Visit Fort William for 2023

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Mountain biking activities in Fort William

Visit Fort William presents information about mountain biking in the Fort William and Lochaber area. Cycle shops, mountain bike hire and bike sales.

Mountain biking in Fort William and Lochaber is incredibly popular with both locals and visitors and is a fantastic all-year-round activity and extremely good for a healthy and well balanced life style. Having said that we are not talking about downhill mountain biking which, while extremely popular, is more inclined to keep our Belford Hospital in Fort William busy....

Fort William's Nevis Range outdoor activity centre is the Number One mountain biking centre in the Highlands with its unique mountain gondola which you can use to access the top of the downhill track and tag your bike on the outside of the gondola. Only 7 miles from Fort William town centre Nevis Centre is our most popular all-year-round visitor centre. We'll add a pdf of Nevis Range Witches Trail mountain bike trails when we get the latest version.

UCI - the world governing body for mountain biking brings world-class bikers from countries all over the world to compete at Nevis Range in Fort William - one of the largest outdoor events in the calendar year with thousands of spectators from all over Europe and beyond.

Fort William has a superb cycle track which allows all cyclists and walkers to get to and from the town centre in a pleasant and safe manner. It's possible to hire a bike in Fort William and cycle all the way to Nevis Range in Leannachan Forest on a safe cycle-way, without having to journey along the busy A82 trunk road.

Fort William has two well-established cycle shops - Nevis Cycles and Off Beat Bikes and both operate bike hire. Other providers in other areas of the Lochaber area also provide a good service to cyclists.

All around the Lochaber area are hundreds of kilometres of cycle tracks, forest paths to enjoy.

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Thomas Telford Corpach Marina Ltd

If you are planning a visit to Fort William by sea be sure to book a berth at Thomas Telford Corpach Marina at the entrance to the Caledonian Canal. Our marina has 45 sheltered berths with fresh water and electricity. Ashore we have first class toilets and shower facilities and a small coffee shop. Close by are shops and pubs with regular transport into Fort William. Our marina is community owned and managed and is not directly involved with the Caledonian Canal. An Cafaidh Mara An Cafaidh Mara is our new coffee shop at the entrance to the Canal within our marina facilities building, open to customers seven days a week. Check out their social media. Book a berth or slipway use If you are bringing a boat to Fort William we have a sheltered all weather slipway within the marina for launching and car parking of cars and trailers. Book online to launch your boat in Loch Linnhe. You can get to the marina by road along A82/A830 or by mailing train - Corpach Station is 100 metres from the marina. Discovering the Outdoor Capital of the UK from our marina will be easy with excellent transport links, car hire, shops, restaurants and marine services nearby. For all enquiries please contact Brian MacKinnon, our Marina Manager: +44(0)7410 884902

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!

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

Paddleboard Fort William

Guided paddleboard trips around Fort William and the local area! Our friendly and experienced guides are here to give you an amazing time out on the water, whether it is your first time on a SUP or you are a seasoned expert. Paddleboarding is one of the fastest growing adventure sports in the world, join us at Paddleboard Fort William to experience it for yourself. -Daily trips from Corpach with brilliant views of Ben Nevis and chance to see the Jacobite steam train as it leaves. -Paddle Board Trips at Glenfinnan as the Steam train crosses the famous Glenfinnan viaduct, made famous by the Harry Potter films.

Adventure Nevis

If you are looking for a Ben Nevis Mountain Guide, Adventure Nevis is a Scottish-based guiding service offering classic mountain days on Ben Nevis, Britain's highest mountain, standing at 1,344 metres. The Ben Nevis mountain footpath ascent - 6 to 8 hours - is ideal for public, private and charity groups. For the slightly more experienced walker, Ben Nevis via the CMD arete - 8 to 10 hours - is a fantastic mountaineering experience. Adventure Nevis is owned and operated by Peter Khambatta. Peter has over 20 years' experience and holds both Summer and Winter Mountain Leader Awards. To check availability and to tell me about yourself or group, please complete the form below. I look forward to hearing from you.

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.