On this guided walk we will be following in the footsteps of the locals of Fort William. This is a great favourite for walkers and mountain bikers alike. Easily accessible from Fort William there is no need to catch the bus or take your car.
We will meet up in Cameron Square on Fort William High Street. This will be easy to find as there is a bronze model of the Model T Ford that was driven up Ben Nevis in 1911. It is also where the West Highland Museum and Highland Cinema can be found.
The walk is suitable for most people with reasonable level of fitness. It should take around 3-5 hours at a leisurely pace with plenty of photo and snack stops. Distance covered is around the 11km mark and there is around 300m ascent. The walk takes place on pavements,gravel paths and landrover tracks. There are a couple of steep sections,one ascending to join the circuit from Fort William,the other the descent into Glen Nevis via the Peat Track.
Our walk will take us firstly on the High Street and then passed the Belford Hospital and garden. We will make a short photo stop to visit the graveyard where there are some really old stones. If our timing is right we may get the chance to see the world famous Jacobite Steam Train leaving Fort William Railway Station.
Back across the road we will join the path that goes up through the native woodland on Cow Hill to join the main circuit path. It is a wee bit steep to begin with but this soon eases off. Once we have gained the height we will have a photo stop to admire the view. The view is quite something with us looking down Loch Linnhe, over to the the sprawling suburbs of Caol and Corpach and out to the wild mountains on the Road to the Isles.
Our walk has a few wee ups and downs as we traverse above the town of Fort William. The views on this section of the walk seem to stretch away in the distance forever.
As the track starts to turn our eyes will be drawn to the highest mountain in the UK,Ben Nevis. Over 160,000 people scale its heights every year from all over the UK and world.
As we reach a junction we will turn off heading towards a view point beside the mast and the summit of Cow Hill.
Retracing our steps we will head back to the junction and make our way down the historical Peat Track into Glen Nevis. We will visit the artists retreat of Outlandia for it’s views of Glen Nevis.
In Glen Nevis we will visit the Ben Nevis Visitor Centre. This is the starting point for the majority of the people who scale it’s heights. We will have time to have a look round while we are there. The Visitor Centre has information and short films detailing the history of the Ben and the Glen. There will also be the chance to use the toilet and enjoy a cold or hot beverage while we watch weary walkers finishing their day on the Ben.
The last leg of our journey together will take us down Glen Nevis and back into Fort William where we will say our goodbyes after a memorable day together.
For this walk you will need
- Walking boots
- Waterproof jacket and overtrousers
- Hat and Gloves
- Warm layer
- Lunch, snacks and bottle of water
Coronavirus Precautions And Information
All trips will be subject to the government rules in place at the time of your holiday.
We will have to cancel or reschedule our trip if you are coming from a higher tier area than the location of your guided walk.This is necessary to protect ourselves and to protect the local and rural communities that we will be walking in.
All trips in 2021 that can’t go ahead because of restrictions will be offered the chance to reschedule or a full refund.
To protect ourselves and to maintain social distancing we will travel separately to the start of each walk. Where the walks are in popular destinations we may have to start early to ensure we have a parking space.
On our walk it will be possible to practice social distancing between ourselves and other walkers.
Please ensure sure that each person in your group has access to their own hand sanitizer for the day. Although while we are walking there are minimal touch points, it may be necessary to open gates or use bridges using your hands.
Face masks are not necessary while we are out walking together. However if you feel more comfortable wearing one it’s entirely up to you.