GLENFINNAN VIADUCT, SCOTLAND
FORT WILLIAM TO MALLAIG BY STEAM TRAIN
THE GLENFINNAN VIADUCT
The Glenfinnan Viaduct is a railway viaduct in the north west of Scotland, in the United Kingdom.
It was built between 1897 and 1901 to carry the West Highland Railway line over the River Finnan.
And with its 21 arches it curves around the greenery of the Scottish Highlands. It is a functional as well as beautiful monument from the turn of the twentieth century.
But its fair to say it shot to fame, at least for a modern generation, in the film “Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets”.
In the film the “Hogwarts Express” steam train took students from Platform 9 ¾ at Kings Cross station in London to Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry, presumably hidden somewhere in the Scottish Highlands.
On the way the steam train crosses the Glenfinnan Viaduct, with its scenic backdrop. The ingenious Edwardians and Mother Nature providing an iconic movie location.
In September 2019 I might not have been planning to learn wizardry, but I was going to ride on a steam train across the Glenfinnan Viaduct!
GETTING THERE
This adventure was all about trains.
I was travelling with my Mum and train enthusiast Dad for our short break in Scotland.
We started our adventure in Preston, Lancashire, at our local train station on England’s West Coast mainline. The line was operated at the time by Virgin Trains and we treated ourselves to first class travel on the Pendolino train from Preston to Glasgow Central station.
To be honest I think this was the highlight of the whole trip for my Dad, who loved modern trains as much as steam trains.
Then it was a quick hop across the city, on a free shuttle bus, to Glasgow Queen Street station for the second leg of our journey.
Now in Scotland we switched to local train services and much less fancy trains.
They were a bit slower as they stopped at more local stations.
It was a shame that we picked a day that was grey and drizzly. Even so as we trundled up through Argyll to the Highlands we were treated to scenery like the famous Loch Lomond and the mountains on the route that we followed. The rain really didn’t spoil the views too much.
The Scottish leg of our journey took over three and a half hours. The Hogwarts Express it seems used a bit of movie magic to speed up its journey all the way from London to the Glenfinnan Viaduct.
FORT WILLIAM
Our stay in Scotland, and base for our trip across the Glenfinnan Viaduct, was the town of Fort William.
Ben Nevis
This town sits on the shore of Loch Linnhe, in the shadow of Ben Nevis. At 1,345 metres, or 4,411 feet, its the tallest mountain in Scotland, the United Kingdom and the British Isles.
That makes Fort William a great base if you like walking, climbing or the hobby of Munro Bagging.
Munros are the Scottish mountains over 3,000 feet tall, as listed by Sir Hugo Munro, who first compiled the list of 282.
People now climb them all, “bagging” one for their list. A bit too strenuous for my liking, but I can say I’ve seen Ben Nevis at least.
Hotel Stay
We chose to stay at the Premier Inn in the centre of Fort William.
That was a five minute walk from the train and bus station, so handy for all of our transport needs.
It also had a Brewers Fayre pub attached, which worked well for breakfast, dinner and a few beers to refresh us once our daily exploring was done.
Not the most expensive place we could have stayed, but it served us well and we thought it good value for what we needed.
Fort William Town
Having settled into the hotel we had time in the afternoon to stretch our legs and visit the High Street to get our bearings.
The town has some ruins of the stone fort, built around 1698, and which was used in the Jacobite Rebellion of 1745 and the hunt for Bonnie Prince Charlie.
A different bit of Scotland’s history that took place around Glenfinnan well before the viaduct was ever thought of.
Its not the most impressive site to see, but it is always good to learn some local history.
NEPTUNE’S STAIRCASE
Neptune’s Staircase, as it is called, is a series of eight locks on the Caledonian Canal. It was built by Thomas Telford between 1803 and 1822.
Located at Banavie, the locks are about an hour’s walk from Fort William, although that was a bit far for us.
We caught a local train out to see it and came back on the bus. Its useful to have a map of where the bus picks up and the timetable though as its a bit of a remote spot and not obvious.
This is another marvel of engineering. While we were there we saw boats descend through the locks of the canal. Then the swing bridge that carries the coastal road and railway over the canal opened to let boats out into the base of the canal that leads into Loch Linnhe.
Definitely worth seeing and in a beautiful area if you are walking there.
THE JACOBITE STEAM TRAIN
Not quite the Hogwarts Express, but the next best way to travel over the Glenfinnan Viaduct in Scotland is on The Jacobite.
