30 December 2023 , 18:32
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An unlucky tourist says her “dream holiday” was left in tatters after a storm with heavy snow saw her bus from Edinburgh to Loch Ness in the Highlands trapped for nine hours.
Chaos from Storm Gerrit meant that Angie’s day trip was forced to turn back after travelling north for two and a half hours. A video posted to TikTok shows her in a scarf and coat braving the harsh conditions whilst stranded near the iconic Glenfinnan Viaduct.
The traveller explained how roads and motorways were flooded in the storm and the bus driver spent seven hours trying to make the journey back to where they started. Clips posted online showed huge traffic jams and a coach full of disgruntled tourists.
Angie wrote: "Dream holiday fail. You came to Edinburgh for a day to see Loch Ness and the Highlands. As a result it started snowing, flooded all the roads and motorways and you were stuck on a bus for nine hours. Now the holiday is wasted, can't feel legs, stressed, tired, going back home but at least I saw snow for 10 minutes.”
She added: “This was a disaster. The snow flooded all roads and our driver was trying to take us back to Edinburgh for 7 hours!! The toilet was broken, we left at 7.30am and got stuck at 10am and only managed to get back at 5pm."
Gales, snow and rain to batter country today with 80mph wind gusts
Storm Gerrit unleashed chaos elsewhere throughout the UK too and caused a "localised tornado" which damaged properties across Greater Manchester and led to around 100 homes being evacuated.
One family said they felt “lucky to be alive” after the roof of their house was lifted off by the freak winds. The terrifying incident led to the chimney stack crashing through the property and sending water flooding down the staircase as the bathroom was destroyed.