There are no roads in or out of The Old Forge in the Scottish Highlands. Surrounded by ancient lochs and the vast outdoors, the community pub serves as a safe haven for hikers and adventurers. As the most remote mainland pub in the UK, the watering hole can only be reached by an 18-mile hike or by sea ferry.
The Old Forge is a community-owned pub located in the small village of Inverie in Knoydart Peninsula in the Scottish Highlands. Overlooking Loch Nevis, the whitewashed building boasts stunning views worthy of a strenuous two-day hike. The spot attracts thousands of visitors each year, supporting the 130 locals who live in Knoydart and run the pub.
What is more, all profits from The Old Forge are then reinvested back into the business, as well as other community projects to benefit locals.
How to get to the UK’s most remote pub from Glasgow?
Guests can take the train straight to Fort William in the Highlands, from where they can hop on a taxi to the very end of the UK’s longest dead-end road: Kinloch Hourn Road, extending from Glengarry to Kinloch Hourn.
From there, adventurers will begin their hike to Knoydart, with an overnight stay at the Barrisdale Bothy. It costs £5 per person to sleep over, and the building boasts bunk beds, two toilets, electricity and cold running water. Moreover, guests should always bring their sleeping bags and mats as beds are on a first come, first served basis. Of course, hikers can also opt to camp anywhere on the route, but the bothy charges a fee to camp and use their facilities.
Alternatively, visitors who don’t wish to hike for two days can take a seven-mile sea ferry operated by Western Isles Cruises from the Scottish fishing village of Mallaig to Inverie. You can find the timetable here.
For the best hiking and boat routes, visitors can check Visit Knoydart.
What to expect at The Old Forge
The Old Forge is open until midnight most nights, and until 1am on Fridays and Saturdays. However, the last table booking is at 8:30pm and the last walk-ins are accepted at 9pm, while the kitchen closes at 9pm. What is more, table bookings are encouraged if possible.
Guests can expect locally brewed ales from Knoydart Brewery, as well as draught beer and cider, wines, craft beers, spirits, malt whisky and soft drinks.
The food is your usual Scottish pub grub, made from locally sourced ingredients from scratch. Some delights include Knoydart Wild Venison, fresh seafood and fish from Mallaig and salads from Knoydart Farm.
The pub is, of course, dog-friendly and is open all year round, with visitors encouraged to pay in cash where possible.
The Old Forge also hosts music sessions as well as other events, and you can find the full list of happenings on their website.