The West Highland line – which was featured in the Harry Potter films – has been named as the top rail journey in Britain for the second year running by a top travel magazine.
The line from Glasgow to Mallaig is a 164 miles long and runs by Loch Long, Loch Lomond, Loch Etive and Loch Eil.
It crosses the world’s first concrete rail viaduct at Glenfinnan, which was featured in the Harry Potter films, and passes the silver sands of Morar.
Passengers can also see Britain’s most westerly station at Arisaig.
Independent travel magazine Wanderlust picked out the 85 minute trip between Fort William and Mallaig at the head of its top seven scenic rail journeys in the UK.
“Departing a short distance away from Ben Nevis, the Jacobite encounters some of the UK’s most dramatic scenery,” it said.
“As the steam locomotive chugs along the 67km track, mountainous hillsides pierce the skyline and lakes glimmer in the distance. The route’s extension to Mallaig was constructed over a century ago, with the intention to make the remote area more accessible, and it has successfully continued its service to the Scottish Atlantic coast since.
“Perhaps the most recognisable part of the journey is the Glenfinnan viaduct, which featured in the Harry Potter film series. Beyond this, the train stops at Britain’s westernmost mainland railway station and passes the shortest river in the UK, before arriving at Loch Nevis – the deepest seawater loch in Europe.”
The Caledonian Sleeper from London to Scotland was third.
