10_CHAP_FORTWILLIAM:WESTLAYOUT 5/11/12 10:34 Page 378 Fort William 1 Ben Nevis 8 Sgurr Thuilm Carn Mor Dearg 385 Sgurr nan Coireachan 412 2 Aonach Beag 9 Sron a’ Choire Ghairbh Aonach Mor 390 Meall na Teanga 416 Fort William Fort 3 Stob Ban 10 Sgurr na Ciche Mullach nan Coirean 394 Garbh Chioch Mhor Sgurr nan Coireachan 418 4 The Ring of Steall: An Gearanach 11 Sgurr Mor 424 Stob Coire a’Chairn 12 Gairich 428 Am Bodach Sgurr a’ Mhaim 400 13 Gleouraich Spidean Mialach 432 5 Sgor Gaibhre Carn Dearg 403 14 Sgurr a’ Mhaoraich 434 6 Beinn na Lap 408 15 Luinne Bheinn Meall Buidhe 439 7 Gulvain 410 16 Ladhar Bheinn 444 At the foot of Britain’s highest mountain, the centre and the waterfront, presenting Fort William is the natural base for anyone the driver with a rear view of some tackling the Ben or any of the Munros spectacularly ugly buildings. The town’s stretching from Glencoe to Invergarry or superb position, however, and efforts to as far as Creag Meagaidh to the east. As brand itself the ‘Outdoor Capital of the the finale of the West Highland Way and UK’ mean it is packed with businesses also the start of the Great Glen Way to catering for walkers, with a growing Inverness, there are always groups of community of guides and instructors footsore walkers tottering round the offering every outdoor activity under the Morrisons supermarket here, lugging sun (or rain!). outsize rucksacks as they try to agree The town has good public transport on provisions. with regular trains on the dramatic West Despite its fine setting, stretched out Highland Line, as well as coaches from along the banks of Loch Linnhe, Fort Glasgow which head on to Skye or William is blighted by the busy A82 dual- Inverness. Taking the train to Mallaig or carriageway bypass which runs between south across Rannoch Moor is a great 378 The CIC Hut and Tower Ridge on Ben Nevis 379 10_CHAP_FORTWILLIAM:WESTLAYOUT 5/11/12 10:34 Page 380 The Munros Fort William Knoydart option for a day off – however, the problem with many cafés, pubs and Further north the landscape becomes With no road access to link it to the Jacobite steam train which strikes a Harry restaurants. Of note is Nico’s fish and chip increasingly rugged with only a tiny outside world, Knoydart is the remotest Potteresque pose as it crosses the shop on the High Street where you can sit roller-coaster of tarmac threading an inhabited corner of mainland Scotland. impressive Glenfinnan Viaduct does get in and will always be served with a smile. unlikely passage along the north shore of There are two main options for climbing heavily booked up. Also on offer for a rest The Grog and Gruel is perhaps the pick of Loch Arkaig into the interior, and serving the spectacular peaks of this area, with day are seal trips and cruises on Loch the pubs, run by the owners of the as a jumping-off point for a couple of overnight stays either at Barrisdale Bay on Linnhe, canoeing and other watersports Clachaig Inn in Glencoe and providing Munro epics. Loch Hourn or in Inverie. Home to most of on the Caledonian Canal and nearby Loch reliable and large-portioned fare. More the peninsula’s inhabitants and facilities, Oich, or testing your bravery and bones upmarket options include the Crannog, Invergarry and Glen Garry Inverie is easily accessible from Mallaig by on the world-championship mountain which specialises in seafood, jutting out Like Spean Bridge, Invergarry has one of boat, whereas Barrisdale involves an bike trails at Nevis Range. The Range also into Loch Linnhe on the old pier. At the those strategic positions from which you arduous hike from Kinlochhourn, has skiing and snowboarding in the other end of the scale, the cheap and can easily be off and away up to the although it is also possible to get a boat winter and a high-level zip wire course in cheerful café in Morrisons, near the train Munros in several different directions. here from Arnisdale. the summer. Those needing a proper rest station, is always an option and opens It sits where Glen Garry reaches the Great Accommodation at Barrisdale is for aching limbs can seek out the early for breakfast. Glen; a lonely single-track road makes a limited to camping, or the estate bothy; swimming pool with sauna and steam tortuous course up by Loch Quoich nominal fees are paid to the ghillie in room on the north side of town, or try Glenfinnan and the Road to the Isles before terminating at Kinlochhourn, the mornings. Inverie by contrast has a some retail therapy along the high street The road leading onwards from Fort starting point for