3 months ago
22
BBC
Ally Turner and Glynis Mattheisen trekked for three days
It's far from your local. For Ally Turner and her friend Glynis Mattheisen, it took a three day trek through one of Scotland's last great wildernesses to reach Britain's remotest pub.
The pair, who live in Dundee, battled driving rain, high winds and midges for a pint at the Old Forge in Inverie, on the western coast of Scotland.
But despite the "atrocious" weather, Glynis says it was all worth it for a portion of the community-owned pub's hand-cut chips.
"It feels very special when you finish that journey."
Surrounded by mountains, moors and lochs, there are no roads to Inverie on the Knoydart peninsula.
So the only way to reach the village is via boat - or on foot.
BBC Scotland/Elephant Shoe Films/Alison Pinkney
Inverie is on the west Highland's Knoydart peninsula
Over the summer months, just handful of people a day attempt the 30-mile trek from Glenfinnan to the Old Forge.
Ally and Glynis were well-equipped, but warm weather was in short supply.
"The journey was miserable," Glynis told BBC Radio Scotland.
"It was in the middle of summer, but we were freezing. It was so wet."
Thick mud sucked at their boots and they had a blustery night in a tent before finding shelter in a bothy the next evening.
Glynis said: "The weather was atrocious but it made it well worth it in the end.
"It's one of the last wildernesses and it feels very special when you finish that journey."
If you don't have a boat, the only path to Inverie is on foot
The pair celebrated with a pint and portion of chips - from some of the 300kg of potatoes that are shipped in every week.
For Ally and Glynis, who do an annual backpacking trip, the pub's new ownership was an added attraction.
The Old Forge taken over by the local community in 2022.
About 70 of the community's 130 people are shareholders and many helped to raise £1m in donations and grants to buy and refurbish the pub.
Glynis said: "It's just a nice story, and it's a special community."
Stephanie Harris
The Old Forge pub was bought by the local community
The friends' walk was filmed for a BBC Scotland documentary - The Journey to Scotland's Remotest Pub.
Some of the locals involved in the community buy-out also feature.
Pub manager, Will O'Neill, moved to Inverie from Glasgow 13 years ago.
He told the documentary: "The intention was to have a long weekend, but I fell in love with the place."
BBC Scotland/Elephant Shoe Films/Alison Pinkney
Will O'Neill moved to Inverie from Glasgow and helps to run the pub
Stephanie Harris, who grew up in Inverie, said everyone involved in the pub felt a sense of ownership.
She said local people bought shares not for a monetary benefit, but to support the business.
Finlay Greig, who works as a ranger on the peninsula, said for visitors the first sight of Inverie after a long walk feels like a "warm hug".
Documentary director Shruti Rao said the story of the pub "just had so much".
She said: "The place has almost a mythical value, the strong community spirit - and the people on their quest for a pint."
The Journey to Scotland's Remotest Pub is available on BBC iPlayer.
