Visit Fort William in 2024

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John Muir Trust

John Muir was a Scotsman born in Dunbar and famous for his work during his lifetime campaigning to keep natural areas of countries wild for all time.

Ben Nevis Estate includes Britain's highest point at Ben Nevis summit (1334 m, 4406 ft), the upper part of the Mountain Track, and some of the mountain's southern flank. The track crosses the estate boundary at about 800 m. As well as the Ben, there are a chain of high peaks to the east. These fine hills slope down to the Water of Nevis, as it plunges from high grass flats at Steall through the Nevis Gorge, a densely wooded cleft with a rich native woodland and remnants of the Caledonian pine forest.< Why are we here? 

The John Muir Trust acquired Ben Nevis Estate from Duncan Fairfax-Lucy, after being asked if we would be prepared to take on the guardianship of the area. Despite its popularity, Ben Nevis Estate retains some of the basic characteristics of wild land. It has extensive areas, particularly at high altitude, where one can experience a near natural environment and a sense of remoteness and adventure. Our overall aim is to safeguard and enhance the area's wild land character, in particular by restoring some of the damaged habitat. Access John Muir Trust land is open to all, and we welcome all visitors. We trust visitors will respect the wishes of the people who live and work on the estates. The Mountain Track There are about 100,000 ascents of Ben Nevis every year, and most visitors use this walking route from lower Glen Nevis to the summit. Also known as the pony track, it was formed in 1883 when the summit observatory was built. The track reaches the summit area via a series of zigzags up the western face of the mountain. 

Many climbers use the Allt a' Mhuilinn track which heads to the cliffs from the 'North Face' car park near Torlundy on the A82 road. Experienced hill walkers can start on either track, then ascend Carn Mor Dearg and cross to Ben Nevis by the sensational Carn Mor Dearg arete.  The John Muir Trust strongly recommend that anyone climbing Ben Nevis carries suitable food, drink and clothing and is competent with a map and compass. For more information about the John Muir Trust, and who John Muir was, please visit John Muir Trust website

