If you are spending a few days in Fort William, you might want to use one (or several) of them to visit some nearby towns, attractions, and hiking trails in the Scottish Highlands. You definitely won’t lack options, as there are several cute towns, unique locations and stunning landscapes. Below we present our Best Day Trips from Fort William Guide to help you get the most out of your time when visiting this area of Scotland.
Disclosure: This page (Best Day Trips from Fort William) may contain product affiliate links. At no additional cost to you, we may receive a commission for purchases made through these links. More details can be found on our disclosure and policies page.
You might also be interested in these pages (coming soon):
Best Scenic Drives and Routes Through the Scottish Highlands
Top Things to See and Do in Glen Coe
Glenfinnan Viaduct and Jacobite Steam Train Travel Guide
Top Things to See and Do on Skye
Skye’s Best Hiking and Walking Trails
Orientation – Where is Fort William?
Fort William is located in the western Scottish Highlands, on the shores of Loch Linnhe. It’s known as a gateway to Ben Nevis, the U.K.’s highest peak, and its central location within the Scottish Highlands makes it an ideal base from which to explore surrounding areas. Although you can explore some of these areas by public transit, it’s definitely more straightforward to explore the area with your own vehicle, especially if you want to combine several attractions and sites within a single day trip.
Though you can reach Fort William by public transit from Edinburgh (quickest route 4h30) and Glasgow (3h15), getting there by car is not only faster (3h15 from Edinburgh & 2h30 from Glasgow) but it will allow you more flexibility in terms of planning your day trips from Fort William.
For advice and tips on how to drive in Scotland, check out our Scotland Roadtrip Driving Guide.
If you haven’t booked your rental vehicle yet, we highly recommend using Discover Cars to get the best rates on your rental in Scotland.
Day Trip Attractions – Less than an hour from Fort William
Coal Beach & Corpach Shipwreck – 10 minutes
Along Caol Beach is a lovely lochside promenade, close to where Lock Linnhe and Lock Eil merge. On a clear day, you’ll get stunning views of Ben Nevis towering over Fort William in the distance.
If you walk along the promenade towards Corpach, you’ll come across the Corpach Shipwreck. These are the rusty remains of a fishing vessel originally known as the “MV Dayspring”, which was built in 1975, but that was subsequently renamed Gold Harvest. The boat was retired in 2009 and moved to nearby Camusnagaul Bay. On 8th December 2011, a nasty storm caused the raiser chain which kept the vessel moored in Camusnagaul Bay to break, and a few hours later the local coastguard was on hand to help control the landing the beach between the villages of Corpach and Caol, where the boat as been stranded ever since.
If you want to turn this outing into a longer walk, you can continue along the path until it eventually turns inland to follow the Caledonian Canal. After about 20 min, you’ll reach the end point of this walk, an impressive flight of eight locks on the Caledonian Canal known as Neptune’s Staircase. Built by Thomas Telford between 1803 and 1822, it is the longest staircase lock in Britain. Walking this complete route will take 1h20, including return.
If you just want to enjoy the promenade and see the shipwreck, you won’t need more than 30 minutes. We recommend parking in the Caol Shopping Centre car park, located a very short distance from the beach-side promenade.
Glenfinnan – 25 minutes
Easily one of the most beautiful railway bridges in the world, let alone the UK, the Glenfinnan Viaduct has skyrocketed to the top of many travel bucket lists since appearing in the Harry Potter films and makes for an excellent day trip from Fort William. The setting becomes even more spectacular when the Jacobite steam train (a.k.a. the Harry Potter train or the Hogwarts Express) passes over the viaduct. Between April and October, it does so 4 times daily (twice in each direction) – so most try to time their visit with a train passing.
The increase in popularity of the viaduct due to the Happy Potter films has unfortunately made planning a visit slightly more complicated. You should aim to arrive at least 45 min before the planned passing of the train (2023) to ensure that you get a parking spot. The first time we came to Glenfinnan we arrived about 30 min early and the parking lot had just hit capacity, and we had no other choice but to turn around. And this is despite the fact they opened a new and larger car park in 2021!
There’s more to see and do in Glenfinnan besides the viaduct, including a lovely church and a great short hiking trail offering stunning views of Loch Shiel.
For more information on visiting the Glennfinnan Viaduct, check out our Glennfinnan Viaduct Travel Guide.
Glen Coe – 30 minutes
If you want to see some of the most beautiful landscapes that the Scottish Highlands have to offer, then Glen Coe is the place to go. The mountain scenery is simply beautiful and the area as a whole is a paradise for outdoor enthusiasts with the plethora of fantastic hiking and walking trails. Some of our favorites are the Lost Valley Trail and Devil’s Staircase, both of which are diverse and rewarding trails that can be completed in under 3 hours.
