The Great Glen - The Rough Guide to Scottish Highlands and Islands - page 185

Nevis Bank Inn Belford Rd T 01397 705721, W nevis
bankinn.co.uk. The small, functional hotel rooms here
are a little on the plain side, but they're comfortable and
quiet - and the attached re staura nt is a convenient place to
grab some pasta or a steak. £144
St Andrews Guest House Fassifern Rd T 01397 703038,
W standrewsguesthouse.co.uk. Comfortable and very
reasonable B&B in a converted granite choir school 5min
walk uphill from the High St, fe aturing various inscriptions
and stained-glass windows. £60

stays. On-site laundry facilities and a bouldering wall.
The o wner s can also organize mountaineering trips.
Dorms £16
Farr Cottage Lodge 3.5 miles from Fort William in
Corpach, on the main A830 T 01397 772315, W farr
cottage.co.uk. Well-equipped, lively place with range
of dorms and double/twin rooms. Offers a multitude of
outdoo r ac tivities i nclud ing canyoning and sea-fishing.
Dorms £15 ; doubles £34
Great Glen Yurts 3 miles northeast of Fort William off
A82 (signposted from Torlundy) W greatglenyurts.com.
Rotund and spacious, these luxury yurts occupy a magni-
ficently peaceful setting with views of Ben Nevis. There's
an o pen- sided kitchen for sociable evening meals. April-
Oct. £90
Smiddy Bunkhouse and Blacksmith's Hostel
Snowgoose Mountain Centre, Station Rd, Corpach
T 01397 772467, W highland-mountain-guides.co.uk.
Alpine hostel and bunkhouse on the site of an old black-
smith's workshop. It's 4 miles from Ben Nevi s at t he south-
western end of the Caledonian Canal. Dorms £16

HOSTELS AND CAMPSITES
Bank Street Lodge Bank St T 01397 700070, W bank
streetlodge.co.uk. A clean and bright 43-bed hostel
handy for transport and the town centre. Choose between
dorm a ccom modatio n an d a goo d ran ge of en-suite rooms.
Dorms £17 ; doubles £55 ; singles £25
Calluna Heathercroft, Connachie Rd T 01397 700451,
W fortwilliamholiday.co.uk. Well-run self-catering and
hostel accommodation a 10min walk from the centre
of town, configured for individual, family and group

3

EATING AND DRINKING
CAFÉS AND RESTAURANTS
Café 115 115 High St T 01397 702500. A decent, cheap
and central place to stop for coffee and a snack. A toasted
bagel with cheddar and red onion will cost you £3.95.
Mon-Sat 10am-4pm.
Crannog at the Waterfront Town Pier T 01397
705589, W crannog.net. Red-roofed restaurant with
lochside views and fresh seafood, including steamed
clams and mussels with tomato and chilli (£17.50), plus a
reasonable wine list. Located at the pier just off the bypass
on entering Fort William. Daily noon-2.30pm & 6-9pm.
Lime Tree Restaurant The Old Manse, Achintore Rd

T 01397 701806, W limetreefortwilliam.co.uk. Serves
an excellent selection of contemporary Scottish food. The
three-course meal (£29.95) includes a roast rack of lamb
wrapped in a rosemary crust. Daily 6-9pm.

PUB
Grog and Gruel 66 High St T 01397 705078. Loud and
friendly, the downstairs alehouse at Grog and Gruel is a
good bet for Scottish beer. The upstairs restaurant is more
relaxed, doing mostly Mexican mains, including a spicy
“inferno burger” for £10.95. Mon-Wed & Sun noon-
midnight, Thurs-Sat noon-1am.

Around Fort William
Any disappointment you harbour about the dispiriting flavour of Fort William
town should be offset by the wealth of scenery and activities in its immediate
vicinity. Most obvious - on a clear day, at least - is Ben Nevis , the most popular,
though hardly the most rewarding, of Scotland's high peaks. The path up leaves
from Glen Nevis , also a starting point for some other excellent walks of various
lengths and elevations. The mountain abutting Ben Nevis is Aonach Mhòr , home of
Scotland's most modern ski resort and an internationally renowned honey-pot for
downhill mountain-bike enthusiasts. Some of the best views of these peaks can be
had from Corpach , a small village opposite Fort William that marks the start of the
Caledonian Canal (see p.197).
The main road travelling up the Great Glen from Fort William towards Inverness is
the A82, ten miles along which is the small settlement of Spean Bridge , a good
waypoint for getting to various remote and attractive walking areas with several
backpacker hostels, notably glens Spean and Roy , along the A86 trunk road, which
links across the central highlands to the A9 and the Speyside region.