Viaduct views
Take a 5-minute walk up the hill beside our visitor centre to be rewarded with a breathtaking panorama straight down Loch Shiel to the south and straight up Glen Finnan to the north.
This is a fantastic viewpoint for the Glenfinnan Viaduct, a renowned feat of Victorian engineering and the longest concrete railway bridge in Scotland. It takes the West Highland Railway over the River Finnan 100ft below, on its journey between Fort William and Mallaig – and is one of the most picturesque train rides in the world.
From our viewpoint, you can follow the puff of smoke as you marvel at the sight and sound of the Jacobite steam train traversing the hillside and crossing the Viaduct. Made famous by the Harry Potter films as the ‘Hogwarts Express’, you can witness this moment every day, spring to autumn, although our local rail service makes this same journey all year round.
Built in the 1890s by ‘Concrete Bob’ McAlpine, the viaduct’s 21 huge arches were constructed using pioneering technology at the time. You can appreciate their scale up close on a 20-minute walk from our visitor centre via a new path beside the River Finnan.
A car-free adventure
For an extra-special, extra-green day out, we thoroughly recommend catching the train from Fort William to visit us at Glenfinnan.
For less than £10 for an adult return, you’ll cross the viaduct yourself before stepping back in time as you alight at Glenfinnan’s historic railway station. The station is also home to a fascinating wee museum.
From here, follow a well-built 1.5-mile path on a spectacular walk across the hillside to the viaduct, then onwards to reach our visitor centre and Monument. This normally takes around 45 minutes. There are stepping stones, boardwalks and loads of wildlife to spot on this family-friendly trail.
As a thank you for leaving your car at home, we offer 2-for-1 tickets to climb the Monument when you arrive with your train ticket.
