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To be honest, I wasn’t that excited by the prospect of visiting Mallaig. It just sounded like a pretty normal fishing village.
I was right, it wouldn’t have been worth the visit, but the stops on the way made it well worth going.
Firstly, we stopped at Neptune’s Staircase, the largest flight of locks in Britain. We had seen the locks at the Fort Augustus end of the Caledonian Canal, and these are the locks at the opposite end. The flight is very impressive, and quite a climb to the top.
The next stop was the highlight of the holiday and something I wasn’t expecting: The Glenfinnan Viaduct. No, I haven’t seen it on Harry Potter (although no doubt this is why thousands visit it every year). I have come across the viaduct on numerous documentaries, so to see it in the flesh was a real treat.
With the Jacobite steam train due to cross it, we climbed up to the viewpoint where dozens of people were also waiting for the experience. Whilst we waited for the Jacobite to make an appearance, the famous highland midges made a feast of me! I was bitten to death.
Just as I was about to give up, a whistle in the distance announced the arrival of the Jacobite! It was well worth the wait. There is something majestic about viewing a seam train crossing this iconic viaduct. The midge bites only lasted a day, but that view will last a lifetime.
From here, there is also a fine view of the Glenfinnan Monument & Loch Shiel. Magical!