The Jacobite steam train crossing the Glenfinnan ViaductThe Jacobite
- Best time
- May – October, when it runs
- Getting there
- From Fort William station; ScotRail runs the same line all year
Why it’s in the log
Between May and October, West Coast Railways runs a daily steam train, the Jacobite, along the West Highland Line from Fort William to Mallaig and back. Its most famous moment is the Glenfinnan Viaduct, built between 1897 and 1901 at the head of Loch Shiel, which appears as the route of the Hogwarts Express in four of the Harry Potter films.
The rest of the line is the better-kept secret: past Arisaig, with views of the islands of Rùm and Eigg, and the white sands of Morar, to the ferry port at Mallaig. ScotRail runs the same track year-round, without the steam, for less. Watch the viaduct from the hillside — police have had to warn fans off walking on it.
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