The Belfast to Derry~Londonderry line is one of the most compelling journeys I’ve ever painted from. The scenery doesn’t introduce itself all at once - it unfolds. 

Leaving Belfast Grand Central Station, the city slips into farmland. Hedgerows mark old boundaries. Sheep graze in patches of early light. Cows gather in groups as if discussing the day’s events. 

At Antrim, a group of children boarded with schoolbags swinging. A man sat down across from me and explained he was heading for a medical appointment. Another passenger nodded at my sketchbook and said, “You’ve picked the right line.” 

We passed through wetlands where herons stood motionless and reeds shivered in the breeze. The River Bann crossing at Coleraine felt like gliding - the water wide and reflective beneath us. 

At Coleraine, a young man with an assistance dog boarded. The golden dog rested his head on his owner’s knee and watched the passing landscape as intently as I did. 

An older woman tapped her tablet, checking where she was on her journey. She told me the app allowed her not to be anxious, just orienting herself to the unfolding landscape. 

Then the coastline appeared - dunes, the estuary light, and Mussenden Temple perched above the sea. Even regular commuters reacted; there’s something about that moment that makes everyone pause. 

The train dipped briefly into the Castlerock tunnel before bursting back into daylight. Binevenagh rose in blue tones beyond the fields. 

By the time the Foyle came into view, silver and stretched wide, the carriage had grown quiet. 

Some journeys naturally encourage reflection. 

This is one of them.