Mallaig
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A cluttered, noisy port whose pebble-dashed houses struggle for space with great lumps of granite tumbling down to the sea, MALLAIG, 47 miles west of Fort William along the A830 (regular buses and trains run this route), is not pretty. Before the railway reached here in 1901, it consisted of only a few cottages, but now it's a busy, bustling place and, as the main ferry stop for Skye and the Small Isles, is always full of visitors. The continuing source of the village's wealth is its thriving fishing industry: on the quayside, piles of nets, tackle and ice crates lie scattered around a bustling modern market. Apart from the daily bustle of Mallaig's harbour, the main attraction in town is Mallaig Marine World, north of the train station near the harbour (June-Sept Mon-Sat 9am-6pm, Sun 10am-6pm; July & Aug Mon-Sat until 7pm; Oct-May Mon-Sat 9am-5.30pm, Sun 11am-5pm; £2.75), where tanks of local sea creatures and informative exhibits about the port provide an unpretentious introduction to the local waters.
Mallaig is a compact place, concentrated around the harbour, where you'll find the tourist office (April-Oct Mon-Sat 10am-6pm; Nov-March Mon, Wed & Fri 11am-3pm; tel 01687/462170), which will book accommodation, and the bus and train stations. The CalMac ticket office (tel 01687/462403), serving passengers for Skye and the Small Isles, is also nearby, and you can arrange transport to Knoydart by calling Bruce Watt Cruises (tel 01687/462320 or 462233), which sails to Inverie every morning and afternoon (June to mid-Sept Mon-Fri; otherwise Mon, Wed & Fri), the later cruise continuing east along Loch Nevis to Tarbet.
For B&B, head around the harbour to East Bay, where you'll find the immaculate Western Isles Guest House (tel 01687/462320, westrnisles@aol.com; under £40). Sheena's Backpackers' Lodge (tel 01687/462764), a refreshingly laid-back independent hostel overlooking the harbour, has mixed dorms, self-catering facilities and a sitting room. For eating, the Tea Garden at Sheena's Lodge is a great place to watch the world go by while you tuck into a bowl of cullen skink (soup made from smoked haddock), a pint of prawns, or home-made scones. Also worth seeking out are the freshest of fish and chips, served at the Cornerstone, just across the road from the tourist office.
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