24th December - Mallaig and Morar

Train journey over, we were back in Mallaig in time for lunch in the Fish Market Restaurant, situated at the harbour. Again, great service, friendly staff and delicious homemade tomato soup.

And, after lunch took a stroll along the quayside to watch what little activity there was on that bitterly cold Christmas Eve afternoon.

We decided to explore the Mallaig shops and found ourselves in WayOutWest, a rickety wooden shed, built on stilts, over the harbour and guarded by Ordinary Seaman Jack! It was something of an Aladdin's cave selling outdoor clothing, jewellery, toys and gifts. It was here I decided I needed a warm hat to combat these sub-zero temperatures, so John treated me to a  kuSan hat, which will feature in subsequent chilly blogs!!

The shop across the road furnished us with some Bruichladdich Islay whisky miniatures for John, which we neglected to bring home after our visit to Islay, last year. Then it was off back down the road in little car, until we decided to take a detour and have a closer look at Morar. Once we were off the main road, it was a precarious journey along the lochside on an icy single track road, with steep hills, sharp bends and nowhere to turn - not ideal for an open top sports car - that aside - the location was spectacular!! We didn't go all the way to the jetty at Bracorina, the icy conditions were just too bad. Once we did managed to turn around, we stopped to take advantage of some photo opportunities on the journey back.

24th December the Mallaig- Fort William train

If ever you find yourself in this part of the world the train journey between Mallaig and Fort William, voted the most scenic in the world, is a must! Check out the video link to compare the journey made during the summer with our winter one!

In the summer months you can do it in style on the Jacobite steam enginge, but we did it on the local diesel train, a dirty ramshackle thing with no working toilets (£12 return) - but who cares?! with scenery like that, the transport really didn't matter. The train is infrequent though, so check the timetable before setting off.

The journey takes you through 11 short tunnels, past Britain's shortest river (Morar), deepest fresh water loch (Morar), most westerly rail station (Arisaig), the famous 21-arch Glenfinnan Viaduct, Neptune's staircase - 12 locks on the Caledonian Canal, deepest seawater loch (Loch Nevis) and the UK's tallest mountain (Ben Nevis) and, when we did the journey, past frozen lochs, through the shadowy glens of frozen snow and rivers, with trees sepulchrally shrouded in inches of frost, and deer and stags foraging on the frozen grass. On the Mallaig to Fort William journey we were glued to the windows.On the journey back we took some photos, not too successfully through dirty, moving train windows - but what a magical trip!

Loch Eil, freezing fog:


Glenfinnan viaduct:

Glenfinnan Monument:



Glenfinnan station:

Loch Eylt, frozen: