West Highland Line
On this scenic railway journey, you can take a trip through Scottish history.
It's a trip of only five and a half hours, but this 264-kilometre-long journey from Glasgow I to the fishing port of Mallaig is spectacular Construction began in 1889, with the aim of linking Glasgow to Fort William, but the work was not without its challenges as it crossed remote parts of the windy Scottish Highlands. and the line was not completed until 1894. Conditions were harsh, cold, and lonely. 37 navvies died in just four years. The line was later extended to the coast, and the link to Mallaig opened in 1901.
After leaving behind the tenements, art galleries and stone streets of Glasgow, the train winds along the 'bonnie banks' of lovely Loch Lomond - Britain's largest body of fresh water - then chugs on to Crianlarich, where a branch line runs to the seaside resort of Oban. The scenery becomes increasingly rugged and further on, past Tyndrum (once the heart of the Scottish gold mining industry) a giant horseshoe curve winds through a glacial valley - a reminder that funds for the construction of tunnels and viaducts were limited, so obstacles (such as mountains) were skirted around instead. After the sleepy village of Bridge of Orchy, the train traverses desolate Rannoch Moor and eventually reaches remote Corrour station, which featured in the film of Irvine Welsh's novel Trainspotting.
After it leaves Fort William, the gateway to Ben Nevis (The UK's highest mountain), the line passes a number of sites of historic interest. At Banavie, suggested by some as the birthplace of Saint Patrick, the train crosses Thomas Telford's Caledonian Canal, characterised at this point by 'Neptune's Staircase a series of eight locks designed by Telford in 1822. Then comes the glorious 21-arched Glenfinnan Viaduct, constructed in concrete by Robert McAlpine and opened in 1901. Today it's most famous for the starring role it plays in the Harry Potter films, but the viaduct also offers excellent views of the Glenfinnan Monument. This 18-metre-high tower designed by architect James Gillespie Grant commemorates the start of the Jacobite Rising in 1745, when Bonnie Prince Charlie raised his standard above Glenfinnan. His fight to claim the throne (supported by English, as well as Scottish Jacobites) ended at the Battle of Culloden the following year. A lone highlander stands atop the tower - a reminder that the defeat effectively ended the highland way of life. Further along the route, the train passes Loch nan Uamh from where he escaped to France after Culloden.
Trains run regularly along the line. In summer a special steam-hauled train, the Jacobite, runs from Fort William to Mallaig (www. westcoastrailways.co.uk) while the luxurious Royal Scotsman train also follows the route (www.belmond.com/royal-scotsman-train).