Fort William Holiday Lodge
highland exploration for all
11 Easy Walks Near Fort WilliamJust because we’re by the highest mountain in the UK doesn’t mean there aren’t plenty of walks that are of a flatter nature! Here are some of our favourite walks that don’t involve slogging up a hill! Here’s some of the best easy walks near Fort William. If you want to see what walking options from the Highwinds please or if you’re looking for a step up in difficulty from your walks visit here.
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Our 11 easy walks near Fort William
neptunes staircase
Great Glen Walk
A nice flat well maintained path along the Caledonian Canal set within the incredible Great Glen. Follow the winding Canal with great views of Ben Nevis. The trees either side of the Canal offer some shelter from the wind. Park at Banavie to see the amazing Neptune’s Staircase straight away. If you start from Corpach you can take a slight detour to the beach for a stunning view of Fort William, Ben Nevis, Loch Linnhe and an old abandoned fishing boat (pictured below) and in summer months it’s worth looking at the Jacobite time table to link up your walk with the steam training passing by the Neptune’s Staircase. One of the best easy walks near Fort William. Another memorable way to see the Great Glen is to cycle it!
hogwarts express
Glenfinnan Viaduct
The viaduct made internationally famous in the Harry Potter films, is fairly steep in places. There are number of nice paths to take in and around the Viaduct to get different vantage points and also a short stroll to Loch Shiel to view the Jacobite memorial. Seeing Glenfinnan is a ‘must do’ on one of your Highlands adventures. If you’re visiting in Spring to Autumn it is worth trying to time your visit with the Jacobite passing the Viaduct roughly it passes on it’s way back to Fort William at 3pm (it’ll be very busy at this time in peak season).
paradise
Camusdarach Beach
A nice flat well maintained path along the Caledonian Canal set within the incredible Great Glen. Follow the winding Canal with great views of Ben Nevis. The trees either side of the Canal offer some shelter from the wind. Park at Banavie to see the amazing Neptune’s Staircase straight away. If you start from Corpach you can take a slight detour to the beach for a stunning view of Fort William, Ben Nevis, Loch Linnhe and an old abandoned fishing boat (pictured below) and in summer months it’s worth looking at the Jacobite time table to link up your walk with the steam training passing by the Neptune’s Staircase. One of the best easy walks near Fort William. Another memorable way to see the Great Glen is to cycle it!
Scotland’s second-highest Waterfall
Steall Falls
A stunning walk through Glen Nevis to the incredible Steall Falls, the second biggest waterfall in Scotland. There is a rope bridge near the turnaround point which can be attempted by the brave! One of the most popular easy walks near Fort William.
It’s not a path the whole way, there are some rocky sections that can be slippy when wet, so if you’re a little unsteady on your feet some of the other options may be more suitable.
It’s not a path the whole way, there are some rocky sections that can be slippy when wet, so if you’re a little unsteady on your feet some of the other options may be more suitable.
Cameron country
Arkaig Forest Art Walk
An easy forestry track walk on the shores of Loch Arkaig that takes in a lot of local history as well as an Art Treasure Hunt. This ‘there and back’ trail is a great crowd pleaser, catering for history buffs and young adventurers alike.
The drive to the walk from the house is spectacular and you drive through ‘The Dark Mile’: a famous Commando training route. Be sure to take a detour left after crossing the white wooden bridge to see the grounds of Achnacarry where the Allied Special forces training base was during WWII.
The drive to the walk from the house is spectacular and you drive through ‘The Dark Mile’: a famous Commando training route. Be sure to take a detour left after crossing the white wooden bridge to see the grounds of Achnacarry where the Allied Special forces training base was during WWII.
flexible and stunning
Glencoe Lochan Trail
3 very nice trails near Glencoe, one of the trails is a wide path around the Lochan and is wheelchair accessible. Highly recommended walk with incredible views from all sides of the Lochan. The other two marked trails are slightly more strenuous with some steep hills but still on a clearly marked wide trail.
the heart of glen nevis
River Nevis
A nice stroll along the River Nevis on well maintained paths. It shares the same starting point as Ben Nevis on the pony track.
mountain top views
Nevis Range
Not just for mountain biking & skiing.. The Gondola at the Nevis Range will take you up to 650m giving you incredible views on well maintained paths without the really steep slog. For disabled passengers, the Gondolas are able to take a wheelchair up to 60cm wide. There are staff at the top and bottom who can slow the gondolas for safe and relaxed boarding and disembarking. At the top of the Gondola there is a lovely cafe with great views of Loch Linnhe
incredible glen views
Dun Deardail Fort
Walk this well-maintained path up about a 300m ascent to reach the grassy embankment outlines of the iron-age fort, Dun Dearddail, and see a breathtaking view of the surrounding mountains. If you’re up in the area to tackle Ben Nevis from Glen Nevis, this is the perfect walk to warm up your legs the day before your attempt. Easily done in a morning or afternoon, you can see pretty much the entire Ben Nevis route from across the Glen.
red squirrels
Inchree Falls
One of our favourite walks in the area and only a short drive away. A clear marked path pretty much the whole way, the first part of the route takes you straight up to view the cascading falls. Follow the route round and the views from the forestry track get even better. The perfect walk for a clear day, you can look out across the valley to the expansive loch and see the towering mountains all around. If you’re lucky you could see some Red Squirrels.
in the centre of glen nevis
Achriabhach Forest
A forest walk with a fairly steep climb that offers ever-changing views of the surrounding mountain range. Follow the Walkhighlands route to climb a steep but easy-to-navigate rocky path alongside the flowing water before looping round and heading back down along a wide forestry track through the woods.
