The Old Fort and the Pier – a Pint at the Ben Nevis Bar
A few hours, from Fort William station and back.
The route
An evening wander through Fort William takes in the grassy ramparts of the fort that gave the town its name, the High Street and the end of the Town Pier over Loch Linnhe.
It ends at the Ben Nevis Bar, built in 1806 as an inn for cattle drovers, with cask ales, a whisky bar and a terrace over the loch. It's an easy, friendly evening for couples, friends and anyone with a dog, all on foot from the station.
Before you go
Book accommodation nearby
If you are staying over: here are ours nearest where the day starts and ends.
The nearest of ours is Woodlands Glencoe, 10 miles away. Sleeps 2.
The day
Fort William
Half an hour's gentle walking through the old town as the light goes over the loch, then a pint by the fire.
About two and a half hours
Fort William
An attraction
From the station it's 5 minutes' walk to the Old Fort, on the shore of Loch Linnhe by the roundabout at the north end of town. Cromwell's troops built a timber citadel here in 1654, and stone walls replaced it in 1690. In 1692 soldiers marched from here to carry out the Glencoe Massacre. The railway swept most of it away in 1894, but grassy ramparts, part of the western walls and the old sally port survive. From the fort, walk the length of the pedestrian High Street to Cameron Square and on out to the end of the Town Pier, about 14 minutes in all, for the view across Loch Linnhe to the hills of Ardgour.
9 min on foot
The Ben Nevis Bar
A drink
The Ben Nevis Bar is a minute's walk back from the pier, at 103 High Street. It was built in 1806 as an inn for cattle drovers and is a two-room traditional pub with three cask ales, over 50 malt whiskies in its whisky bar, a log fire and a terrace at the back over the loch. It opens every day from noon until late, serves food into the evening, has live music at weekends and welcomes dogs. It's 9 minutes' walk back to the station.
If it rains
On a wet evening, walk straight down the High Street to the Ben Nevis Bar, 9 minutes from the station, and keep the fort and the pier for a dry night.
Lime Tree Hotel, restaurant with an art gallery.