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It’s usually just a quick drive or short walk to the local boozer, but for the most adventurous of pub enthusiasts, a long hike through the Scottish Highlands may be the best preparation for sinking a pint.
The Old Forge is considered the UK’s most remote mainland pub – it’s an 18-mile hike or a seven-mile sea crossing to reach the community-owned haunt on the secluded northern shore of Loch Nevis on the Knoydart Peninsula, Scotland.
The arduous pub crawl from Glenfinnan can be made over two days with an overnight stay, or in one mammoth eight-hour stint.
However, the hike through the Highlands isn’t always an easy one.
Just this week, a former paratrooper had to use his skills to survive the gruelling terrain for seven days after going missing searching for the remote pub.
Paul Conway, 67, travelled solo for the free pint on offer at The Old Forge pub, but after failing to check in, his family sounded the alarm.
Rescue teams found Paul halfway through the trek to the south of Loch Morar, and he was taken to hospital as a precaution but otherwise uninjured.
William O’Neill, manager of the Old Forge pub, told The Independent: “We will welcome him with open arms and a free pint if he comes in safely next time - as we would anyone. We like to think our pub is worth the trip.”
Sat in Knoydart, a community of just 120 people, The Old Forge was built as a cottage in the 1770s and rewards those who reach the front door after scaling Scottish munros and craggy paths with a frosty drink.
Along their way down the winding single-track road, committed beer tourists will see dramatic views of mountains, waterfalls and plenty of wildlife.
The pub with no road access welcomes hikers until midnight most nights and as late as 1am on the weekend.
Once it’s time to put your feet up, there are craft beers, malt whisky, live music and a menu of homemade pub classics, local seafood and venison at the isolated spot.
For more travel news and advice, listen to Simon Calder’s podcast
