📌 Lochailort, Highland
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There are countless scenic reasons to stop at the many laybys on the Road to the Isles (the A830 between Fort William and Mallaig), but very few man-made ones. The Prince’s Cairn is a rare exception. This understated beehive monument marks the point at which Bonnie Prince Charlie finally left Scotland in September 1746, bound for a life of exile in France following the doomed 1745 Jacobite uprisings. The metal sign is easy to miss when driving past, but it’s worth heading down the few steps to the cairn to reflect on the events hundreds of years ago. And, especially, to enjoy the views out into Loch nan Uamh, pointing the way to the open expanse of the Atlantic Ocean (France feels a long way away!).
🌍 Location
📌 By the A830 4 mi west of Lochailort
🧭 O.S. Grid Reference: NM 720844
🛰️ GPS coordinates: 56.895176,-5.745130
❌ Buses pass the start but there is no official stop
🚗 Layby at 🧭 NM 719845 / 🛰️ 56.895238,-5.746880
📝 Key info
⌚ Always open
🎫 Free
💬 From the layby, walk east along the verge a very short distance. The few steps down to the cairn are then signposted.