West Coast Railways operate morning services from April to October, with additional afternoon services from May to September, aboard The Jacobite steam train.
The trains run from Fort William train station to the even smaller town of Mallaig out on the sea coast. This is an 84 mile round trip.
The steam train journeys are popular so you do need to book.
Its a return service, so you get to travel over the Glenfinnan Viaduct twice, once in each direction.
We chose the afternoon service which left just before 1pm and we weren’t back until almost 7pm. The journey each way was almost 2 hours long and we had 2 hours to see Mallaig as well in between. You certainly get your money’s worth.
Class of carriage
As I’ve said we were having a treat so we booked the first class option and had a lovely comfortable table that seated four. There were only three of us in our party, but another solo traveller completed our table. She was good company too and I was only too happy to talk about travelling.
On the opposite side of the aisle were tables for two.
An alternative option was to book a compartment carriage, with the sliding door, billed as the Harry Potter experience, as it matches the style of carriage used in the films. They only run on certain services though.
Or if you are on a budget there are also standard carriages as well. You still get the exact same journey.
High Tea
An optional extra was to book high tea. Sandwiches, cakes and scones. We went for that option and were absolutely stuffed for the rest of the day. They cater for dietary requirements too, which was helpful.
We had plenty of cups of tea too, though a champagne version is an option as well.
STEAMING OVER THE VIADUCT
Steam Trains
My Dad grew up in the Age of Steam and was always a train enthusiast.
That meant that wherever we travelled on holidays in the UK we invariably ended up visiting a local preserved steam railway. After a while it becomes part of what you do too.
On The Jacobite you certainly got to enjoy the sounds of the engine blowing. The clickety clack of the wheels on the track. The smell of the smoke as the wind blew it over the carriages. And of course the train’s steam whistle.
Easy to immerse yourself in a bygone day.
Scenery
Over time I’ve found myself visiting more and more of the World’s scenic railways.
The route from Fort William to Mallaig certainly falls under that category.
You leave the town of Fort William and quite quickly pass Neptune’s Staircase on the way.
Then its green hills. Scottish rivers and lochs. Beautiful scenery. All from the comfort of your carriage.
You have two hours each way to enjoy it. That means there is always something to spot, but at the same time you can enjoy the experience of being on the train too. There’s only so much green you can see!
The train did pause at Glenfinnan Station, which allowed us to get off the train, look around the station building and take photos of the engine. Just seeing another piece of life on the railway.
The Glenfinnan Viaduct
Of course the highlight of this journey in Scotland is seeing the Glenfinnan Viaduct.
It was possible to look out of the windows at the end of the carriage and see the length of the train as it curved around the viaduct in front of you.
The River Finnan and Loch Shiel in the distance add to the view.
I was quite amused to look down and see lots of tourists lining the hillsides to get a view of the steam train going over the viaduct instead.
That’s always a way of experiencing the Glenfinnan Viaduct if you are touring Scotland, but don’t have time to make the journey by train.
MALLAIG
The end of the line is at the seaside town of Mallaig.
We had two hours to wander around the town. Unfortunately it wasn’t the greatest weather, so I think a lot of passengers invaded the local tea rooms.
Still full from our high tea we did have a walk around the streets of town and along the quayside, where fishing boats and the RNLI Lifeboat were tied up.
After green hills, this was the seaside. It had the impression of a true working fishing village.
It was cold on the coast though. So, after a last look at the local gift shops for souvenirs, we found our own seat in a warm cafe for another cup of tea.
Then the train whistle blew to tell us it was time to return.
A SHORT BREAK IN SCOTLAND
Whether you live in Great Britain, or are travelling from across the World, it is worth a trip to Scotland just to see the scenery alone.
The Glenfinnan Viaduct adds in an icon of Scotland that is worth a visit in its own right, whether you are a Harry Potter film buff or just like seeing great things.
While a ride over it on a steam train must be on the list of any steam train enthusiast One of the World’s great scenic rail journeys.
Combine them together and you have the perfect excuse for a short break in Scotland. It could easily be added to a wider tour of the Scottish Highlands if you can stay for longer.
For us it was a good three night stay. Yes, a long journey, but all the time you are travelling through stunning countryside.
At the time it was as far north as I had been in the United Kingdom. It was well worth it.
A trip over the Glenfinnan Viaduct might be a once in a lifetime trip, but I have a feeling I haven’t seen the last of the Scottish Highlands.
Watch the video for this trip on my YouTube Channel. Click the link or search Gary Travels… on the Glenfinnan Viaduct.
