Glenfinnan Viaduct
Susie Kearley goes roaming in the footsteps of red deer, Jacobites and student wizards
Inverness-shire
You may well recognise the sweeping arches of Inverness-shire’s Glenfinnan Viaduct – this is the iconic journey Harry Potter makes on board the Hogwarts Express, en route to the Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry.
Before the days of the boy wizard, however, Glenfinnan Viaduct was an iconic landmark in its own right. Construction began in 1897 as an extension to the West Highland Railway, innovatively using concrete to build the 21 huge arches as local rock was so difficult to work with. By 1901, passengers could travel along the viaduct from Fort William to Mallaig.
THE REBEL’S ROUTE
Today, the wonderful Jacobite steam train puffs along Glenfinnan on its journey to Mallaig during the summertime, and modern trains serve the route for the rest of the year. The viaduct is still a marvel – and at 380m, it holds the title of longest concrete railway bridge in Scotland.
Follow the scenic path beside the iron-grey River Finnan, which runs under the viaduct. Stroll in the shadows of the soaring arches and you may even encounter the majestic red deer that live in this haven for wildlife.
The Jacobite army gathered at Glenfinnan at the start of a campaign in 1745, led by Bonnie Prince Charlie as he asserted his claim to the British throne. Today, you can walk down to Loch Shiel to see his statue. Climb a tight spiral staircase to the top of the monument for a sweeping view of the landscape. Within a year of departing from Glenfinnan, the Jacobite forces were defeated, but from on high, the landscape appears so unchanged, it seems like the rebels might have only just left.