Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
Road to the Isles
The 46-mile A830 road from Fort William to Mallaig is traditionally known as the Road
to the Isles, as it leads to the jumping-off point for ferries to the Small Isles and Skye, it-
self a stepping stone to the Outer Hebrides. This is a region steeped in Jacobite history,
having witnessed both the beginning and the end of Bonnie Prince Charlie's doomed at-
tempt to regain the British throne in 1745-46.
The final section of this scenic route, between Arisaig and Mallaig, has been upgraded
to a fast straight road. Unless you're in a hurry, opt instead for the more scenic old road
(signposted Alternative Coastal Route).
Between the A830 and the A87 far to the north lie Knoydart and Glenelg - Scotland's
'Empty Quarter' - a rugged landscape of wild mountains and lonely sea lochs roughly 20
miles by 30 miles in size, mostly uninhabited and penetrated only by two minor roads
(along Lochs Arkaig and Quoich). If you want to get away from it all, this is the place to
go.
Getting Around
Bus
Shiel Buses
(
www.shielbuses.co.uk
)
bus 500 runs to Mallaig (1½ hours, three daily
Monday to Friday, one on Saturday) via Glenfinnan (30 minutes) and Arisaig (one hour).
Train
The Fort William-Mallaig railway line has four trains a day (three on Sunday), with stops
at many points along the way, including Corpach, Glenfinnan, Lochailort, Arisaig and
Morar.
GLENFINNAN
POP 100
Glenfinnan is hallowed ground for fans of Bonnie Prince Charlie; the monument here
marks where he raised his Highland army. It is also a place of pilgrimage for steam train
enthusiasts and Harry Potter fans - the famous railway viaduct features in the films, and is
regularly traversed by the Jacobite Steam Train (
Click here
).
