The Old Forge, Knoydart

There is no road to the Old Forge. You reach Inverie by the small ferry from Mallaig across Loch Nevis, or by walking eighteen wild miles over the rough bounds of Knoydart — which is precisely the point. Mainland Britain's remotest pub began life as a 1770s cottage and smithy, and in 2022 the hundred-odd residents of the peninsula bought it themselves, raising funds from around the world to bring their local into community hands. Now the profits stay on Knoydart, the bar serves local seafood and venison, and walkers coming off the munros share tables with crofters. A pint here feels genuinely earned.

Community-owned by the people of Knoydart and unreachable by road — a pub whose independence and story are unmatched anywhere on the British mainland.

• Adventure
• Walkers
• Hidden Gem