The immediate impression given by Mallaig would make it seem a far more major port than it is today. This is based on its past and, since there is a new harbour here as well as the old one now used primarily for pleasure craft, on its hoped future. As late as the 1960s it was a really major herring port and it used to be far more of a centre for Calmac, who now only run their car ferry to Armadale on the Sleat [pr. Slate] peninsula of Skye and their passenger ferry to the Small Isles [see travel tip] from Mallaig.
The town is some way from the principal mountains but there is a quite long and pleasant walk by the north shore of [true] Loch Morar and over a low pass to Tarbet on [sea] Loch Nevis. If you want to go one way to/from Mallaig/Tarbet, see Bruce Watt’s website [under travel tip for Inverie].
The train from Glasgow is delightful and there is one steam train a day in summer on the Fort William/Mallaig stretch. [See http://www.steamtrain.info/] [edit text][editors]
