New footpath at iconic Glenfinnan Viaduct to support tourism

Work has begun on a new footpath with several viewing areas overlooking the iconic Glenfinnan Viaduct.

Passenger numbers to the west Highland station have doubled in the last 10-years, with over 11,000 visitors in 2017-18 flocking to the area to catch a glimpse of a train crossing the A-listed structure made famous by the success of the Harry Potter films. Many other tourists stop off at Glenfinnan on their journey to Mallaig to view the station museum, viaduct and monument to the Jacobite rising.

The increase in tourists has seen severe congestion on the roads in the small village, and the growing popularity of the area has meant some people stray too far from the hillside and onto the railway to snap the perfect shot.

To improve views, the severely eroded 1.4km walkway that crosses the hillside between the railway station and the viaduct is being upgraded to provide easier access to several new viewing areas, with a number of informative panels and special signage introduced to raise awareness of railway safety issues.

Tree clearance work has also been undertaken by the Glenfinnan Station Museum, working with Friends of the West Highland Lines, Glenfinnan Estate and Network Rail.

The project – a working partnership of ScotRail, the West Highland Community Rail Partnership (WHCRP), Glenfinnan Station Museum, Glenfinnan Estate, Network Rail and Transport Scotland – is intended to increase the proportion of visitors arriving by public transport by improving the facilities available to them, and is due to complete by the end of February.

Once complete, the walkway will provide scenic views of the Glenfinnan Viaduct, the National Trust for Scotland’s Jacobite Monument and the surrounding Loch Shiel Special Protection Area.

ScotRail Project Manager Anouska Chisolm said: “The new footpath and viewing areas at the Glenfinnan Viaduct will be fantastic for tourism in the area and we hope it will encourage more visitors to travel here by rail instead of car.

“It’s important that we continue to work with our key partners on how we can boost tourism and bring wider economic benefits, along Scotland’s most scenic railways.”

Secretary of the WHCRP Hege Hernæs said: “We are delighted that the rail industries are prioritising this work, which enhances sustainable tourism.

“We hope that ScotRail will now capitalise on the investment by marketing and further improving Glenfinnan’s train service.

“We need to promote the best possible Viaduct Experience: cross the viaduct by train, then view it from a hillside vantage point – taking away the hassle of finding a parking space first.”

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