We were dropped off at the end of the UK’s longest dead-end road. The Knoydart peninsula in the Highlands stretched before us – primal, remote, and magnetic. Somewhere ahead was The Old Forge, Britain’s most remote mainland pub in the village of Inverie – no roads in, no roads out.
I love a challenge. But before ordering drinks at the bar, my partner and I had two days of hiking ahead, across some of the Highlands‘ toughest and most diverse landscapes.
Our journey began on the Caledonian Sleeper train. Watching London fade as we drifted into sleep felt like a mini-adventure itself. Stepping off the train in Fort William early the next morning, we took a taxi to the tiny village of Kinloch Hourn, where our 15.2-mile hike began.
We set off around the steep southern shore of Loch Hourn, a narrow, fjord-like sea loch that cuts between the Glenelg and Knoydart peninsulas. The path twisted through rugged terrain, sometimes clinging to the loch’s edge, and all too frequently deteriorating into marshy ground that clung to our boots and splashed our legs with mud. But the inconvenience seemed trivial when we were rewarded with the majestic views over Loch Hourn.
Once a drovers’ and deerstalkers’ route, this ancient path also has a darker history as a coffin road, along which bodies were taken to Kilchoan burial ground in Inverie. The isolation was profound; aside from our conversation and the occasional cascade, there was no sound. A nearby herd of highland cows eyed us suspiciously, seemingly wondering whether this pair of bipeds would disrupt their tranquil glen.
In preparation for the hike, I learned that Knoydart’s 55,000-acre (223 million sq m) wilderness sits between two lochs, Nevis and Hourn – Gaelic for “heaven” and “hell.” The irony isn’t lost when reflecting on the region’s past.
Once thriving under the clan system, Knoydart was devastated when tenant farmers were forced out to make way for sheep during the Highland Clearances of the 18th and 19th centuries. Thousands were uprooted, leading to mass emigration and a decline in Gaelic culture. Today, just 120 people live here, maintaining a way of life that’s rare in the modern world.
As a testament to the sense of solidarity in this remote area, the community came together to rescue The Old Forge in March 2022.
After an arduous five-hour hike, we arrived at Barrisdale Bothy, tired but in good spirits. Like most bothies, it’s a basic stone cottage with a communal room and wooden bunks, but Barrisdale offers rare luxuries: cold running water, electricity, and a toilet for £5pp per night.
After a restful night, we were on the upward slope to Mam Barrisdale, the route’s highest point. Midges swarmed around us in the overcast air, but these were minor irritations compared to the exhilaration of looking back at the cobalt-coloured loch. Our sights were now set on pushing through the misty peaks towards the 450-metre trig point. From there, we’d be able to see Ladhar Bheinn, at 1,020m Knoydart’s highest mountain and the mainland’s most westerly munro.
Despite being downhill from there, the boggiest terrain was to come. Eventually, the path dried, allowing our pace to quicken as we headed towards the sparkling waters of Inverie Bay. Turning one last corner, we saw a post office among a handful of shops on the tiniest of high streets and The Old Forge signpost overlooking the “heavenly” Loch Nevis. We had made it.
The pub is a modest, whitewashed building with a cosy interior. It was surprisingly busy, with mix of day trippers, locals and hikers. As we took our seats with celebratory pints in hand, we were greeted by Will O’Neil, the pub’s manager, who welcomed us with a warm smile. “It started as a bit of a joke, but then we wanted to buy our pub“, he said, adding that running a pub as remote as this is hard work. Shareholders volunteer to keep it going. “There’s so much to do but we love it.” Our pints tasted all the sweeter for it.
Getting there
The Caledonian Sleeper runs to Fort William, sleeper.scot. From there, take a taxi to Kinloch Hourn, hike to Barrisdale Bothy, and continue to Inverie. Catch the ferry to Mallaig, then connect to ScotRail for services back to Fort William.
Staying there
The writer stayed at The Gathering in Inverie, Knoydart. B&B starts at £79pp, self-catering also available, thegatheringknoydart.co.uk
Hiking tips
This is a challenging, remote hike. Check weather forecasts, bring a map, GPS, and inform someone of your ETA and route. Carry a lightweight, three-season sleeping bag for the bothy. The writer used a Mammut Perform down sleeping bag.
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