West Highland Extension

Where are the best bits to head to on the WHE from Fort William to Mallaig? Where is the best place to take advantage of the rock cuttings which are near Mallaig?

Any guidance appreciated.

 

Practically anywhere! Some of the shots take a bit of hunting out as the line is sometimes hidden in trees and finding over / under bridges to get across the line for access can be tricky. Mallaig Jnc Yard is easy to access. Similarly, corpach crossing and Glenfinnan viaduct. If you're really keen then a walk along Loch Eilt will reveal some lovely shots, but it's a long way from the road. Loch Dubh is a classic for the return, or Loch nan Uamh viaduct, or the viaduct in the woods at Polnish. Further out along the coast, the area around Kinloid has some very nice shots. The approaches to Mallaig are nowhere near what they were in the 1980s because the new road gets in the way of most of the shots, however this runs right alongside the line, so most possibilities in the area will be obvious. If you're really keen to do the Mallaig area and like sunny shots, then the light doesn't get round until fairly late in the afternoon for most of the shots. If you have any specific locations in mind, feel free to PM me for directions, as I know the line fairly well.