfinnan Monument in morning

[vivafrance]

Le viaduc de Glenfinnan est un viaduc ferroviaire sur la West Highland Line à Glenfinnan, Inverness-shire, en Écosse, construit de 1897 à 1901. Situé au sommet du Loch Shiel dans les West Highlands écossais, le viaduc surplombe le monument de Glenfinnan et les eaux de Loch Shiel.

[guardianhound]

 Glenfinnan Monument in morning

[crazyprinceruins-blog]

 Loch Shiel - Glenfinnan Monument via NTS

[greasy-old-skillet]

 Loch Shiel and Glenfinnan Monument [uncredited]

[mightywellfan]

Jacobite Monument | Glenfinnan

The monument was erected in 1815, in tribute to the Jacobite clansmen who fought and died for the cause of Prince Charles Edward Stuart and his claimed right to the throne.

This was the spot where they gathered to embark on their campaign all those years ago.

[overthinking0001]

 Glenfinnan Monument in morning

[ey-tu-chupalohh]

 Loch Shiel - Glenfinnan Monument via NTS

[masked-life]

 Glenfinnan Monument in morning

[an-outlander-in-scotland]

Glenfinnan

Glenfinnan, located in the Scottish Highlands, holds historical significance as the site of the Jacobite Rising in 1745, where Bonnie Prince Charlie raised his standard in a bid to restore the Stuart monarchy, resulting in the famous Battle of Glenfinnan, and today, it is known for its iconic Jacobite Monument and the Glenfinnan Viaduct featured in the Harry Potter films.

The Jacobite train stops here for half an hour.

Glenfinnan Station Museum 

Guided tours (30 minute tour): £1.50 per person

The construction of the West Highland Railway line was a remarkable engineering feat, as it required navigating challenging terrain, including Glenfinnan's rugged landscapes. The line connected Fort William to Mallaig!

The museum displays a collection of photographs about the railway's history, including the old steam locomotives. Visitors can also learn about the famous Glenfinnan Viaduct.

It’s final destination is Mallaig.