Winding from Glasgow, up through Argyll and into Lochaber, the 164 mile long West Highland Line to Fort William, with its extensions from Crianlarich to Oban and from Fort William down to Mallaig has always been a breathtaking trip. Now readers of Wanderlust Magazine have voted it the winner – by a clean pair of heels – of the world’s most scenic rail route award.

Hard to believe, but these seasoned travellers put it ahead of the white knuckle ride from Cuzco to Agua Calientes on the way up to Machu Picchu and the mythical Trans Siberian.

Actually, it’s not hard to believe. We just think it is because it’s ours. This line takes you from the great Clyde waterway, alongside a wide variety of inland lochs, past mountain ranges, over moorland, skirting gorges, through forest, to sea lochs and to the ocean, with frissons of Scotland’s great historical moments, views of islands with unique geological formations – like Eigg and sightings of magnificent red deer and eagles. It is the best.

The West Highland runs west along the Clyde, turning north up the side of Loch Long to Tarbet and then north along the top end of Loch Lomond past the Arrochar Alps and up Glen Falloch to Crianlarich. At this point you can change to the branch line for Oban.

This runs up Strathfillan and into Glen Lochy before keeping company with Loch Awe, squeezing below Ben Cruchan into the Pass of Brander, north to skim Loch Etive before plunging south inland through territory not available to any road – before arriving in Oban.

If you stay on the main line at Crianlarich, the train and the A82  share a route to  Tyndrum, then north through the hills to Bridge of Orchy. After looking down on Loch Tulla on the left, you see the A82 turn away sharply to the west to climb up to Rannoch Moor. The West Highland veers east to run through that unforgettable moorland with its red deer herds before curving gently back west to Rannoch Station.

After the stop at Corrour with its superb bunkhouse for walkers (see correction in comments below), the line runs north along Loch Treig (no, not one of Sarah Palin’s children) with spectacular views into the back of the Nevis range – views seen only from the train.

After the head of Loch Treig the line cuts sharply to the west to follow the valley at the Braes of Lochaber, the train slowing almost to a stop to let passengers see the spectacular and unsung Monessie Gorge to the left.

Coming in north of the Nevis Range, the line reaches Spean Bridge, dropping south back to Fort William below the big Ben itself.

This is where you can take the line on down to the fishing port of Mallaig on the west coast. Now you’re into Harry Potter land for this is the line filmed with the Hogwarts Express running down Loch Eil and curving around the endless 21-arch viaduct at the head of Glenfinnan where Bonnie Prince Charlie raised his standard for the 1745 Jacobite rebellion. (And this gives the name to the steam engine plying this line in the summer months – The Jacobite – pictured above.)

After Glenfinnan the line runs on along Loch Eilt to touch the Atlantic at Lochailort, turning north west then to skirt the Sound of Arisaig and Loch Morar, arriving at Mallaig with – in good visibility, stunning views to the small Isles.

When the line between Glasgow and Fort William opened in 1894 it was the greatest mileage of railway ever opened in a single day. When the extension to Mallaig was added in 1902 it completed what is regarded as one of the greatest of the Victorian engineering feats. In 1835 Britain had 293 miles of railway. By 1897 it had 21,000 miles of railway. Those statistics sum up the Victorian stomach for great projects built to last – something our culture today has lost on both counts.

Whether or not the West Highland could objectively be said to be the world’s most scenic line, it has been voted that by travellers who’ve been around the block. It is certainly either there or up there with the best. It’s on our doorstep.

How many people from Argyll have ever taken the train? If you do, hang out for a good look at the Monessie Gorge – and be prepared to forget dignity as you dash from one side of the carriage to the other to imprint this wealth of experience.

The photographs above – of The Jacobite Steam Train running on the Glenfinnan Viaduct, the Black Mount in the distance across Rannoch Moor and the south face of Ben Nevis – are reproduced here under the Creative Commons license.