7 Things to do in Fort William and Surrounding Areas

7 Things to do in Fort William and Surrounding Areas

If your after a trip away then Fort William is a great destination. Although remote, this area has a lovely busy feel with people milling around, lots of outdoor activities and places to eat. 

We like Fort William to get us outdoors more often, the saying here is very true “there’s no such thing as bad weather, only poor choices of clothing”. 

1.    Ben Nevis may as well be our starting point, being the highest summit in Scotland its one of the most popular reasons for people to visit the area. Thousands of people climb to the summit each year and for very good reasons to. Its a challenge but your highly rewarded at the top with the views, the route is rocky underfoot however you also do not need any specialist climbing equipment. This does take roughly 8 hours at a minimum so you do need to be pretty fit and you reach heights of 1345m. The hill can be quite busy so i have been told by fellow friends that you are best to leave early to avoid the crowds. As always be sure to check the weather, ask others who have climbed the mountain and ask for advice if your unsure. 
2.    Walk to Steall Waterfall. This is a cracking short walk with some incredible sights and views. The trail to the waterfall takes around 45 minutes or slightly longer with little or slower walkers. There are some rocky parts so be sure to wear good footwear and go in the daylight. The waterfall itself is a staggering 120metres in drop cascading down carved by a glaciers, it emerges from a hanging valley. If you want to get closer to the waterfall if your brave enough try out the Nevis Rope Bridge. The bridge consists of some skinny wires and isn’t personally for me but it looks good fun if you have the balance for it. 

3.    Loch Linnie Boat Trips. We love a boat trip when we visit anywhere. If you head to the pier it isn’t hard to locate the boat trips. You can choose from a variety of trips from seal spotting, sunset cruises or a heated cabin trip. Here you can gain some knowledge of Fort William, spot some wildlife and gain a different perspective and view on the town. I would recommend you book tickets in advance as in Summer these can book up quite quickly and you don’t want to be left disappointed. 

4.    Neptune's Staircase is set in the shadow of Ben Nevis its a dramatic flight of eight locks on the Caledonia Canal. Located in a village called Banavie, it's an outstanding piece of engineering, the system was initially hand powered which makes it even more incredible but now it has been changed to a hydraulic system. Its a perfect spot to stop and have a picnic, cycle or simply walk and watch. 

5.    The Glenfinnan Viaduct is perhaps best known for being the route the Hogwarts Express took in the Harry Potter Films. This is a truly amazing viaduct to see and watch trains passing over. There is a car park here which makes viewing very simple, there is a visitors centre here and if you wish to book a train journey to experience it yourself visit The Jacobite Steam Train | West Coast Railways . 

6.    Fort William Distillery for those Whisky lovers why not take a tour of the Ben Nevis Distillery. One of the oldest Distillers in Scotland founded in 1825. The water used here comes from the mountain itself travelling from a staggering 4000ft. Book a guided tour from the expert team or simply have a browse round the shop here. There is a lovely cafe located here for a pit stop before you head to your next spot.

7.    Mountain Bike. We couldn’t miss out our favourite thing to do here, mountain biking. The Nevis range is just fantastic for those who want to get on two wheels and hit the hills. With a fabulous pump track moving up to shorter tester trails or heading up the mountain on the gondola, there is something for all ability and levels. You of course do not need to pay for the gondola, there are plenty of trails available by cycling up yourself but the views you gain from the Gondola is incredible. There is a great cafe, bike vending machine, hotel and parking here so there is no better reason to get outdoors and get exercising. 

Fort William may seem a bit of a drive but honestly we don’t think any of our customers will be disappointed with what they find they can do on their trip here.