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Hunter Mountaineering
First Class, friendly Mountain Guiding & Instruction on British Walking, Climbing, Scrambling and Mountaineering. Summer and Winter Private Guiding and Courses. From Walking up Ben Nevis to Climbing in Glencoe. Based in Fort William. We pride ourselves on our excellent customer feedback (Find us on Trip Advisor). We offer Private Guiding and the Courses that follow - Private Guiding, all year round: Our most popular choice is a bespoke service. This is the solution if you want to 'tick' specific climbs or summits, or work on particular skills. Do you want to Climb Ben Nevis via the mountain track, Tower Ridge or Ledge Route? Do you want to become more independent as a mountaineer, or develop your trad or winter leading? Or do you want to complete a particular climb, e.g. Aonach Eagach, Curved Ridge? Get in touch and we can start to make your plan happen. Summer Courses or ideas for Private Guiding could include - 1  Ben Nevis Walk 2  Munro Summits 3  Hill Walking, Navigation and Safety 4  Scrambling and Mountaineering 5  Rock Climbing 6  The CMD Ridge or Ledge route on the North Face 7  Tower Ridge, or other North Face Ridges 8  Aonach Eagach, Curved Ridge or other Glencoe Classics Winter Courses or ideas for Private Gudiing could include - 1  Winter Skills and Safety 2  Walking the Winter Munros 3  Winter Mountaineering 4  Introduction to Winter Climbing 5  Winter Climbing Hunter Mountaineering is run by myself, Max Hunter. I hold the Winter Mountaineering and Climbing Instructor award (the WMCI - the highest professional certification for Mountaineering & Climbing in Great Britain), and am a member of the Association of Mountaineering Instructors (AMI) and the Mountain Training Association (MTA). I am also a qualified and experienced school teacher.
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Cruise Loch Linnhe
Our Cruises on Loch Linnhe and Loch Eil are a ‘must do’ in Fort William and offer the perfect way to relax after exploring the Mountains and Glens of Lochaber!  Our ’Seal Island’ cruise is the best choice for those looking to spot some of Scotland’s best wildlife and learn about the local history and culture. Our Evening Cruises are perfect for those looking to rest their legs while enjoying stunning views of Ben Nevis and sample a selection of local beers and whisky. Or if you’re looking to celebrate that special birthday or anniversary why not book a private charter? Our cruises offer something for everyone whatever the occasion. • Our vessel Elsie offers both heated indoor seating as well as outdoor seating and a 360-degree elevated viewing deck so our cruises are enjoyable whatever the weather!  • Our friendly crew is on-hand to look after you and provide a range of hot drinks, refreshments, and snacks throughout your cruise. • Our Skipper will keep you entertained with an informative live commentary.  • Our cruises are all dog-friendly so you can bring your four-legged friends along. • • We want our cruises to be accessible for everyone so we encourage guests with mobility issues to please get in touch so we can discuss the best cruise options with you prior to booking.  • Elsie also has an onboard toilet. Find out more and book online at: https://cruiselochlinnhe.co.uk/cruises/ advanced booking is highly recommended to avoid disappointment!
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Wild West
Wildlife safaris and scenic tours in wild places    Wild West offer a selection of wildlife safaris and Scenic tours based in the Lochaber area. See Scotland's " Big Five", Photograph red deer or discover the landscapes and legends of the Scottish highlands. Due to Covid restrictions all tours are offered on a private basis and prices are for a group of up to six people, not per person.  The following is a selection of safaris and scenic tours available with Wild West. for more choices please go to the Wild West website BOOK NOW The Big Five Scotland’s big five of golden eagle, red deer, red squirrel, otter and harbour seal can all be found within 25 miles of Fort William and on this safari, it’s possible to see them all on the same day.  The trip runs every Wednesday and includes a 2 hour cruise on Loch Shiel, taking you into the heart of some of Scotland’s wildest country. Cruises/boat trips can be included in full day safaris on other days, by request. Cost: £350 for up to six persons. Cruise is extra £30 per adult. £20 per under 16 Book online at Wild West - The Big Five The Wee Safari Starting from Fort william this tour crosses loch Linnhe by ferry and visits the Morven peninsula, a quiet wildlife haven well away for the main tourist hotspots. We find red deer and seals on most trips and regularly spot otters. Feral goats and red squirrels are often encountered as well as a great variety of birds. This trips last around 4 hours   Cost: £195.00 for up to six people Book online The Wee Safari The Wee Fort William Tour This is short private tour around the Fort William area.  You’ll visit Neptune’s staircase, one of the engineering marvels of the 19th century, enjoy views of Ben Nevis, hear the story of how Aluminium transformed the highlands of Scotland, see the site of the battle of Inverlochy and explore the ruined Inverlochy castle. We’ll also visit the commando memorial at Spean Bridge. But the highlight of this tour will be a walk to Steall valley through Steall gorge, a spectacular chasm forged by glacial forces 12, 000 years ago. Steall waterfall is the second highest in Britain and was used as a backdrop in a scene from Harry Potter and the Goblet of fire. On the way, we’ll hope to find the “hairy coos” (highland cattle) that live in the glen Cost: £195.00 for up to six people Book online. The wee Fort william Tour Glencoe Mountains And Massacres This tour travels south from Fort William, following the shores of Loch Linnhe and Loch Leven to the village of Glencoe, overlooked by the famous Pap. We’ll stop off at the National trust visitor centre to learn the story of the 1692 massacre of Glencoe. We’ll travel through the spectacular scenery that is Glencoe, learning about the volcanoes and glaciers that shaped the landscape we see today.  Then we’ll take a walk up the steep narrow path to discover the Lost Valley where the MacDonald’s hid their cattle *. Carrying on to Glen Etive we will start with a visit to the falls on the river Coupall, the subject of innumerable iconic images. Further down the glen, we’ll stop to recreate the famous scene from Skyfall with Bond and M before looking for the red deer which can often be found grazing close to the road. Cost £350.00 for up to six people Book now. Glencoe Mountains and massacres *For the less adventurous this can be substituted with a ride up the chairlift. Supplementary charges apply, please ask. If you don't see what you are looking for in the choices above, please ask. Wild West will be happy to help you develop your own unique wildlife safari or scenic tour and multi day tours can be organised
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