West Coast Railways – Harry Potter line
Ride the Jacobite steam train (aka the Hogwarts Express) for the 84 mile round trip from Fort William to Mallaig and back again – including the Glenfinnan Viaduct, which featured in the Harry Potter films. The route was famous before the films though – regularly voted one of the best train rides in the world. You pass Britain’s highest mountain, deepest loch, shortest river and most westerly station – arriving in Mallaig, one of the world’s most picturesque fishing villages.
Relive wonderful scenes from the Harry Potter films, many of which were filmed in the area.
![Jacobite Steam Train Jacobite Steam Train](/media/0aqipuyu/jacobite-steam-train.jpg?anchor=center&mode=crop&width=1000&height=562&rnd=132914796480770000&format=webp)
Natural History Centre
The Natural History Centre on Ardnamurchan brings together the incredible variety of flora and fauna on Ardnamurchan. There’s a great shop, and the café sells freshly home-baked cakes. Oh and it's also all undercover, making it a great wet weather activity.
Treasures of the Earth
Four miles from Fort William, Treasures of the Earth has Europe’s finest private collection of crystals, gemstones and fossils. It’s a wonderful display of the bright, other-worldly colours of rocks that are 500 million years old.
![Gem stones Gem stones](/media/ef5hra1v/treasures-of-the-earth.jpg?anchor=center&mode=crop&width=1000&height=562&rnd=132914796491400000&format=webp)
Urquhart Castle
A medieval stronghold on the shores of Loch Ness, Urquhart Castle has a turbulent history dating back to the 13th century. Explore the ruins, or walk through the audio-visual exhibition at the visitor centre to get a better feel for the castle’s important place in Scotland’s history.
![Urquhart Castle Urquhart Castle](/media/ioeh2jar/urquhart-castle.jpg?anchor=center&mode=crop&width=1000&height=562&rnd=132914796498170000&format=webp)
Castle Stalker
You’ll spot Castle Stalker from the road – its tall, dramatic profile rises from a rock in Loch Linnhe, near Appin. Book a tour of the privately-owned castle, or get the best view of it from the Stalker View Café. There’s an excellent wildlife hub next to the café – where they show IMAX films of owls and eagles, so you can get up close to the Loch’s top predators.
![Castle Stalker Castle Stalker](/media/vlbflxf3/castle-stalker.jpg?anchor=center&mode=crop&width=1000&height=562&rnd=132914796465900000&format=webp)
![Castle Stalker Castle Stalker](/media/5t5nd1xf/castle-stalker-2.jpg?anchor=center&mode=crop&width=1000&height=562&rnd=132914796459330000&format=webp)
Glencoe Folk Museum
The Glencoe Folk Museum’s collection explores the history of Glencoe – from the infamous massacre of 1692 to the slate industry. The museum has a unique thatch roof, and regularly holds events to help the whole family make the most of the collection.
![Glencoe Folk Museum Glencoe Folk Museum](/media/34lk5n1r/glencoe-folk-museum.jpg?anchor=center&mode=crop&width=1000&height=562&rnd=132914796473570000&format=webp)