Talk about a captive market.

The Old Forge on the Knoydart peninsula in Scotland enjoys complete dominance of the local pub trade – because it’s the sole boozer in the village of Inverie on the shore of Loch Nevis. And there are no roads in or out.

The pub is the most remote in mainland Britain, with Inverie – population not much more than 100 – accessible only by a 40km (24-mile) hike over notoriously wild mountainous terrain or a six-mile journey by ferry from Mallaig.

But even though it’s the only public-house option in Inverie, it doesn’t take business for granted.

I discovered on a recent visit that it has great service, offers superb comfort food – and generally relishes being at the heart of the unique community.

For starters, it puts on a very impressive Halloween party.

The day before we donned our zombie make-up and made our grand entrance, we gathered – my partner, six-year-old daughter and an assortment of French friends and their daughters – at London Euston on Friday, October 27, for stage one of our journey to Knoydart… the Caledonian Sleeper.

We journeyed on this along the epic West Highland Line, which meanders through breathtaking glens, passes over Rannoch Moor and includes Britain’s highest and most remote railway station, Corrour, 408 metres (1,338ft) above sea level.

The sleeper terminates in Fort William, ‘the outdoor capital of the UK’.

After a two-hour pause there, we jumped on a Sprinter train and travelled along the final stretch of the West Highland Line to Mallaig, past the highest staircase lock in Scotland, over the Glenfinnan Viaduct (aka the ‘Harry Potter viaduct’), and along the shores of jaw-dropping Loch Eilt, which makes an appearance in two Harry Potter movies – the Prisoner of Azkaban and the Deathly Hallows Part 2.

The next segment was a 40-minute voyage on a Western Isles Cruises ferry from Mallaig to Inverie.

Our base was a beguiling self-catered four-bedroom holiday home called Creag Eiridh. It’s like a grand abode from an Agatha Christie novel – and even has some celebrity status. Rowan Atkinson stayed there in 2009.

We got wind that The Old Forge was throwing a children’s Halloween party. The youngsters’ excitement for it was infectious and before we knew it, we were all applying make-up to give us the appearance of a zombie posse.

The atmosphere inside the community-owned pub was terrific – toy bats and spiders hung from the ceiling and everyone, from toddlers to adults, had made a big effort to dress for the occasion, with pirates, becaped superheroes and a dad dressed as Rambo all revelling in the Halloween celebration.

What’s more, the pub had rustled up a free feast – a buffet of Scotch eggs, pasties, burgers and more, all laid out on a table for guests to help themselves to.

We left as the children’s party fizzled out and the pub filled up with more and more adults – including one who’d seemingly placed a plastic buoy over his head.

The entire peninsula seemed to be in attendance.

It was much quieter when we arrived for an evening meal a couple of days later, when we had a chance to properly drink in the surroundings.

The Old Forge is on the ‘main drag’ in Inverie, which you can walk in about five minutes.

The pub’s website explains that the building started its life in the 1770s as a cottage, before evolving into a smiddy’s forge, then a workers’ social club and finally a pub.

The pub went up for sale in 2021, with the locals deciding to launch a community-ownership bid, which was ultimately successful.

The keys were handed to the community on March 28, 2022.

This year it was given a full refurb, emerging as a venue with an inviting appearance that belies its remote location.

It’s one huge room, so no nooks or crannies to nestle in – but there are lashings of wood and huge tables to sit at that encourage communal eating and drinking.

We commandeered one such lengthy table for our evening meal, discovering that the pub offers a solid range of comforting pub crowd-pleasers, from fish and chips to chicken burgers and from lasagne to mac ‘n’ cheese’.

There are also some Scottish classics – cullen skink, haggis bites and venison stew made from locally shot wild deer.

I opted for the fish and chips, which was fresh and tasty.

We had table service, too – which was efficient and friendly.

Drinks have to be ordered at the bar, which is made from wood embossed with the names of people who helped build and finance the pub.

My tipple of choice was a local ale from the Knoydart Brewery called Seven Men, which refers to the heralded ‘Seven Men of Knoydart’, war veterans who in 1948 tenaciously staked a parcel of peninsula land to settle on.

The landowner, Nazi sympathiser Lord Brocket, obtained a court order to have them removed. But while the Seven Men of Knoydart lost this battle, their land raid became the inspiration for a community Knoydart Foundation buyout of 17,200 acres of peninsular land in 1999.

Wonderfully, one of the ‘Seven’ lived long enough to see the handover.

