Thinking of riding The Jacobite Train? Read this first!
The train runs from Fort William to Mallaig
– a small fishing village – from May to October. You leave around 9am and get back about 5pm,
so it’s a full-day affair. The train can
book out quickly, especially in the high summer, so you might need to book well
in advance.
Before you go:
If you’ve got any favourite Harry Potter
memorabilia, take it with you! You make
a small stopover at Glenfinnan and there are some trunks and a broom to pose
with. Come prepared!
When you book tickets, you get the option
to book afternoon tea and things to eat.
My advice? Don’t bother. Bring yourself a packed lunch of crumpled
sandwiches and spend your money elsewhere.
On the train:
You can’t pick your seats (unless you’re
planning an upgrade to a Harry Potter-style compartment, which was out of my
price range!) but you definitely want to be on the left-hand side, facing in
the direction of travel. Being in the
back coaches is actually a good thing, because it means that you can get a
photo of the train going over the Glenfinnan Viaduct, to stick in your Harry Potter
scrapbook. On that note: they do ask
that you don’t stick your heads/legs/arms out of the windows, but you’re
forgiven for doing it as you go over the iconic viaduct!
When you arrive at Mallaig:
Mallaig is a pretty small fishing town, and
if the weather is good it’s lovely to have a wander around. There are some beautiful fishing boats down
at the port, and lots of people around.
Not far from the port, there’s a cute little Royal Lifeboat charity
shop, so if you’re looking to buy a souvenir/boost Mallaig’s local economy, you
should do it there.
There are also a few other souvenir shops
awaiting your tourist dollar, as well as some cafes. There’s also a grocery store not far from the
train station, so you can get some snacks there if you’re in a budget.
Mallaig
All in all, I had a fantastic day on the
Jacobite Train. Take plenty of snacks
(chocolate frogs and Every Flavor Beans are non-negotiable!), a camera and be
sure to don your house colours!
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