The Old Forge – By Boat to the Remotest Pub on the Mainland
A day, from Mallaig pier and back.
The route
No road reaches Inverie.
The village sits on the north shore of Loch Nevis on the Knoydart peninsula, and for a day the way in is the passenger boat from Mallaig. In the village is the Old Forge, the remotest pub on the British mainland, now owned by its community. The day is the crossing, an hour or two on foot by the loch, and a pint before the boat home.
Before you go
Book accommodation nearby
If you are staying over: here are ours nearest where the day starts and ends.
Book the boat from Mallaig to Inverie
Book both crossings with Western Isles Cruises before you travel, online or on 01687 462233, and take the day's sailing times from them: the boat sails only when the weather allows.
For food at the Old Forge, book by email to eat@theoldforge.co.uk or with the form on the pub's home page; walk-ins are welcome, but a booking guarantees the table.
The day
Inverie
Over the water from Mallaig with both crossings booked, a slow walk through the village and its woodland, then the pub until the boat is due.
A full day, set by the boats you book
The boat from Mallaig to Inverie
The boat for Inverie leaves from Mallaig pier, run by Western Isles Cruises, and takes 30 to 45 minutes. Book both crossings before you travel, online or on 01687 462233, and take the sailing times from the operator, because they change with the season. If you've driven to Mallaig, leave the car in the council's East Bay or West Bay car park and allow time to find a space. Dogs ride on the outer deck on a short lead. Inverie's white cottages line the north shore of Loch Nevis under the hills. Walk the village road by the water, call in at the rangers' station between the pier and the pub, and ask the way into the community woodland, where half an hour is time well spent. The boat sails only when the weather allows. From 1 November to 31 March there are fewer sailings at weekends, and none on 25 and 26 December or 1 and 2 January.
About 2 hr 35 min on foot
The Old Forge, Knoydart
A drink
The Old Forge is a low white pub on the village road, with benches on the grass in front. The community bought it in 2022, and its profits go back into the pub and the peninsula. The house ales come from Knoydart Brewery, close by, with cask ales, cider and malts beside them. Book ahead for food through the pub's website; in winter the menu changes daily. Dogs are welcome on a lead. It stays open through the winter on shorter hours from November to March, and is shut on Monday 26 October 2026. The pub has no rooms, so watch the clock for your boat. You come and go by boat, so only whoever drives on from Mallaig needs to stay on soft drinks. The other way in, on foot from Kinloch Hourn or Glenfinnan, is a serious two-day mountain walk for experienced hillwalkers with a map, a compass and the kit for a night out.
If it rains
Rain alone doesn't stop the day: the boat has a cabin and the pub is the plan. Wind is what stops the boat, so on a rough forecast ring Western Isles Cruises before you leave for Mallaig, and go another day if they are in doubt.
