The north and northwest Highlands - The Rough Guide to Scottish Highlands and Islands - page 221

Old Library Lodge and Restaurant Arisaig T 01687
450651, W oldlibrary.co.uk. The best rooms overlook the
bay; those in a garden annexe are modest motel numbers
with mod cons like flatscreen TVs and wi-fi. The dining

room offers Scottish dishes: cullen skink or delicious crab
sandwiches for lunch (around £8), venison pie or sea bass
for dinner (average £13). Feb & March Tues -Sat noon-
2.30pm (except early season) & 6-9.30pm. £96

Mallaig
The fate of MALLAIG , 47 miles west of Fort William, is to be seen as somewhere to go
through, not to. Before the railway arrived in 1901 it consisted of a few cottages. Now
in season it's full of visitors as the main embarkation point for ferries to Skye, the
Small Isles and Knoydart. Mallaig is nothing if not well-placed for day-trips and even
if not especially pretty, it is a solid wee town given a workaday honesty by its local
fishing industry - it once had one of Europe's busiest herring ports and the harbour
remains the source of the village's wealth.

Mallaig Heritage Centre
Beside the train station • April, May & Oct Mon-Fri 11am-4pm, Sat noon-4pm; June-Sept Mon-Fri 9.30am-4.30pm, Sat & Sun
noon-4pm • £2 • T 01687 462085, W mallaigheritage.org.uk
Apart from the hubbub of the harbour, the town's only sight is Mallaig Heritage Centre
- nothing to quicken the pulse but worth a browse for displays on the area's past and
information about lifeboats, fishing and the highland galleys that once plied the waters
of the Inner Hebrides and descend directly back to Viking longships.
ARRIVAL AND DEPARTURE

4

MALLAIG

To/from Skye Regular services shuttle between Mallaig
and Armadale (Mon-Sat 8 daily; also mid-May to mid-Sept
Sun 6 daily; 30min). Reservations are recommended in
peak season.
To/from the Small Isles There are services between
Mallaig and Eigg (Mon, Thurs, Sat & Sun 1 daily; 1hr
15min); Rùm (Mon, Wed, Fri, Sat & Sun 1 daily; 1hr 20min);
Muck (Tues, Thurs, Fri, Sat & Sun 1 daily; 2hr 5min); and
Canna (Mon, Wed, Fri, Sat & Sun; 1 daily; 2hr 30min).
To/from Knoydart Bruce Watt Cruises ( T 01687 462320,
W knoydart-ferry.co.uk) sails from Mallaig to Inverie every
morning and afternoon (mid-May to mid-Sept Mon-Fri;
mid-Sept to mid-May Mon, Wed & Fri; 45min).

BY TRAIN
A direct service arrives from Fort William (Mon-Sat 3-4
daily, Sun 4 daily; 1hr 25min) and Glasgow (Mon-Sat
3 daily; 5hr 15min), via Glenfinnan and Arisaig.

BY BUS
There are regular buses from Fort William to Mallaig
via Glenfinnan and Arisaig (Mon-Fri 3 daily, Sat 1 daily;
1hr 20min).

BY FERRY
The CalMac ticket o ce ( T 01687 462403, W calmac.co.uk)
is just west of the harbour.

INFORMAT ION
Tourist o ce Beside the harbour (Easter-Oct daily

8am-8pm; Nov-Easter 9am-4pm; T 01687 462883, E [e-mail]).

ACCOMMODAT ION
Mallaig Backpackers' Lodge Main St T 01687 462764,
W mallaigbackpackers.co.uk. There are two mixed dorms,
a small kitchen and a lounge in this relaxed, independent
modern hostel. “Reception” is in the Tea Garde n restaurant
opposite the harbour. March-Dec. Dorms £17
Seaview Main St T 01687 462059, W seaview
guesthousemallaig.com. Snug dimensions and surpris-
ingly smart decor - tasteful shades of taupe and grey with
a leaning towards modest boutique - set the tone in this

central B&B, which has harbour views from t he f ront. Note
that only one room is en-suite. March-Oct. £65
West Highland Hotel T 01687 462210, W west
highlandhotel.co.uk. Uphill from the harbour, this tradi-
tional pile is slowly being upgraded since 2008. Rooms
don't live up to the promise of the public areas but
are spacious, the best with bespoke furnishings and king-
size beds. “Deluxe” ones provide sea or harbour views.
March to mid-Oct. £110