GUEST BLOG / By Holden DeMayo, Saloon Editor, PillartoPost.org--'Tis indeed, yes indeed that I should find a pub just like The Old Forge Lodge inside the Pearly Gates with a table waiting for my eventual arrival. I mention the Old Forge because there are pubs you happen upon while wandering through a town, and there are pubs you must decide to visit before the day even begins. The Old Forge Lodge in Inverie belongs firmly in the second category. The small village sits on Scotland’s Knoydart peninsula, and reaching it requires either a long walk across the surrounding mountains or a sail or a ferry ride from the fishing port of Mallaig. The Old Forge Lodge sits at the edge of the map, making it one of the most isolated public houses in the land.
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| Village Inverie, home to the Old Forge, faces west across Loch Nevis to the open waters of the Sea of the Hebrides and the stone cold North Atlantic beyond that. Have another pint to warm up. |
Step through the door and the geography fades behind the warmth of a proper Highland pub. The building faces the small harbor where fishing boats and visiting sailboats rest against their moorings. Inside, timber beams, soft lighting, and a bar crowded with whisky bottles give the room the quiet confidence of a place that has been doing its job for a long time. Boots from the trail stand beside sailing jackets draped across chair backs.
Despite the attention it receives from almost too many travelers, the Old Forge Lodge does not behave like a curiosity. It functions first as Inverie’s local pub. Residents stop in for a pint. Walkers arrive after a day in the hills. Sailors wander up from the pier looking for supper. By early evening the room begins to hum with conversation that drifts easily from table to table.
Behind the bar, shelves of auld sod whisky read like a tour of Scotland’s distilleries. Island malts sit beside Highland classics, and the bartenders pour them with the relaxed assurance of people who know their bottles well. For those inclined toward beer, the taps rotate through local ales and craft brews that suit the salty air outside.
The kitchen keeps its focus on what the surrounding waters provide. Mussels arrive in generous bowls fragrant with garlic and herbs. Langoustines, when available, are served simply so their sweetness carries the plate. Fish and chips comes out crisp and golden, the flaky white fish paired with thick chips and a wedge of lemon.
Heavier appetites are rewarded with Highland staples such as venison stew, the sort of dish that feels right after a long day outdoors. The cooking is straightforward and satisfying, matching the character of the village itself.
What gives the Old Forge its character is the company. Walkers compare notes on the long routes across the peninsula while sailors discuss conditions in the Sound of Sleat. Locals greet one another across the bar. Visitors soon find themselves part of the conversation without much ceremony. Aye, is that a red headed lass along the planks? How's that for local color?
As night settles over the harbor the windows darken and the mountains become silhouettes beyond the village lights. Inside, the room grows warmer and livelier. A fiddle might appear. Someone begins a song. Glasses clink softly along the bar. Luck be with us the practicing bag pipe lass is joining us for a howl. Pray she puffs on key.
The Old Forge Lodge works for the simplest reason possible. It is a village pub doing exactly what a village pub should do: serving good food, pouring proper drinks, and giving people a place to gather at the far edge of Scotland.
Pints all around!
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| The Old Forge sits to the far left of this frame; the windows are the same as the main room off to the left and above and beyond are the Highlands of Scotland, just a not so wee walk from Mallaig. And "Och, will someone pick up the ringing phone at the end of the road, will ye?" You can't miss the red phone booth behind the hedge. |
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| Did someone say pints all around? This cold one is for you. Hurry up take the picture. It's warmer inside by the window. Dinner is on. |
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