Fort William – West Highlands

Fort William is a great base camp for our Mont Blanc & Matterhorn training weekends as it provides an inspiring location to explore the brilliant mountain walking, scrambling and rock climbing in the West Highlands of Scotland.  It’s also a lively small mountain / coast town with world famous mountain biking, plenty of accommodation, shops, restaurants, cafés, bike hire and other amenities.

Getting To Fort William

Fort William Accommodation

West Highlands Weather & Avalanche Forecasts

Fort William Restaurants & Cafés

Getting To Fort William

By Car 
Fort William is well signposted with access via the A82 from the North and South. Approximate driving times are one and a half hours from Inverness and two and a half hours from Glasgow.

Public Transport
Fort William is well serviced with good rail & road links from the South, East and North!  Glasgow and Inverness airports are 98 and 70 miles respectively from Fort William. There are also flights into Edinburgh and Prestwick Airports which are a bit further away.

Bus operators StageCoachBus have a bus service which stops at Glasgow airport in the afternoons before setting off for Glencoe, Fort William and the Isle of Skye.

Fort William Accommodation

Our 2 recommended accommodation options are on the West side of the town centre and both are in walking distance of the high street and all amenities, see below.  Of course there are many other accommodation options in Fort William from budget camping and bunkhouse options through to 5* Hotels and B&B’s.

Calluna Guest House

Calluna is a very good value (starting from £20 / night) guest house run by Alan & Sue Kimber for the last 25 years!  Alan is a superb experience local mountain guide and can also help with mountaineering equipment hire.

The Lime Tree Hotel 

Smarter Hotel accommodation and B & B accommodation in a gallery / hotel run by local artist and climbed David Wilson.

Ben Nevis Hotel & Leisure Club

Large hotel on the outskirts of the town with plenty of parking and it’s own swimming pool and sauna / gym etc.  A good base camp for exploring the local hills and pottering in to town (20 minute walk).

Accommodation – West Highlands 

For a more classic mountain Hotel style experience you could also stay at the Kingshouse or Clachaig Hotels in Glencoe although both are still a 30min+ drive to Fort William where the course starts.

West Highlands Weather & Avalanche Forecasts

West Highlands Mountain Weather Information Service

West Highlands Avalanche Forecast

Fort William Restaurants, Cafés… Climbing Walls!

Garrison West

Lively bar / restaurant in the hear of Fort William offering a great selection of draft beers and good food.

Spice Tandoori

Big, lively, good quality and value Curry House on Fort William High street.

JJ’s Cafe – Lochybridge

Family run cafe on the East side of the town at Lochybridge.  This is a handy meeting point for our courses which often meet for a brew (and even breakfast) here for a team meeting before heading off to the nearby Ben Nevis or Aonachs.

3 Wise Monkeys Climbing Wall & Cafe 

Fort William climbing wall and cafe.

Fort William Mountain Biking

Nevis Range

Nevis Range near Fort William is rightly world famous for it’s brilliant mountain biking.  In addition to the hard-core lift accessed trails and home to the UCI world downhill cup, there are superb purpose built trails for all levels around the base camp at Nevis Range with a mountain bike shop, guiding options and café, plus lots of parking.