Arisaig

Arisaig is a small village on the Road to the Isles that runs from Fort William to Mallaig.

Get in

By train

ScotRail run four trains a day (one on Sunday in winter, two in summer) from Glasgow Queen Street along the scenic West Highland Line via Arrochar (for Loch Lomond), Crianlarich, Fort William, Glenfinnan and Arisaig to Mallaig. (These trains split at Crianlarich, with part of them going to Oban, so you need to be in the right section.) The last train south is around 18:30 to reach Queen Street by midnight.

The Jacobite steam train runs April-Oct between Fort William and Mallaig, and stops by request at Arisaig. It's a six-hour excursion (depart 10:15, return by 16:00) allowing two hours in Arisaig. An adult day trip is £38 standard, £60 first class, child £21 / £33; single tickets (standard only) are £32 adult, £19 child. Mid-May to mid-Sept there's also an afternoon train (14:30 - 20:30), so you could have six hours in Arisaig, time for a boat trip to the Small Isles, by going in the morning and returning on the afternoon excursion. Trains also stop at Glenfinnan for the obligatory photo of the viaduct. The morning excursion connects with the Caledonian Sleeper from London. In previous years some of them started from Glasgow or Edinburgh, but they're don't do so in 2019.

Under your own steam, using the regular train service, you can day trip here from Fort William leaving at 08:30 or 12:00 and setting off back around 16:20 or 18:30, for only £13 adult return.

🌍 Arisaig railway station is the most westerly station on the Great Britain rail network.

By bus

Shiel Bus 500 runs between Fort William and Mallaig stopping at Arisaig, four times per day Monday to Friday and once on Saturday and Sunday. Bus 501 also runs between Arisaig and Mallaig three times a day.

By car

Arisaig is just off the A830, the 'Road to the Isles'. This runs west from the A82 at Fort William. Much of the A830 has been improved, so is fairly quick driving, though there are still a few tight bends.

Get around

See
  • 🌍 The Land, Sea and Island Centre, ☎ +44 1687 450771. Displays about the social and natural history of the area. (updated Dec 2016)
  • 🌍 The Prince's Cairn (next to the A830 road, near Beasdale). A cairn on the shore of Loch nan Uamh, This marks the spot where Bonnie Prince Charlie departed for France in 1746, following the failure of the Jacobite rising. (updated Dec 2016)
  • 🌍 Loch nan Uamh Viaduct. A concrete viaduct, carrying the railway past the head of the loch. It was built between 1897 and 1901. Reportedly a horse and cart fell into a bridge support during construction, and was buried whole. Though it is not quite as big as Glenfinnan Viaduct, it is still an impressive structure. Worth looking out for 'The Jacobite' steam train, which crosses regularly. (updated Dec 2016)

Do
  • 🌍 Beasdale railway station, off the A830, near Druimindarroch, PH39 4NR (to the south of Arisaig on the Mallaig Extension Railway (now part of the West Highland Line)). It was built as a private convenience for a nearby house and was used during World War II as the station where SOE agents practised boarding and alighting moving trains. (The whole peninsuala area up to Mallaig was used as a training ground for the Executive's "Toughening Schools", where paramilitary skills were taught to potential agents.) The station building is privately owned after having been restored, but the platform is still in use as a request stop. It is frequented by hikers exploring the surrounding hills and wild coastline. (updated Oct 2017)
  • Arisaig Highland Games & Clan Ranald Gathering is held in July / Aug, the next event being Wed 31 July 2019.
The Road to the Isles Agricultural Show and Highland Games are held in early June on Camusdarach beach, midway between Mallaig and Arisaig. The next event is Sun 9 June 2019.

Buy
  • 🌍 Spar, The Harbour, PH39 4NH. Small grocery store and post office. (updated Dec 2016)

Eat
  • The Old Library. A nice lodge and restaurant over looking the Small Isles. They have been updating all the rooms in the hotel and have done a really nice job. The restaurant offers nice meals using local produce 

A trip into nearby Mallaig might offer some good / better options.

Drink

Sleep

Go next
  • The very pretty Small Isles are reached by a pedestrian ferry from Arisaig. An excursion to Eigg is a pleasant way to spend a day.


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