THIS IS MALLAIG! - Discover one of the Highlights of Scotland's West Coast (Cultural Travel Guide)

Known as both a Terminus and a Gateway, Mallaig is now a destination in its own right. Great views, great people, and great coffee!

By road Mallaig is linked to the rest of Scotland by the A830 from Fort William, known more poetically as the Road to the Isles. Without doubt it is one of Scotland’s great drives.
Little more than a tiny fishing village in the late 19th century Mallaig has grown to be a transport and tourist hub of the west Highlands. It retains a small fishing fleet but in its heyday you couldn’t move here without stumbling over barrels of herring. Overfishing in the 1970s brought an abrupt end to the boom. Fishing decreased substantially but the harbour was expanded in the 1970s to cater for the large increase in passenger ferry traffic.
The West Highland railway had been the catalyst for Mallaig’s growth when it arrived in 1901 and the station is now the terminus for the famous steam train known alternatively as the Jacobite Express or the Hogwarts Express, curious really as the Jacobites never saw a train and Hogwarts is a fictional place - yes really! But the thousands of domestic and international passengers that take the train don’t mind that, and they get the chance to experience the charms of Mallaig, and the stunning views, even if just for an hour or so.
By contrast I’m here for the week as I’m hopping on ferries to the Small Isles and Knoydart. Whilst here I’ve stayed at the Moorings, looked after by Heather, and then at the Cornerstone, looked after by Sharon, and I highly recommend both. The Cornerstone is also a restaurant with a television chef. Sharon's son Cameron got to the quarter finals of Masterchef the Professionals, and The Cornerstone has also won a prize at the prestigious Scottish Restaurant Awards. And to think that it’s not that long ago that you had to search just to find a decent cup of coffee in the Highlands. No problem at all in Mallaig these days, stacks of options including Brogan's brew at Bloom & Graze and also the Bakehouse where the baking is to die for. Just the fuel you need before setting sail.
Ferries from Mallaig run to Rum, Eigg, Muck, Canna, Knoydart, South Uist and, of course, Skye. The ferry to Armadale on the Sleat Peninsula is a far better introduction than taking the bridge (or the tiny ferry at Glenelg).
Mallaig has always been one of my favourite stops on the West Coast. The town at the end of the line has a real magnetism. Enjoy the film, and enjoy Mallaig!

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Filmed May 2024
Jonathan Wheeler
‪@eyescotland‬
(Sister channel to Travel Obscurer)
All music licensed through Artlist.

#mallaig #roadtotheisles