Fort William to Glenfinnan

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The small passenger ferry from Fort William to Camusnagaul provides a sense of occasion to the start of the route to Cape Wrath, though immediately turning south upon disembarkation is a little cruel! This leg begins on a quiet A road along the Ardgour peninsula and Loch Linnhe before heading through Cona Glen to Glenfinnan.

Terrain

Surfaced minor road, good estate tracks and rough, rocky footpaths.

Public Transport

Fort William is well served by both rail and buses from Glasgow. The small passenger ferry from the town pier leads across to the start of the walk at Camasnagaul. Glenfinnan is linked to Fort William by train and bus.

Start

Ferry from Fort William town pier to Camusnagaul. Open start point in Google Maps for directions.

Hillwalking in Winter

Please note that hillwalking when there is snow lying requires an ice-axe, crampons and the knowledge, experience and skill to use them correctly. All route descriptions and difficulties given here are for summer conditions. See our Winter Skills page for basic information on the essential skills, techniques and knowledge needed for winter hillwalking.

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Walk Description

Stage 1

The little passenger ferry to Camusnagaul on the far shore of Loch Linnhe departs Fort William Town Pier. The ten minute crossing deposits passengers alongside the lonely A861 on the Ardgour peninsula, a world away from the relative hustle and bustle of Fort William visible across the water beneath the bulk of Ben Nevis. Shoulder your pack and turn left to head south along the quiet road. The journey has begun.

Stage 2

The walking is easy and the road quiet - it's an ideal opportunity to adjust to life with a rucksack and deal with any equipment issues before it's too late. The road crosses a number of small burns, some individually signposted with their grid reference to form a useful ticklist to track progress.

Stage 3

After 3.5km the road curves inland at Stronchreggan - don't be tempted to follow the good path into Gleann Sròn a'Chreagain here - instead continue along the road for another 2.5km until the road curves around Inverscaddle Bay. The presence of rhododendron flanking the road signals the arrival on the Conaglen Estate - shortly after passing the second entrance to Conaglen House branch right onto a good surfaced track signposted for Inverscaddle.

Stage 4

Pass a few houses until the surfaced track finishes, then branch left at the fork as the path follows the River Cona into the glen. The going is easy along a good vehicle track allowing for maximum enjoyment of the unfolding views. After 7km the estate bothy at Corrlarach is reached, usually locked but the adjacent lean-to may offer some respite from bad weather for a lunch break.

Stage 5

After another 6km of easy walking the track deteriorates, but remains clear, as it heads uphill to a path junction. Turn right here to ascend to the bealach below Meall nan Damh and Sgòrr Craobh a'Chaorainn and begin the descent towards Glenfinnan. The ground has the potential to be boggy after bad weather, but the path is clear and navigation shouldn't offer too many challenges.

Stage 6

The footpath eventually reaches a vehicle track above the Allt na Cruaiche burn - turn left and follow it downhill as it passes the buildings at Callop and enters forestry by a bridge. Don't cross this, instead turn left, pass the car park and continue along the vehicle track through the woods above Callop River.

Stage 7

Just after a disused quarry take the wooden boardwalk heading off to the right next to an interpretive board. This leads to a footbridge followed by a short stretch of path below the A830 before emerging onto a pavement by the visitor centre accompanying the Glenfinnan Monument - erected in 1815 to mark the place where Bonnie Prince Charlie raised his standard at the start of the final Jacobite Rising in 1745.

Next stage: Glenfinnan to A'Chuil

Route: Phil Turner

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Fort William to Glenfinnan

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Download our route guides and use offline with free GPS mapping

Terrain

Public Transport

Start

Hillwalking in Winter

Users' reports

Walk Statistics

Mapping and GPS

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