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Glenfinnan is at the head of Loch Shiel, 16
miles west of Fort William, 26 miles
southeast of the port village Mallaig.
Isle of Skye Ferries depart from
Mallaig.
Glenfinnan is popular for its Visitor Centre
with Museum, Shop and Cafe free of charge, the
Jacobite Monument with great views from the
top, huge Viaduct seen in a Harry Potter Movie
with Hogwarts Express Steam Train, Train
Station Museum, and Boat Trips on Loch
Shiel. The Steam Trains only run April –
October though. Postcode: PH37 4LT
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Camping & Touring Parks in
area
The small Glenfinnan Train Station, half of
a mile west of the Visitor Centre, has a small
Rail Museum
with vintage carriages to explore and a dinning
car for meals.
The image top is of the Visitor centre with
a shop, cafe and museum covering the Last
Jacobite Rising led by Bonnie Prince
Charlie in 1745.
Glenfinnan is an area of only a few houses,
Saint Mary & Saint Finnan Church, Prince's
House Hotel and Glenfinnan House Hotel.
Saint Mary
& Saint Finnan Church was completed in the
1860s by the MacDonald's, Lairds of
Glenfinnan.
Prince's House
Hotel is on the west side of Glenfinnan
with a Restaurant, with the earliest parts
built in 1658 as a Coaching Inn.
Glenfinnan House
Hotel is in a country estate under 1 mile
southwest of Glenfinnan, originally built as an
Inn between 1752 and 1755 for Alexander
MacDonald of Glenaladale who was wounded at the
Battle of Culloden in 1746, fighting for Prince
Charles Edward Stuart / Bonnie Prince
Charlie.
Large Image from
the Monument
The 3,159ft / 963m Sgurr Thuilm and 3,136ft
953m Sgurr nan Coireachan are popular Mountains
to hike from Glenfinnan. Hike
Information.
Glenfinnan History
1658 - the earliest parts of the Prince's
House Hotel were built as a Coaching Inn.
1745 - Prince Charles Edward Stuart traveled
from France to Western Scotland in an attempt
to gain the throne of Great Britain for his
father, landing close to Glenfinnan.
Charles was a Catholic Stuart who claimed
his father had a greater right to the throne
than the Protestant George II who
was made King of Great Britain in 1727.
1745 August - Charlie met MacDonald's,
Cameron's, Macfies and MacDonnells at
Glenfinnan where he raised his standard to
start the Last Jacobite
Rising.
1745 December - the Jacobite's had advanced
south into England with victory seeming
possible. The Jacobite's then decided to return
to Scotland to try and strengthen their forces.
This allowed the British Government time to get
its far larger forces together to hunt down the
Jacobite's.
1746 April - Charlie's army was defeated at
the Battle of Culloden by Inverness 83
miles northeast of Glenfinnan, ending the Last
Jacobite Rising, the last major battle fought
on the British mainland.
1746 Sept - Charlie left on a boat from a
spot 13 miles west of Glenfinnan, now marked by
the Prince's Cairn.
He returned to France where his family lived in
exile.
1752 - the earliest parts of Glenfinnan
House Hotel were built as an Inn by
MacDonald's.
1812 - Thomas Telford constructed a new road
from Fort William to Glenfinnan then on to
Arisaig on the coast.
1815 - the Glenfinnan Monument was built for
Alexander MacDonald of Glenaladale to
commemorate the Jacobite Risings. Monument Large
Image.
The Monument is 60ft / 18m high with narrow
steps to the top.
1835 - the Statue of an Unknown Highlander
was erected on top of the Monument.
1860s - Saint Mary & Saint Finnan Church was
built by MacDonald's.
1901 - the Glenfinnan Viaduct was completed
at 416 yards / 380m long, longest viaduct in
Scotland, allowing Trains to run between Fort
William and Mallaig on the coast. Ferries run
from Mallaig on the 5 mile crossing to Armadale on the
Isle of Skye.
Viaduct & Steam
Train large image.
1901 - a small Station was opened at
Glenfinnan that now has a Museum with old
carriages and a dining car.
1938 - the Glenfinnan Monument was taken
over by the National Trust for Scotland. They
allow visits to the top for great views in
summer with a small charge.
2002 - the film Harry Potter and the Chamber
of Secrets is released with the Steam Train
named Hogwarts Express filmed crossing the
Glenfinnan Viaduct with a flying Ford Anglia
car.
Today - many Photographers walk a path from
the visitor centre, 200 yards west alongside
the main road, through the hiking car park,
under the Viaduct, then onto the hillside above
the Viaduct to take photos of the Steam Trains
that run between Fort William and Mallaig in
summer. The first Steam Train traveling up to
Mallaig crosses the Viaduct about 10.50. The
afternoon Steam Train traveling up to Mallaig
crosses the Viaduct about 15.00.
There is also a steep path up to a viewpoint
above the visitor centre that also gives views
of the train crossing the viaduct.
High Point
large image.
The Glenfinnan Visitor Centre and Hiking car
parks can be full in summer so you may have to
park up at the Train Station half of a mile
west and walk down to the visitor centre on a
roadside path.
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