The north and northwest Highlands - The Rough Guide to Scottish Highlands and Islands - page 219

THE WEST HIGHLAND RAILWAY
A fixture in lists of the world's most scenic train journeys, the brilliantly engineered West
Highland Railway runs from Glasgow to Mallaig via Fort William. The line is in two sections:
the southern part travels from Glasgow Queen Street station, up the banks of Loch Lomond
to Crianlarich , then around Beinn Odhar on a horseshoe of viaducts to cross Rannoch
Moor , where the track had to be laid on a mattress of tree roots, brushwood and thousands
of tonnes of earth and ashes. You're out in the wilds here, the line long having diverged from
the road. The route then swings into Glen Roy, passing through the Monessie Gorge to
enter Fort William .
Leg two, from Fort William to Mallaig, is even more spectacular. Shortly after leaving Fort
William the railway crosses the Caledonian Canal beside Neptune's Staircase at Benavie ,
before travelling along Locheil and crossing the 21-arch viaduct at Glenfinnan , where
passengers get to live out Harry Potter fantasies. Then it's on to the coast, with views of the
Small Isles and Skye before journey's end at Mallaig . Between May and October, this leg of
the route is also served by the Jacobite Steam Train ( W steamtrain.info).

ACCOMMODAT ION AND EATING
Prince's House Glenfinnan T 01397 722246,
W glenfinnan.co.uk. This former seventeeth-century
coaching inn offers comfy rooms - the best at the front
nod to Highlands tradition. The fine restaurant offers a
seasonal, fresh menu or there's gastropub grub in the
bar; expect West Coast scallops, lamb and venison. Mains
average £12-16. March-Dec; food served Easter-Sept
daily 11am-3pm & 6-10pm. £120

Sleeping Car Glenfinnan station T 01397 722295,
W glenfinnanstationmuseum.co.uk. A 1958 camping
coach is now a mini-hostel with three twin compartments
(bunk beds), a family compartment for four, plus a kitchen,
lounge and bathroom - a memorable if slightly cramped
place to stay. The adjacent Dining Car is open for light
lunches from April to Sept (dail y 10am- 5pm; phone ahead
for evening meals). Dorms £14 ; doubles £28

4

Arisaig to Morar
Though short, this is a superb coast - all white sands, turquoise seas and rocky islets
draped with orange seaweed. Better still, thanks to a bypass road to Mallaig, the
spectacular coast road (signposted “Alternative Coastal Route”) is fairly quiet
- touring heaven.
First stop is ARISAIG , an appealingly drowsy place scattered around a sandy bay.
The only specific attraction in the village is the Land, Sea and Islands Visitor Centre
(Easter to mid-Oct Mon-Fri 10am-6pm, Sat 10am-4pm, Sun 2pm-5pm; donations;
T 01687 450771, W arisaigcentre.co.uk), a volunteer-run community project with
displays on crofting life, local characters and the area's role as a base for Special
Operations during World War II. There's also a small research library of wildlife and
walks - gen up before walking to a seal colony at nearby Rhumach , reached via a
single-track lane heading west out of Arisaig.
Stretching for eight miles or so north of Arisaig is a string of stunning white-sand,
azure-water beaches : summer holiday favourites backed by flowery machair and with
views out to Eigg and Rùm. Pretty Traigh beach is your spot to collect cowrie shells,
but larger and more celebrated is Camusdarach Beach a mile or so north, where the
beach scenes of Local Hero and Highlander were shot. If it's busy, two intimate beaches
lie over the headlands on either side.
Morar village, which bookends this route, is dowdy stuff after such a glorious coast.
It lies a short way west of Loch Morar , rumoured to be the home of a monster called
Morag, a lesser-known rival to Nessie.

ARRIVAL AND DEPARTURE ARISAIG TO MORAR

By train Direct services (Mon-Sat 3-4 daily, Sun 1-2
daily) run from Fort William to Arisaig (1hr 5min) and
Morar (1hr 15min).

By boat Arisaig Marine ( T 01687 450224, W arisaig
.co.uk) sails from Arisaig marina to the Small Isles (see
p.285) at 11am daily, from late April to late Sept.