The
West Highland Hotel is located in the picturesque Scottish west coast fishing
port of Mallaig. It enjoys a prominent position overlooking the harbour
with spectacular views to the islands of Eigg, Rum and Skye. The railway
station and ferry terminal are each within a five minutes' walk.
For more information about the local area, visit the website of the Road to the Isles Group.
On approaching Mallaig follow the main road into the village, turn right at the small roundabout, then take the next right up the hill approximately 200 yards further on. Follow this road and the hotel is located about another 200 yards on the left.
Click to see a detailed location map of the West Highland Hotel.
By Road
The roads to Mallaig are a pleasure to drive on, with wonderful views to enjoy en route. Mallaig is well signposted with access via the A830 (The Road to the Isles). Once Mallaig is reached the West Highland Hotel is obvious with its prominent location set above the port. For a detailed travel planner, see the AA website.
If you are travelling by bus to Fort William, the Scottish
Citylink website gives all necessary timetable details. Car hire
is available in Fort William, or you can carry on to Mallaig using
the train (see below for timetable link).
By Rail
Scotrail runs a regular service from Glasgow Queen Street along the famous West Highland Line, including a sleeper service to Fort William. The station is only a brief walk from the hotel, allowing guests to free themselves from the car. Timetable details available on the Scotrail website
By Air
The most convenient airports are Inverness (110 miles) and Glasgow (150 miles) from where you can hire a car.
By Ferry
If you are coming to Mallaig from the Isle of Skye then you need to board the ferry at Armadale. This service, as well as a daily sailing to the small isles of Eigg, Rum, Muck and Canna, is operated by Caledonian MacBrayne. Their website contains full details of timetables, prices, etc.
Things to see and do around Mallaig
The main attraction of the area is the scenery. It is often described as breathtaking, some would say out of this world. On a clear day the view from the hotel looking out across the islands is absolutely spectacular. There are plenty of of unspoiled places to explore where you can forget about the stresses of modern life and simply relax.
For
the more energetic there are a number of things you can do such as the Mallaig heritage
centre detailing
the interesting and varied history of the local area. A local leisure
centre is also available where there is a swimming pool and various
fitness facilities available.
If you enjoy golf, the nearby course at Traigh is a wonderful place for a round or two. It has been described by the Scotsman newspaper as "Probably the most beautifully sited nine-hole golf course in the world", and it is easy to see why.
The hotel is a convenient base for day trips to the Isle of Skye. The ferry timetable ensures that you can spend a day touring Skye. If you wish to let someone else do the driving, then why not hire a guide? Peter Macdonald of Isle of Skye tours has extensive local knowledge and will meet you off the ferry at Armadale.
Fancy
a relaxing cruise then why not take a trip on Bruce
Watt's cruises.
They leave from the harbour and sail up Loch Nevis to Tarbet and the
Knoydart Peninsular where there is a chance of sighting whales or dolphins!
Half an hour's drive along the Road to the Isles towards Fort William don't forget to stop in Glenfinnan, and visit the famous viaduct (as seen in the Harry Potter films!) aswell as the monument to Bonnie Prince Charlie and the 1745 rising.
Take a day trip round the Ardnamurchan Peninsular, known as Britain's last great wilderness, and visit the most westerly point on the British Mainland. Turn off the A830 at Lochailort onto the A861. This is a day trip not to be missed.
And finally, do not miss the Silver Sands around Morar. These are some of the most beautiful beaches in Scotland, or we believe, in the world.
For further information on the area, try The Road to the Isles website. For general guides to Scotland, try The Internet guide to Scotland, or Undiscovered Scotland