The remotest pub in mainland Britain, only accessible by a 20 mile hike or by boat. There are roads, but they’re not connected to the main UK road network.
I was a bit dissapointed, perhaps because of high expectations: the pub’s site bigs up the real ale, but there was only one on offer (which was fine, but not one I was keen on), the wine seemed a bit duff and while the food looked good, it was a bit over the top for lunchtime, which is the easiest time to visit, so we went to a tearoom for lunch instead. Staff were fine though, and there was decent lager.
First impressions weren’t doing it for me: I was expecting a sub-Wetherspoon pub, and inside was dark on a very bright sunny day (and no outside space, sadly- a couple of tables in the pedestrianised High St would be great) but I was very wrong: the staff were friendly, the beer was great (a choice of ale including a fine IPA whose name escapes me) and the food other customers had looked good, and this was the closest to a proper traditional pub we got to in the Highlands this week.
Fronting on to the High St, this large pub has a rear terrace with a fine view of the A82 dual carriageway Loch Linnhe. Ok, it has a view of both, but look up and you can shut out the A82.
There was ale, but sadly only 1, and that a dark one, so our stay was shorty than otherwise: staff were pleasant, food was good value and, joking aside, the terrace at the back does have a good view.
We’ve had hotels on pubblog before, and the difficulty for me is deciding if they’re sufficiently pub-like: pure hotel bars don’t get listed.
This is the reverse: It calls itself a hotel, has rooms available, and the website lists a menu, but it seems they’ve stopped doing food, and this place just feels like a local’s pub: a bit rough and ready, but pleasant and lively. No ale, but decent lager and very friendly staff.
Just down the street from The Chlachain Inn, this has a restaurant attached, but you can just eat in the bar. Again, it’s not that traditional inside- much less than you’d expect, but there was ale, great food (including curry!) and a friendly welcome. There’s a TV and jukebox but you can hear over them. Prices OK- food expensive, but that’s true everywhere in town.
The first pub we came to in Mallaig. First impressions outside were good, inside less so: the decor is less traditional inn, more 90s cafe bar, and there were small children running about and dropping pool cues. Beer was good though.
A second visit was much better: we were expecting the decor, and no brats evident. Great beer, fantastic food, and a warm welcome (and warm coal fire) made it a pleasant visit.
This is the “public bar” of the Buccleuch Arms Hotel: quite a common arrangment in Scotland- there’s a hotel bar too, but this bit is aimed at the pub market rather than hotel-bar la-di-dah. As such, it’s darker and considerably less plush, but not a bad place for a pint. No ale or food that I saw, but the hotel is only next door.
Actually a hotel, but the bar felt pub-like, and the distincton blurs north of the border. Deuchar’s IPA on a hand pull, and a reasonable beer garden in the sunshine made this a nice place to be at 4:30 on a Friday afternoon, rather than at work. Friendly staff and locals, decent beer. There was food available in the adjoining restaurant, but we visited too early for that.
It’s a hotel, but the bar felt enough like a pub for inclusion here. We dropped in for lunch, which was pleasant, as was the welcome. Real ale was on offer, but sadly only Hobgoblin on this day, which I’m not keen on. The lager was OK though, and prices were pretty good.