Mallaig is a port in Lochaber, on the west coastline of the Highlands of Scotland. The neighborhood railway station, Mallaig, is the terminus of the West Highland train line (Fort William and Mallaig branch) as well as the community is linked to Ft William by the A830 road-- the "Road to the Isles". The town of Mallaig was founded in the 1840s, when Lord Lovat, owner of North Morar Estate, split up the farm of Mallaigvaig into seventeen parcels and also encouraged his occupants to transfer to the western part of the peninsula as well as resort to angling as a way of living. The population and also local economic climate broadened quickly in the 20th century with the arrival of the railway. Ferries run by Caledonian MacBrayne and also Western Isles Cruises sail from the port to Armadale on the Isle of Skye, Inverie in Knoydart, as well as the islands of Rùm, Eigg, Muck, and Canna. Mallaig is the primary commercial fishing port on the West Coast of Scotland, and during the 1960s was the busiest herring port in Europe. Mallaig prided itself back then on its popular typically smoked kippers, the fishmonger Andy Race still giving authentic oak smoked kippers from the factory store on the harbour. Mallaig and the bordering location is a prominent area for vacations. The majority of the area speaks English, with a minority of locals speaking both English and Gaelic. Furthermore, standard Gaelic is still educated in Mallaig Primary School to pupils who choose to learn the language.