Corrieview Lodges

The Highlands are hosts to many structures (including the bridge over River Spean) constructed by Thomas Telford in the early 1800s.

Spean Bridge is an attractive village. It is also one of those examples you find in the Highlands of road junctions that are unremarkable or insignificant to look at, yet which mark major decisions in your journey through Scotland.

In the centre of the village and on a sharp bend in the A82 is the junction with the main A86 north east past Roybridge to Kingussie, Aviemore, and the Cairngorms (a road that, unlike the bridge, was originally built by Thomas Telford). It's an exaggeration to say that this is the spot at which the Western Highlands and the Cairngorms meet: but it is the spot at which you have to choose between them.

The village itself is well equipped, with a good car park, and a Tourist Information Centre. It also houses the imposing Spean Bridge Hotel, which is mentioned again below.

Spean Bridge is also home to a railway station, on the line to Fort William. Its buildings have been converted into the Old Station Restaurant.

Though the land immediately to the south is heavily forested, it is still possible to gain excellent views up to the imposing northern faces of Ben Nevis and Aonach Mor, plus the entire range of the Grey Corries sweeping away to your left.

The views are still more spectacular from the northern side of the river, where the lovely Kilmonivaig Church and churchyard form a pretty and peaceful oasis. And a little further north again, where the main A82 crests the hill, is the dramatically imposing Commando Memorial, a bronze monument crafted by Scott Sutherland and placed here in 1952 to commemorate the many members of the elite commando units who trained in the area during the second world war.

Associated with the memorial is a Commando Exhibition open during the summer in a room at the Spean Bridge Hotel; and a Commando Trail, which takes in many of the locations used during training. Their headquarters was a little further west, towards Loch Arkaig.

Spean Bridge's one earlier claim to military fame came in 1745, when during the first skirmish in the conflict that culminated in failure for the Jacobites the following year at Culloden, a handful of noisy highlanders persuaded a very much larger force of government troops to run away (see our Historical Timeline).

This area has everything you could possibly need while in the Highlands. Fort William has a reasonable range of shops, and outdoor enthusiasts are especially well catered for by large outlets at either end of the underpass leading to the railway station. The large well stocked supermarket is essential for stocking up whilst on a self-catering holiday.

There are a wide range of eating and drinking establishments in Fort William, ranging from good fish and chips, to rather more upmarket establishments,including the prize winning Crannog Seafood Restaurant. For many, the highlight will be a visit to the Grog and Gruel, on the High Street.

This has a restaurant upstairs, but is still more highly recommended for the traditional (though not traditionally Scottish) pub downstairs serving a wide range of excellent real ales.

The town also marks the end of the West Highland Way, Scotland's oldest and most popular long distance walk: and the start of the Great Glen Way, the newest. The steady stream of footsore travellers coming into the town from Glen Nevis is a reminder of just how far the 95 miles from Milngavie, near Glasgow, can seem. Meanwhile a fresher stream is embarking on the 73 mile trek to Inverness.

There's plenty to do in Fort William when weather or inclination rule out a day in the hills. The West Highland Museum in the centre of the town is excellent; and a couple of miles west at Corpach, on the Mallaig road lies Neptune's Staircase. A series of locks on the Caledonian Canal with stunning views of Ben Nevis.

Ben Nevis, normally climbed from Glen Nevis, sits to the north east of Fort William and is the UK's highest mountain.

Edited information from Undiscovered Scotland.