But even if you are not an avid hiker, the drive through Glen Coe is simply stunning with several great viewpoints. We built a One-Day Road Trip Itinerary guide that highlights several of these viewpoints, in addition to some castles and churches if you are willing to extend your drive south a bit further.
For more information on visiting Glen Coe, check out our Guide on the Top Things to See and Do in Glen Coe.
Oban – 60 minutes
Oban is a beautiful and charming coastal town, and sadly many do not give it the time it deserves using it primarily as a launching pad for visiting some of the nearby famous Hebrides islands, such as Mull, Iona, Jura and Islay. The town itself is definitely deserving of a visit: it has a beautiful boardwalk promenade, some of the best seafood restaurants in the country, the curious McGraig’s tower overlooking the town, and is home to the historic Oban whisky distillery (established in 1794).
For more information on visiting Oban and the surrounding area, you can check out our Oban Travel Guide.
Oban is also a short 10-minute ferry ride to the Ilse of Kerrera, a beautiful island that can be explored on foot via a great hiking trail through farmland and along idyllic coastlines. You’ll likely come across lots of sheep, visit a castle ruin and stop for refreshments at a delightful teahouse.
On your way to Oban (or on your way back to Fort William), there are a few castles that you can stop at to visit or photograph just off the main road along the shores of Loch Linnhe: Castles’ Stalker and Dunstaffnage.
Although you’ll see Castle Stalker from the road, the best place to enjoy better views of it is from the Castle Stalker View Cafe & Giftshop. You should note that the parking is reserved for customers, so you might want to consider purchasing a coffee or snack if you would like to stop here to view the castle.
There is also a short trail you can walk to get even better views of the Castle and Loch Linnhe. Castle Stalker today remains in private ownership and is open to the public at selected times during the summer (May through August – usually open 10-12 days per month and prior booking is required (£25 for adults (2023)) on the castle’s official website).
Dunstaffnage Castle is a partially ruined Castle located just 5 km north of Oban. The castle dates back to the 13th century, making it one of Scotland’s oldest stone castles. It was built by the MacDougall lords of Lorn and since the 15th century has been held by the Clan Campbell. The castle can be visited daily during summer, and five days per week during winter. Tickets can be purchased in advance on the Historic Environment Scotland website.
Loch Ness (Fort Augustus) – 45 minutes
The southern tip of Loch Ness in Fort Augustus is easily reachable from Fort William. Although we weren’t keen on searching for the Loch Ness monster, we did enjoy a quick drive along the western shore of the Loch. However, most of the Loch viewpoints are near the northern tip of the Loch, so you’ll need to drive further if you want to see more of the Loch (though you have great views from Fort Augustus too).
Driving 30 minutes north of Fort Augustus will take you to the ruins of Urquhart Castle and the Loch Ness Visitor Centre. Another 10 minutes further will take you to Clansman Harbour, from where you can grab a one-hour cruise along Loch Ness:
Seal Spotting on a Loch Linnhe Cruise
Speaking of cruises – This is not a day trip that requires a vehicle like the others in this guide, but it’s definitely a fun activity that few think to do when in Fort William. It can provide a great break from all the driving and/or hiking you’ve been doing while in the area.
Day Trip Attractions – Less than two hours from Fort William
Loch Awe – 1h20
There are two great stops along the shores of Loch Awe: St Conan’s Kirk and Kilkurn Castle. Although deserving of a trip to visit them in their own right, they are best combined with a visit to Oban & Glen Coe. A great road trip itinerary to Oban involves taking the direct route for one leg of the trip and a circular detour through Loch Awe and Glen Coe for the other leg.
Although this itinerary to and from Oban takes three hours instead of two for the shortest route both ways, it allows you to visit the attractions along Loch Awe and drive through Glen Coe where there are numerous viewpoints and car parks along the side of the road.
Eilean Donan Castle – 1h30
Eilean Donan Castle is without a doubt one of Scotland’s most photogenic Castles. Sitting beautifully at the intersection of three lochs, this castle was originally built to protect the region against Viking invasions several centuries ago, however, the version you see today was reconstructed as a family home in the early 20th century.
Though the castle is a must-visit for anyone visiting the Isle of Skye, it also makes for a great day trip option from Fort William.
For more information on when and how to visit this stunning castle, check out our Eilean Castle Visit Guide.