Today, it’s an impressive operation. As well as the welcoming pub, there’s a hydro-electric system, Wi-Fi, a school with a handful of children, and a bunkhouse with accommodation for 26 people and an electric mountain bike hire scheme.

We spent the rest of the week exploring the awe-inspiring surrounds using the trusty Land Rover that came with the house, electric bikes from the bunkhouse – and leg power.

We explored stunning – completely empty – beaches; pootled along gloriously lonely roads in the Land Rover that led nowhere; thoroughly enjoyed a guided tour of the local ancient forest with a Knoydart ranger; sheltered from the elements with hot coffee in the inviting Knoydart Tea Room, and completed a hike to the summit of dramatic 2,611ft- (796m) tall mountain Sgurr Coire Choinnichean, which rises imperiously behind Inverie. 

At the top, clear weather afforded us jaw-dropping views to the Isle of Skye, beyond to the Outer Hebrides and to the majestically lumpy prehistoric Knoydart wilderness.

A land that time forgot – but thankfully not the pub trade. Not quite.

When it comes to serious skiing, no resort has more cachet than Chamonix, the bustling chocolate-box town at the foot of Mont Blanc.

Home to mountaineering and with some of the most challenging terrain in the Alps, it has long captured the attention of French, Swiss and British skiers.

But more and more thrill-seeking Americans are also coming to the city – and it’s not hard to see why.

The crowds are smaller, the lift tickets cheaper, the restaurants more charming, and the private properties on offer are a cut above the eye-wateringly expensive options you’ll find on Airbnb and VRBO.

Just an hour’s drive from Geneva, on the outskirts of the city, you will find super luxurious houses such as Chalet Coutteta five-bedroom snow palace that would melt the Bond villains it seems built for.

There is an on-site wellness centre, complete with sauna and steam room, stainless steel spiral staircases, outdoor swimming pool (heated in the winter months), hot tub and cinema.

The sleek equipment room is furnished with a row of boot warmers to toast your toes before heading out for the day.

Fresh croissants and bread are delivered every morning by a charming member of the team, who also checks the pool and hot tub, but apart from their silent drop-ins, Chalet Couttet offers ultimate seclusion – all the comforts of a 5-star hotel. All the privacy of your own home.

The house is a 35 minute walk into town (a welcome escape after an evening of fondue and Bordeaux) and a short drive to the slopes.

And while pricey (between $13,000 and $27,000 for a week), staying at a comparable property in Deer Valley or Aspen with fewer amenities would set a family back at least $35,000.

When you add in the cost of skiing — up to $200 a day at most U.S. resorts — a couple going on a group trip would have to pay $10,000 in lodging and lift tickets for the week alone.

Even the TikTokers agree: the relative affordability of a European ski trip shouldn’t be overlooked.

Influencer Camille Larmoyeux has caused a stir among ski enthusiasts with her price comparison videos of Colorado resorts versus their European counterparts.

While not all of her examples are correct, the cost of flying from New York City to Salt Lake or Denver is often comparable to flying directly to Geneva. Where airfare is more expensive, skiers can save on lift tickets.

And in terms of ski quality and experience on the slopes, Europe wins hands down.

The resorts are larger and have more varied, rewarding trails that will keep even the most experienced skiers busy for days.

An unlimited seven-day Mont Blanc pass costs $480 – less than $100 per day – compared to $1,400 for the same ticket in Aspen.

If snow sports aren’t your thing, towns like Chamonix also offer charming tourist alternatives, such as the Montenvers Train, which gently ascends the Mer de Glace and offers some of the best views of the valley.

There, tourists can enjoy charcuterie and wine in the Refuge de Montenvers, a walking hotel that has been around since 1880.

There are plenty of spa options in the city for those staying in hotels. Chalet Couttet has its own wellness suite with sauna, steam bath and room for massages.

Eating out, although pricey on the hill, is considerably cheaper, as is the locally produced champagne.

And for groups or families who would like to use the luxury kitchens of their chalet, groceries are a bargain.

Neither an American nor a European ski holiday can be considered cheap, and the French may not be grateful that they have flocked to their beloved slopes in search of new frontiers.

But with domestic prices rising and crowds increasing, consider a pilgrimage to the home of the sport when planning your next winter vacation.

For more information about Chalet Couttet, visit the property’s website here. Visit the resort site for more information about Chamonix here.

By Kylie Stevens for Daily Mail Australia

Published: 04:36 EDT, November 4, 2023 | Updated: 08:58 EDT, November 4, 2023