Trains 3: The Jacobite

In past posts, I wrote of train wrecks and disasters, but in most cases, I  really do find train travel relaxing. Lest anyone think badly of Scottish trains after my New Year’s day experience years ago, I can share a much better train ride. A few years ago, I returned to Scotland and rode the Jacobite steam train from Glenfinnan to Mallaig.  Although Harry Potter and his friends faced the dementors on this train, I had no problems with the ride.

The Jacobite runs 41 miles from Fort William to Mallaig on the West Highland Railway line, using a steam locomotive. Originally known as the Mallaig  Extension, the service began in 1901 to transport fish, especially herring, from the Mallaig seaport. Steam service on the line ended in 1967, with the British Modernization Plan, replacing steam engines with diesel.

Then, in 1984 British rail lines returned steam power to the line, with the goal of improving tourism in the area. The train is called the Jacobite in reference to the last Scottish uprising (in the Eighteenth Century) when the Highland clans, tried (and failed) to restore the Stuart family to the Scottish throne (specifically, Bonnie Prince Charlie). Nowadays, the train is so popular with tourists, it’s best to book in advance as it usually sells out.

To fully experience this train, we wanted to see it cross the iconic Glenfinnan Viaduct, as seen in the Harry Potter movies, as well as ride the train. So the day before our booking, after a lovely hike in the rain through the Glenfinnan valley to a bothy, we stopped at the Glenfinnan Station, where we had tea. Above the station, there is a marvelous view of the famous viaduct.  

We were running a bit late, and expected the train to come into view at any moment. After hurrying along the steep, rocky path, with a raw wind in my face and rain spattering the ground, we arrived at the peak just as the train came into view, barreling along at a great rate and spewing huge clouds of steam in its wake. Like a dragon roaring through the valley, it filled the air, and then was gone. Breathtaking!

The next day we boarded the train in the morning and took our first class seats in the ‘Harry Potter’ car. The west coast of Scotland is still cold, even in June, but the train was a real delight. Stepping onto the Jacobite steam train is not only a step back into history, but immersion into fantasy world of Harry Potter. A narrow aisle runs along one side of the car, with compartments seating six each along the other side. Each compartment has a sliding door made of rich wood, polished to a brilliant shine. Tea was laid out for us in the compartment before we arrived, including a pot of tea and biscuits. We settled in and soon the train lurched forward, the wheels clacking on the rails. The engine chugged along, belching steam that rolled past the windows as the train rounded a bend or the wind shifted.

Rain splattered the windows most of the trip, obscuring the views at times, but adding to the total sensation of being in another time and place. We passed through a landscape of munros and burns, lochs and forests, and caught brief glimpses of the Caledonian canal and Neptune’s Staircase (a series of locs). At times the train roared through a dark tunnel, then burst out into the cloudy gloom of the soft Scottish day.

After a bit, a trolly made its way down the aisle, and stopping at each compartment to offer sweets or souvenirs. Near Glenfinnan, there’s a lovely view of Loch Shiel, one of three lakes used for filming Hogwarts Lake. I almost expected to see the great castle of Hogwarts at the end of the line, instead of the thoroughly mundane fishing village of Mallaig.

Though quite part of the ordinary world, Mallaig offers a couple of choices for a simple, delicious lunch. We popped into Jaffy’s for Fish and Chips, then wandered about town to view the harbor. Since it was raining and cold (45 degrees) we spent more time in the shops than outside.

The train ride back was equally lovely, and I was sorry to disembark when we finally returned to Glenfinnan at the end of the day. Whether you are a history fan or a Harry Potter fan, the Jacobite steam train is an experience you won’t want to miss.