Day Trip Attractions – Less than three hours from Fort William
Isle of Skye – 2h/2h30
Although Skye in our opinion is best explored over several days, if you are keen on seeing it as part of a day trip from Fort William, it is definitely possible. You can also combine it with either a visit to Glenfinnan or Eilean Donan (or both if you want to take a different route to and from Skye). The northern route that uses the Skye Bridge into Skye passes by Eilean Donan Castle. You will also drive the beautiful Glen Shiel along the way.
The southern route passes by Glenfinnan but takes on average 20 minutes longer and requires that you time your transit to Skye with the Maillag-Armadale ferry.
The exact duration of your Fort William – Skye transit will depend on where exactly you would like to visit on Skye. Though you can reach the Isle of Skye in just over 1h30 from Fort William, most of the popular sights, attractions, and hikes are at least another half an hour away, and some even further. For example, if you want to hike the Old Man of Storr trail or see the Fairy Pools, they are both about a 2h30 drive from Fort William.
When is the Best Time of the Year to Visit Fort William?
We generally recommend travelling during shoulder season, the weather is generally pleasant and attractions & trails are less busy. But in the Scottish Highlands, there’s another significant reason to avoid July & August: the midges.
What are midges? They are tiny flies that like mosquitoes, like to bite. Though they are smaller and their individual bites are less bothersome than those mosquitoes, they can more than make up for it by the size of their swarms. You will typically find midges all over the Scottish Highlands, mostly between late May and early September, with July and August being the worst months. They tend to be most active early in the morning and during the early evening, but can be a nuisance at all times of day.
A winter visit can be equally beautiful with the peaks covered in snow, but the weather is even less predictable than usual, driving conditions could potentially be hazardous, and the days are much shorter. Hiking should only be undertaken with the proper gear and/or by experienced winter hikers.
As a result of these considerations, we would suggest that the end of May, early June, September, and early October are the best times of the year to visit Fort William.
Preparing a trip to the Highlands?
You might be interested in these pages (coming soon):
Top Things to See and Do in Glen Coe
Glenfinnan Viaduct and Jacobite Steam Train Travel Guide
Top Things to See and Do on Skye
Skye’s Best Hiking and Walking Trails
Preparing a trip to Scotland?
You might be interested in these Scotland pages:
10-Day Scotland Roadtrip Itinerary (Edinburgh and Highlands)
Scotland Driving Guide and Tips
7 of the Best Castles to Visit in Scotland
Best Things to See in the Scottish Highlands
Best Hikes to do in the Scottish Highlands
We also highly recommend these guidebooks:
Rick Steves Scotland
Lonely Planet Scotland’s Highlands
Photography Gear
If you like our photography, you might be interested in some of the gear we use to shoot our travel and hiking destinations.
Camera Body – Nikon Z 6ii Fx-series Mirrorless Body
Main Lens – NIKON 24-120mm F/4G ED VR AF-S
Zoom Lens – Sigma 745-306 150-600mm f/5-6.3
Polarizing filters – Urth Circular Polarizing (CPL)
Camera Tripod – K&F Concept 64-inch Camera Tripod
Mini-tripod – Lammcou Flexible Camera Tripod
Camera/hiking backpack – Vanguard Alta Rise 48 Backpack
Universal Travel Adapter – VYLEE Universal International Power Travel Plug
Other Travel Essentials
Travel Insurance
SafetyWing is a travel insurance company that offers comprehensive coverage for travellers. Includes Medical Insurance and Travel Insurance. Primarily geared towards long-term travellers, digital nomads, and expats.
e-Sim cards
Airalo is the world’s first and largest eSIM store with eSIM plans for 200+ countries and regions worldwide. With Airalo eSIMs, travellers can get connected the moment they land at their destination and avoid nasty data roaming charges
eSIMS are a sustainable alternative to single-use SIM cards – they are 100% digital, require less energy to produce and be re-used rather than disposed of.
Car Rentals
Discover Cars is our go-to website for car rentals. We almost always find our preferred rate there.
Transfer from Airport
Welcome Pickups is our favourite private transfer service, which you can pre-book at a fixed price. Currently available in 220 cities all over the world (mostly in Europe, but with several major cities in Asia, the Middle East and the US).
Kiwitaxi is another private transfer service – we haven’t tried it yet, but it’s currently available in a few more countries (102 as of 2024).
Hotels and Accommodations (coming soon)
Photography Prints
If you found this blog useful, you can help support our blog by purchasing low-cost digital prints. Printed physical prints are also available for purchase.
—–
Well, that wraps it up! We hope you enjoyed our Best Day Trips from Fort William Guide and that it will prove useful for planning your trip to the beautiful Scottish Highlands.
—–
You might also be interested in these related pages:
