Is Glenfinnan Viaduct Worth Visiting?

lovetovisitscotland

2 years ago

Is Glenfinnan Viaduct worth visiting?

With more than 300,000 annual visitors, The Glenfinnan Viaduct, also known as the Harry Potter train to Hogwarts, is a popular and magical site and definitely worth visiting.

More About Glenfinnan

Glenfinnan is situated at the head of Loch Shiel which stretches south west for 20 miles to Acharacle and the area attracts many thousands of visitors from around the world who want to experience the magical atmosphere and the awesome scenery.

Magic is in the air because of the connection to the Harry Potter movies as the train going to the school of Magic at Hogwarts passes the famous viaduct. The Glenfinnan viaduct carries the railway to Glenfinnan Station and has a span of 1,000 ft, 100 ft above the ground. Indeed an amazing construction and spectacular site.

The Jacobite steam train runs from Glenfinnan to Fort William and Mallaig with regular trains year round.

Below is a schedule of train times and also for trainspotters on the Viaduct what the best viewing times would be:

Giving visitors up to 4 opportunities to witness it passing over the bridge.

Sunday To Monday Timetable:

The morning service departs Fort William at 10:15 and usually passes over the Viaduct at around 10:45-11:00
The afternoon service departs Fort William at 12:45 and usually passes over the Viaduct at around 13:15-13:30
The morning service departs Mallaig at 14:10 and usually passes over the Viaduct at around 15:15-15:30
The afternoon service departs Mallaig at 16:45 and usually passes over the Viaduct at around 17:50-18:05

Saturday Timetable:

The morning service departs Fort William at 10:15 and usually passes over the Viaduct at around 10:45-11:00
The afternoon service departs Fort William at 14:40 and usually passes over the Viaduct at around 15:10-15:25
The morning service departs Mallaig at 14:10 and usually passes over the Viaduct at around 15:15-15:30
The afternoon service departs Mallaig at 18:40 and usually passes over the Viaduct at around 19:45-20:00

Credit to: https://www.dreambigtravelfarblog.com/blog/glenfinnan-viaduct – for this timetable

Harry Potter fans will recognise the train crossing the viaduct as the Hogwarts Express and the filming of the second and third Harry Potter books, Harry Potter and the Chambers of Secrets and Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban took place in this area.

Scenes from Harry Potter movies

Philosopher’s Stone – On the way to Hogwarts for the first time
Chamber of Secrets – Ron and Harry fly over it in the car
Prisoner of Azkaban – Dementors stop the train midway over the bridge and start torturing Harry

Glenfinnan is not just about Harry Potter and In August every year,the Glenfinnan Gathering and Games take place.

The Glenfinnan Monument and Visitor Centre, commemorates the Jacobite clansmen who fought and gave their lives in support of Charles Edward Stuart, often called “Bonnie Prince Charlie“.in what was called the Jacobite uprising. You can also experience the viaduct from within the train called the Jacobite train from Fort Willian to Mallaig.

If you are not able to actually take the train but just want to have a great viewpoint of the train crossing the Glenfinnan Viaduct, then you might not want to view from the visitor centtre but rather look for an alternative.

A great viewpoint is located a short climb above the popular one at the visitor centre. The Glenfinnan Viaduct train will be visible quite far in the distance so you will be able to capture a wide view of the train passing over the viaduct and you will have an awesome view as a backdrop.

One of the best places to view the Jacobite Steam Train as it passes over Glenfinnan Viaduct is by walking towards the bridge and following the gate to the left up the hill. This is a very popular viewpoint as the train is moving towards you.

Glenfinnan Viaduct is a 30-45 minutes drive west of Fort William, situated right off the main road.

Happy viewing!

TOP WAYS TO EXPERIENCE GLENFINNAN