Scotland's 'most mysterious and isolated' train station reopens

One of the country’s remotest train stations that takes passengers to the heart of a world heritage site has reopened.

Altnabreac is located in the Flow Country, a vast expanse of blanket bog and peatlands stretching across Caithness and Sutherland in the north Highlands.

The area was awarded Unesco status last year for its importance to the natural world. It lies about 100 miles north of Inverness.

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A grand total of 250 people arrived or departed from Altnabreac Railway Station over the 12 month period. The Highland station is located between Forsinard and Scotscalder. | Google Maps

Fewer than 300 people used Altnabreac in the last year of it operating, ScotRail said.

Trainline, the online ticket website, described it as “possibly Scotland's most mysterious and most isolated train station”.

The Flow Country has been named as a World Heritage site (Picture: Jeff J Mitchell/Getty Images)

The railway stop had been closed to passengers since November 2023 after a dispute arose between the residents of a nearby house and ScotRail over access to the station and a level crossing for maintenance such as gritting platforms.

At the time, railway chiefs said the only way to reach the station was via a small road five miles long and that without being able to access the site staff would be “unable to carry out essential maintenance”.

Rail group, Friends of the Far North Line, said the temporary closure was “an extraordinary situation”. It meant the service was dropped to passengers while a fresh access route was developed.

Passengers can now buy tickets for journeys to and from the Caithness destination as the train service, located between Forsinard and Scotscalder, has started up again.

Altnabreac is one of eight other train station in the Highlands on the Far North Line that operate with a "request to stop" service. The other stations include Scotscalder, Kinbrace, Kildonan, Dunrobin Castle, Rogart, Invershin, and Culrain.

The request kiosks allow passengers to request an approaching train to stop at the station by simply pressing a button, sending a message to the driver.

Trainline said Altnabreac opened in 1874. According to reports, the reason for its construction is a bit of a mystery. At the time of it being built, it was eight miles from the nearest settlement and ten miles from the nearest road.

According to the website RailScot, the population in the area was very low at the time of the station development. Lochdhu Lodge was built nearby in the 1890s. For some time it was a hotel before reverting to private ownership.