Looking for things to do in Fort William, Scotland? I spent a couple of days in Fort William after hiking the 96+ miles of the West Highland Way, and here are my favorite activities in the Fort William area.

The end of the West Highland Way in Fort William, Scotland

The first thing to do in Fort William is reach the end – the end of the West Highland Way, that is. There are actually two end points of the West Highland Way – the old one and the new one. You come to the old one sooner, on the edge of town near a roundabout.

The new end to the West Highland Way is in the heart of town, and is home to the ‘sore feet’ statue. So if you’ve just finished walking the West Highland Way, be sure to take the obligatory photo with the statue!

Loch Linnhe cruise – see seals in Fort William!

My hotel room had a window overlooking Loch Linnhe and I could see a small orange boat moored there. It said “Cruise Loch Linnhe” on the side, so I googled it and ended up finding my favorite thing to do in Fort William.

I was able to buy a ticket online using Get Your Guide, reserving a space on the boat for later that day. The boat ride includes someone giving a history of the area, explaining the things you see. There are salmon farms, mussel farms, stories about the farmers in the area, and – the highlight of the voyage – seals! This was such a great experience – relaxing, interesting, and did I mentions seals? I highly recommend it! Note: This cruise is not available in winter months, though they do offer a similar Loch Linnhe winter cruise.

Learn more about the Loch Linnhe cruise

Book Loch Linnhe Cruise

Ride across the Glenfinnan Viaduct (Harry Potter bridge to Hogwarts)

You may know it as Harry Potter Bridge, but it’s official name is the Glenfinnan viaduct, made famous in the Harry Potter movies in a scene involving the Hogwarts Express train and a flying car. There are a couple of ways you can travel across the Glenfinnan Viaduct (sorry, no Ford Anglia options).

Hogwarts Express / Jacobite steam train

For hardcore Harry Potter fans, you can take the Hogwarts Express itself across the bridge. Well, it’s not actually called the Hogwarts Express – its real name is the Jacobite steam train – but you’ll definitely recognize it from the Harry Potter movies.

Tickets for the Jacobite steam train sell out well in advance, so be sure to try and buy early if you’re interested. My Scotland trip was planned only about a month before a left so tickets were already sold out. I did end up at the train station at the time the famed ‘Hogwarts Express’ train arrived, so I was still able to get some photos of it – along with roughly half a million other people. (Yes, that’s hyperbole – but it sure felt like half a million people.)

Cross the Glenfinnan Viaduct on the train to Mallaig from Fort William

If you can’t get tickets on the Jacobite steam train, you can still cross the Glenfinnan Viaduct / Harry Potter Bridge for a lot less money and with a lot fewer people. There’s a regular ScotRail train that crosses the viaduct – the train to Mallaig.

For a couple of pounds you can buy a ticket using the ScotRail app and enjoy the train ride across the viaduct. The ride ends in Mallaig and when I went, there was a little fish and chips shop on the platform. I had enough time to get off the train, enjoy a fish and chips, and get on the return train to Fort William.

I was able to get some great video of the viaduct and I avoided the crowds of the Jacobite train. It was a great way to go over the Glenfinnan Viaduct!

Visit Glenfinnan Viaduct and Glenfinnan Monument

You can take the train from Fort William to Glenfinnan to visit the Glenfinnan Monument and see the Glenfinnan Viaduct from down below. You can also take a car if you have one, but the train was easy, affordable, and includes a nice walk into Glenfinnan from above the viaduct.

Viewing Glenfinnan Viaduct and the Jacobite train / Hogwarts Express

Glenfinnan Viaduct Walk

I timed my visit to Glenfinnan to give me the opportunity to see the Jacobite steam train (aka Hogwarts Express) cross the viaduct. It’s a bit of a walk – a stunning walk – to get to the viaduct so be sure to give yourself enough time to get there and get settled before the train comes.

One tip about visiting the Glenfinnan Viaduct – when you come from the train station, you have a nice vantage point of the viaduct from up above and it’s less crowded than a little lower down, where everyone is who walked up from Glenfinnan Monument.

I took the train to Glenfinnan, walked down a bit to see the Viaduct, then walked all the rest of the way down to Glenfinnan Monument. From there I walked to a bus stop and returned by bus.

Glenfinnan Monument History

The monument was built in 1815 as a tribute to the Highlanders who were killed in “the ’45”, the Jacobite rising in 1745. Bonnie Prince Charles – Prince Charles Edward Stuart – had rowed up the loch with his supporters, calling on the clan chiefs to support him.

Visiting the monument

There’s a visitor’s center at the monument where you can also buy gifts and souvenirs. There’s also a place to get food, which I did and ate it outside in view of the viaduct. The monument itself is at the end of the loch. It’s a peaceful place, despite the tourists milling about and the occasional drone. Take a few minutes to enjoy the beauty.

Climbing the Glenfinnan Monument

It is possible to climb to the top of Glenfinnan Monument – you can buy a ticket in the gift shop. I would bet the views are amazing. I wasn’t able to do it while I was there – I think it was closed until later in the day.

See the old fort in Fort William

So you’re aware – there’s not a lot to see of the Old Fort, a few walls, but there are some signs that talk about what it used to look like. There are a few cannons over the loch, too. It’s not far from the train station, and a nice place to walk with good views of Loch Linnhe. Outlander fans may remember that Jack Randall was in command of the garrison at Fort William.

Guided trips near Fort William

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