the walk-in to Knoydart choice of facilities, including several B&Bs, which is packed with outdoor gear shops. William to Mallaig passes through classic for many. a small shop, a superb pub in The Old As you’d expect there are tons of places West Highland scenery, with mountains, The Invergarry Hotel is always a popular Forge, a bunkhouse and self catering to stay. Of note is the massive Glen Nevis forests, rugged coastline and sandy port of call and the Drynachan B&B is also cottages, and offers the chance to see how Campsite, beautifully situated in the glen, beaches. This huge chunk of the a reliable walker-friendly option, whilst the community buy-out is progressing a 3.5km walk from the town centre. Often Highlands stretches beautifully for miles part way up the single-track itself is the first hand. The spanking-new pier is packed in the summer, it has excellent out to the mainland’s most westerly point isolated Tomdoun Inn – once on the main testament to the influx of money to the facilities (including, on occasion, Handel’s at Ardnamurchan, but contains only three route to Skye but bypassed since the remote peninsula and locals understand Water Music piped into the showers) and Munros, all east of the Road to the Isles. hydro-electric schemes of the ’60s flooded that welcoming visitors is key to their zero-tolerance of rowdy groups. The Two of these are set back beyond the many of the glens. For those on a tighter economic success. The Knoydart nearby SYHA can get very noisy and busy spectacular viaduct at Glenfinnan, where budget, the independent Invergarry Lodge Foundation Bunkhouse could not be more in the summer, as can the independent Bonnie Prince Charlie first unfurled his hostel is on the side road to Mandally, friendly and this is continued at the good options in Fort William itself and at standard at the beginning of the ill-fated whilst the Great Glen Hostel is beside the value waterside tearoom and at the Old nearby Corpach. There are B&Bs to suit Jacobite rebellion of 1745. A monument A82 at Laggan. Forge itself. The main Bruce Watt ferry every budget as well as self-catering and commemorating this enjoys a superb provides a scheduled service every hotels, but despite the plentiful outlook along Loch Shiel, and the tiny weekday in summer, less frequently at accommodation it can be hard to find village here does offer some facilities with other times, and Knoydart Seabridge last-minute options in high summer. two hotels and a hostel set in old railway provides alternative sailings including Filling that hungry stomach is also not a carriages beside the West Highland Line. at weekends. 380 381 10_CHAP_FORTWILLIAM:WESTLAYOUT 5/11/12 10:34 Page 382 The Munros Fort William Loch Cluanie Loch Hourn Sgurr a’ Gleouraich Spidean Ladhar Mialach Mhaoraich Loch Bheinn 14 Loyne A87 13 Luinne Loch 12 A82 Bheinn Quoich Loch Garry Gairich Invergarry 16 15 Sgurr Inverie Mor Bay Meall Sgurr na Sgurr nan Buidhe Ciche Coireachan Sron a’ Choire Ghairbh 9 Garbh Chioch Loch Mhor Nevis Meall na Teanga 11 10 Loch Arkaig Loch Morar Sgurr nan Sgurr Thuilm Coireachan Gulvain B8004 Loch Lochy Spean Bridge Lochailort B8004 A861 Glenfinnan 8 A86 Loch Laggan A830 A82 7 Loch Loch Eil Shiel Fort William Carn Mor Aonach Mor Dearg Loch 1 Treig Aonach Beag A861 Ben Nevis Beinn na Lap Loch 2 Linnhe 3 4 Loch Sgurr a’ An Gearanach Ossian A82 Mhaim The Ring of Steall 6 5 Sgor Stob Coire Carn Gaibhre Mullach a’ Chairn Dearg nan Stob Am Bodach Coirean Ban 382 Kinlochleven 383 10_CHAP_FORTWILLIAM:WESTLAYOUT 5/11/12 10:34 Page 384 1 Ben Nevis Carn Mor Dearg Ben Nevis (1344m) venomous hill turn right to follow the River Nevis Carn Mor Dearg (1220m) big red rocky hill upstream for a short distance before Distance 19km turning left to climb a stile and meet the Ascent 1560m original Ben Nevis path from Achintree Time 9 – 10 hours Farm. Bear right along this broad path, Start point OS Grid ref: NN123731 passing a plantation and gaining height Map OS Explorer 392 gradually at first; at around 160m up, a Public transport rail and coaches to Fort path from the youth hostel joins from the William; bus (41) heads along Glen Nevis right. Beyond this the route starts to – very infrequent in winter ascend a series of wide zigzags; there are Terrain & hazards heading up to Carn Mor excellent views up Glen Nevis to the Dearg from the hut is unremittingly Mamores, with Stob Ban prominent. steep and pathless; the aréte itself is airy Higher up, the path winds round above but any actual scrambling is minimal; the valley of the Red Burn.