West Lochaber Information

The Scottish Tourist Board no longer operates a Tourist Information Office in Mallaig but there is a local information centre which is owned and operated locally.

Mallaig Visitor Centre
Main Street
Mallaig
PH41 4QS

The Road to the Isles Marketing Group's excellent site provides detailed information about the area's attractions and facilities.

General Information:

Mallaig Heritage Centre is a local museum and archive, giving a comprehensive introduction to the history and culture of West Lochaber.

The Land Sea and Islands Centre provides a wealth of information about Arisaig and the Small Isles

The Internet Guide to Scotland provides an introduction to Mallaig and the surrounding districts.

A programme of guided walks in the area is run by the Highland Council Ranger Service

Details of a large number of walks in Lochaber include some popular walks in the Mallaig area.

The area has been used as a film location in a number of famous films, most notably Local Hero (1983), Rob Roy (1995), Breaking the Waves (1996) and the Harry Potter series .

Mallaig Marine World is now closed! The Marine World was a large aquarium of fish and crustaceans found in local waters, many of which were contributed by local fishermen. Sadly it suffered structural damage early in 2006 and was demolished in 2007.

The peninsula of Knoydart , north of Mallaig, is popular with mountaineers and hill walkers as well as other less active folks who are simply looking for somewhere to get away from it all and enjoy the atmosphere of the Old Forge in Inverie, which claims to be Britain's most remote public house. For those who don't feel up to walking far from the pier at Inverie and prefer comfortable surroundings and a menu to a picnic in the hills, the Pier House Restaurant is also represented on the web. The harbour at Doune , on the southwest coast of Knoydart, provides a safe haven for yachts looking for a mooring, fuel and an excellent restaurant, in addition to an excellent and informative website.
Part of the northern coastline of the peninsula belongs to the John Muir Trust.
You can cross to Knoydart from Mallaig with Western Isles Cruises or Knoydart Seabridge

Six miles south of Mallaig, between Morar and Arisaig is Traigh Golf Course , overlooking the white sandy beaches which are a feature of this part of the coastline and providing stunning views out to the islands of Rum and Eigg as well as an excellent game of golf. Even if you are not interested in golf, visit this site for some excellent photographs of the area.

The Eigg Trust site gives information about the island of Eigg, which is now owned and managed by the inhabitants themselves.

Visit Kinloch Castle on the island of Rum for a fascinating glimpse into the world of a wealthy Victorian landowner.

Other museums:

Inverness Museum & Art Gallery is an invaluable source of information about the history of the Highlands

Glenfinnan Station Museum celebrates the history of the West Highland Railway from Glasgow to Fort William and Mallaig.

The West Highland Museum in Fort William is the place to go to find out about subjects as diverse as the Jacobites and aluminium production in the Highlands.

The Tobar an Dualchais website contains over 24,000 oral recordings in Scots and Gaelic recorded in Scotland and further afield, from the 1930s onwards, with many from the Highlands. Items include stories, songs, music, poetry and historical information.

Transport:

One of the best ways to travel to the area is by train, along the West Highland Line from Glasgow. Current train timetable [PDF file]

Between May and October the Jacobite Steam Train runs between Fort William and Mallaig in addition to the regular diesel trains.

Scottish Citylink Coach Services provide coach services from Glasgow to Fort William with connections to Mallaig.

Shiel Buses operates bus services between Mallaig and Fort William and local services to Morar and Arisaig.

Ferry Services and Cruises:

Calmac provides ferry services all year round between Mallaig and the Small Isles (Muck , Eigg, Rum & Canna) and between Mallaig and Armadale. Between November and March they also operate a car-ferry twice a week between Mallaig and Lochboisdale, South Uist.

Knoydart Seabridge operates a regular fast ferry service each day between Mallaig and Inverie in Knoydart.

Western Isles Cruises provides Wildlife Cruises from Mallaig and additional services to Inverie and to Tarbert, Loch Nevis between April and October.

Arisaig Marine sail from Arisaig to Muck, Eigg and Rum in summer, giving time ashore and an opportunity to observe porpoises, whales and hosts of seabirds.

West Lochaber Information

General Information:

Other museums:

Transport:

Ferry Services and Cruises:

Other links:

Accommodation

Visit a castle

The Arisaig Centre