Where to base yourself
Glencoe village and Ballachulish
At the foot of the glen on Loch Leven: small hotels, B&Bs, hostels and a famous climbers’ inn up the old road. The most scenic base, with walks to the lochan and the Pap of Glencoe from the door. Book early; there are not many beds.
Fort William
The practical base: the widest choice of hotels, guesthouses, hostels, supermarkets and outdoor shops, the railway station, and Glen Nevis ten minutes away. The pedestrianised High Street has pubs and restaurants; the best views are from places just outside town, at Banavie, Corpach and along Loch Linnhe.
Glenfinnan, Arisaig and the Road to the Isles
A scattering of hotels and B&Bs between Fort William and Mallaig, with white beaches at Arisaig and Morar. Ideal for a night before the ferry to Skye.
Kinlochleven and Onich
Kinlochleven, at the head of Loch Leven, is a walkers’ village on the West Highland Way; Onich and North Ballachulish have lochside hotels midway between Glencoe and Fort William.
Food & drink
After a day outside, this is the land of the walkers’ bar: venison burgers, haggis, Cullen skink and real ale beside a fire, with live folk music at weekends in the best-known inns of Glencoe. Fort William has a wider range, including good seafood on the pier — langoustines, mussels and scallops from Loch Linnhe and Mallaig. The Ben Nevis Distillery at the edge of town offers tours. Kitchens close early by city standards, and tables are scarce in July and August: reserve.
Tips: saving money and staying safe
- Check the mountain forecast (the Mountain Weather Information Service’s West Highlands forecast) before any hill walk, and be prepared to change plans.
- In an emergency in the hills, dial 999 and ask for Police, then Mountain Rescue. Mobile signal is unreliable in the glens.
- Midges here are fierce from June to August, especially at dawn and dusk and in still, damp weather. Carry repellent and a head net if camping.
- Parking at the Glencoe viewpoints and at Glenfinnan is tight. Never stop on the carriageway or in a passing place for a photograph.
- Many of the best things are free: the glen, Glen Nevis, Steall Falls, Neptune’s Staircase, the West Highland Museum in Fort William.
- Fuel up in Fort William or Ballachulish; there is nothing across Rannoch Moor.
- The ordinary ScotRail train to Mallaig gives the same views as the steam train for far less.
Sample plans
One day
- Morning in Glencoe: the visitor centre, the Three Sisters viewpoint and a short walk.
- Lunch in Glencoe village or Ballachulish.
- Afternoon: drive to Glenfinnan for the viaduct and monument, or to Glen Nevis for Steall Falls.
- Evening in Fort William.
Two days
- Day 1: Glencoe in depth — the Lost Valley walk or Glen Etive, and the folk museum.
- Day 2: train or drive to Glenfinnan in the morning; Neptune’s Staircase and the Nevis Range gondola in the afternoon.
Three days
- Add a full day for Ben Nevis if the forecast is good,
- or ride the railway to Mallaig and walk the silver sands at Morar.
- Continuing to Skye? Take the Mallaig–Armadale ferry — see getting to Skye.
Where to stay: Glencoe & Fort William
Inverlochy Castle Hotel
A luxurious 19th-century baronial mansion in its own grounds just north of Fort William, long regarded as one of the finest hotels in the Highlands.
Nevis Bank Inn
A comfortable modern inn at the edge of Fort William town centre, by the turning for Glen Nevis and a short walk from the station.
The Isles of Glencoe Hotel
A lochside hotel on a wooded peninsula in Loch Leven at Ballachulish, five minutes’ drive from Glencoe village.
