Overlooking the Isle of Skye, Mallaig is a historic herring port on the west coast of the Scottish Highlands region. Its railway and station were used as a setting for the “Harry Potter” films and lie on the doorstep of magnificent beaches just waiting to be explored.
Things to do in Mallaig
Mallaig can be reached along the West Highland Line, a spectacular route voted as one of the top railway journeys in the world. If you’re visiting in summer, you can ride the historic Jacobite Steam Train along the line from Glasgow to experience the wild panoramas of the Scottish Highlands. A highlight of the journey is the Glenfinnan Viaduct, an early-20th-century feat of engineering.
Interested in the town’s past? Head to the Mallaig Heritage Centre, which is conveniently located next to the railway station. Its exhibits of everyday artefacts, old photographs and films bring to life the region’s history as part of the Norse Kingdom of Man and the Lordship of the Isles.
Stretching south of Mallaig are the Silver Sands of Morar, a series of white sandy beaches with magnificent views towards the islands of Rum, Eigg, Muck and Canna. Backed by coastal heath, the beaches are a popular setting for long strolls throughout the year. Camusdarach Beach is one of the most idyllic, with its crystal clear waters ideal for swimming in the summer months.
Getting around Mallaig
Mallaig is just under three hours’ drive from Inverness Airport, which has flights to destinations across Europe. Trains connect from Fort William, Oban and Glasgow to the Mallaig railway station and ferries travel from the Mallaig Ferry Terminal to Armadale on the Isle of Skye. The centre of Mallaig is compact enough to explore on foot.