Things to Do in Fort William Scotland

Ben Nevis is the highest mountain in Scotland and the highest peak in the UK. It starts almost from sea level and takes a full day.

• Highest peak in the UK at 4,413 feet (1,345 m)
• About 150,000 people attempt the climb each year
• Mountain Path and Carn Mòr Dearg Arête routes
• Takes five to seven hours from the visitor center

Ben Nevis is the highest mountain in Scotland and the highest peak in the UK. You start almost at sea level and climb all 4,413 feet (1,345 meters) to the top. It's a long, hard walk, and it's the most popular ascent in the country. About 150,000 people try it every year. Most walkers use the Mountain Path, sometimes called the Tourist Route. It's a busy track that takes five to seven hours. More experienced hikers can take the Carn Mòr Dearg Arête, which adds a ridge walk, light scrambling, and another Munro along the way. The start is at the Ben Nevis Visitors Centre, two miles south of Fort William, where parking costs £8 per day. The weather is the real challenge. Even in summer, snow can sit on the summit, so wear hiking boots and bring warm layers plus plenty of food and drink. New to Scottish mountains? Book a guided hike with a company like Girls on Hills or Kirkhope Mountaineering. When you finish, the Ben Nevis Inn is a good spot for a celebratory drink. My honest advice: if the cloud is sitting on the summit, save the climb for a clearer day.

The Nevis Range Mountain Gondola is the only mountain gondola in the UK. It lifts you 650 meters up Aonach Mòr for views without the climb.

• UK's only mountain gondola
• Rises 650 m up Aonach Mòr
• Ride takes about 15 minutes each way
• Day pass £23.50 adult, £13 child

The Nevis Range Mountain Gondola is the UK's only mountain gondola. It carries you 650 meters up the north face of Aonach Mòr, the eighth-highest mountain in Scotland. The ride takes about 15 minutes each way. At the top, two easy walks lead to viewpoints with wide Highland views. From one, you can just about pick out the top of Ben Nevis. There's also a restaurant at the top station serving Scottish classics. Allow three to four hours for the trip, including the walks. The gondola was originally built for skiers and snowboarders. Now it runs year-round. After fresh snowfall, skiers queue before opening time; in summer, walkers use it for a head start on a hike. A one-day pass is £23.50 for adults and £13 for children, and booking ahead is recommended. I'd check the weather report before buying a pass.

Right in Fort William town center, the West Highland Museum is a volunteer-run collection of Highland history. Admission is free.

• Free entry, donations welcome
• Bonnie Prince Charlie relics on display
• Fairy Pipes of Moidart, said to be the oldest bagpipes
• WWII Commando Forces gallery

Right in Fort William town center, the West Highland Museum is run by volunteers. Entrance is free, and donations are welcome. The collection covers the Lochaber area and its people, from archaeological finds to wartime stories. The Jacobite displays are the headline. You can see Bonnie Prince Charlie's waistcoat, death mask, hair, and even a tooth. There's also the Fairy Pipes of Moidart, said to be the oldest bagpipes in the world, and a gallery on the British Commandos who trained here during World War II. Other cases hold jewellery, weaponry, farm equipment, clothes, and animal bones. Look for the treasure from a Spanish galleon, Rob Roy's sporran, and the bagpipes said to have been played at Bannockburn. If you are short on time, find the notepad of Ernie Brooks, a Commando in training. It's a small detail that stays with you. And leave a donation on the way out; this place runs on volunteers.

Harry Potter fans know the Jacobite Steam Train as the Hogwarts Express. It runs from Fort William to Mallaig and back over the Glenfinnan Viaduct.

• 84-mile round trip from Fort William to Mallaig
• Crosses the Glenfinnan Viaduct
• Runs up to twice a day, April to October
• Return tickets only

Harry Potter fans already know this train as the Hogwarts Express. The Jacobite Steam Train runs from Fort William to Mallaig and back, covering 84 scenic miles of coast, hill, and moor. Along the way it crosses the Glenfinnan Viaduct, the 21-arch concrete structure seen in the films. The journey is on the West Highland Line, rated one of the most beautiful rail trips in the world. The train runs up to twice a day, seven days a week from April to October, and you can only buy return tickets. The trip is popular, so booking well in advance is essential. If you want to photograph it from the viaduct, the crossing times are roughly 11:00 and 15:15 on the outward run, and 13:25 and 18:00 on the return. Allow half an hour to park and reach the viewpoint. The route follows the Road to the Isles, the 40-mile drive from Fort William to Mallaig. Near the viaduct, the Glenfinnan Monument marks where Bonnie Prince Charlie raised his army. The operator has also faced regulation issues, so check the current schedule before you plan the day.

Steall Falls is the second-highest waterfall in Britain. The walk in is a two-mile route through the Nevis Gorge.

• Second-highest waterfall in Britain at 120 m
• Two-mile walk through the Nevis Gorge
• Wire bridge crossing over the river
• About 2 hours there and back

Steall Falls is the second-highest waterfall in Britain, dropping 120 meters from the slopes of the An Gearanach ridge into the River Nevis. The walk starts at the Upper Glen Nevis car park, around seven miles south-east of Fort William. It's a two-mile route through the Nevis Gorge, and it takes about two hours there and back. The path is well marked, but it's rocky and can get slippery, with steep drop-offs. A sign at the start says 'Danger of Death'. To reach the falls you cross the river on a wire bridge: one wire under your feet and two upper rails to hold. Expect a queue, because this is a popular hike. If you skip the bridge, you still get a good view from the other side. Bring a picnic if the weather behaves. The glen opens wide just before the waterfall, and it's a fine spot to sit. I'd give yourself the full two hours and not rush back.

It sounds like something from the sea, but Neptune's Staircase is a set of canal locks. It's the longest staircase lock in the UK.

• Eight interlinked locks on the Caledonian Canal
• Longest staircase lock in the UK
• Raises boats 62 ft (19 m)
• Boats take 90 minutes to pass through

Neptune's Staircase is a series of eight interlinked locks on the Caledonian Canal. It's the longest staircase lock in the UK. Designed by Thomas Telford and finished in 1822, it raises boats by 62 feet (19 meters) within just 450 meters. The locks were hand-operated once; now they run on hydraulics. It takes boats about 90 minutes to travel through. You can watch from the towpath, or sit in the café alongside the locks, which also has views of Ben Nevis. The Caledonian Canal runs 60 miles from Corpach, just outside Fort William, to Inverness. Neptune's Staircase sits in the village of Banavie, 3.5 miles north of Fort William, with a train station on the Fort William-to-Mallaig line. Time it for a boat going through; that's when the lock system finally makes sense.