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 Inver in Knoydart Peninsula in the Scottish Highlands. Overlooking Loch nevisthe 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/or run the pub.
How to get to the UK’s most remote pub from London?
The Caledonian Sleeper will take guests straight from London Euston to Fort William in the Highlands. From there, visitors can hop in a taxi to the very end of the UK’s longest dead-end road: Kinloch Hourn Roadextending from Glengarry to Kinloch Hourn.
This is where adventurers will begin their hike to Knoydart, with the option of an overnight stay at the Barrisdale Bothy for those who don’t fancy tackling the whole route in one go. It costs £5 per person to sleep over, and the building boasts bunk beds, two toilets, electricity and cold running water. Guests should always bring their own 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 Bothy charges a fee to camp and use their facilities.
Alternatively, visitors who don’t wish to hike for one or two days can take a seven-mile sea ferry operated by Western Isles Cruises from the Scottish fishing village of Mallaig to Inversie. You can find the timetable here.
For the best hiking and boat routesvisitors 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. The kitchen closes at 9pm and table bookings are encouraged.
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.
What’s more: all profits from The Old Forge are reinvested back into the business, as well as other community projects to benefit locals.
