Jacobite Steam Railway
Michel Roux dining, a private charter to Knoydart, and foraging in the most isolated village on the British mainland.
Highlands by steam, sea and Michelin star
This is one of our favourite journeys to arrange: three days that open with a sumptuous dinner by two Michelin-star holder Michel Roux at Inverlochy Castle, then carry a small group aboard the Jacobite Steam Train to Mallaig, before a private chartered catamaran crosses Loch Nevis to Inverie on the Knoydart Peninsula — the most isolated inhabited part of mainland Britain.
Like all our bolt-on experiences, the logistics — hotels, transfers, dining, permissions — sit entirely with us, so your guests simply arrive and enjoy it.
Three days on the West Highland Line
84 miles of impressive extremes
Starting near Ben Nevis, the highest mountain in Britain, the route visits Britain’s most westerly mainland railway station at Arisaig, passes close to the deepest freshwater loch in Britain at Loch Morar and the shortest river in Britain, and finally arrives beside the deepest seawater loch in Europe, Loch Nevis.
Inverlochy Castle
Set against the backdrop of Ben Nevis, with enchanting secret gardens and lush woodland reflected in the mirrored surface of the hotel’s loch, Inverlochy Castle is a Scottish masterpiece of 19th-century baronial splendour — three miles from Fort William, and built to impress.
The route
Jacobite Steam Railway
The train stops en route at Glenfinnan, then continues past the beautiful villages of Lochailort, Arisaig and Morar, whose silvery beaches featured in “Highlander” and “Local Hero.”
Glenfinnan
The train crosses the 21-arched Glenfinnan Viaduct — made famous by the Harry Potter films — overlooking Loch Shiel and the Jacobite Monument, with time in the station to visit the West Highland Railway Museum.
Arisaig
The village of Arisaig — “the Safe Place” — sits on the sheltered shore of Loch nan Ceall. On a clear day you can see the Small Isles of Rum, Eigg, Muck and Canna, and the southern tip of Skye.
Fort William
Life continues as usual in Fort William, the largest town in the Highlands, lying in the shadow of Ben Nevis at the southern end of the Great Glen — a fine base for discovering the West Highlands. The home of saints, or in other words, Heaven.
Mallaig
The end of the line: a working fishing port and ferry terminal founded in the 1840s, with shops, bars, restaurants and fish and chips to enjoy during the lunchtime stop.
Inverie
Home to The Old Forge, the most isolated pub on mainland Britain — reachable only by a two-day hiking trek, a small sea ferry, or helicopter. Inverie sits on the Knoydart Peninsula, part of the Scottish Highlands’ “Rough Bounds.”
Practicalities
Dietary requirements
Any special dietary requirements, for medical or religious reasons, are best flagged as early as possible so our chefs can prepare suitable alternatives.
Car parking
Available at the hotel, with additional spaces across the road at Nevis Bank Apartments.
Dress code
There’s no formal dress code at Inverlochy Castle, Nevis Bank Hotel, or in 1st Class carriages — we recommend smart casual attire.
What to bring
Appropriate clothing for changeable weather is worth packing for the hiking and foraging through Inverie woodland and the neighbouring Kilchoan Estate.
Every Tantempleton journey is built around the group travelling — happy to talk through how something like this could work.