Melantee B&B - The Area

Fort William is a wonderful place to use as a base while touring around the Highlands of Scotland. On the towns doorstep is the highest mountain in Britain Ben Nevis, the southern end of the wonderful Great Glen with the Caledonian Canal meandering its way up the Glen to Inverness, Aonach Mor where you can ski in the winter time , mountain bike (The UCI World Cup Mountain Bike competition rated Nevis Range the best venue for 2002), walk, drink, eat, and doze. Or take a trip down the sea loch from the town centre in a solid reliable boat that carries up to a 100 people. These are just some of the adventures on the doorstep.

Further afield you can visit the shortest river in Britain the River Morar, have a cup of tea at the most westerly point on the British mainland Ardnamurchan lighthouse, take a boat trip from Mallaig to the deepest seawater loch in Europe Loch Nevis or take your car for a day trip to the Isle of Skye. All this is possible from Fort William.

Listed below are some of the attractions which you can visit from Melantee Bed and Breakfast:

Attractions within half an hour of Melantee B&B

• Aonach Mor
  Situated 5 miles north on the A 82 from Fort William you will come to Britain's only Gondola cable car ride. At Nevis Range you can ski in the winter or take the gondola to 2,100 feet and take one of Britain's steepest down hill mountain bike routes in the summer. If relaxation is what you are looking for when you arrive at the top of the Gondola just enjoy the views, which on a clear day are superb. If the weather turns inclement panic not - there is also a fully licensed restaurant to relax in at the top station.
  
  
• Ben Nevis
  Britain's highest mountain, Ben Nevis, at 4,406ft takes the reasonably fit person around 4 hours to climb from Glen Nevis. If you want to climb the Ben wear stout footwear and take waterproofs with you even if it is a warm summers day at the start, the weather can change.
  
  
• Caledonian Canal
  The Caledonian Canal is one of the finest engineering examples of the early 1800s. Some places to visit on the canal are the locks at Gairlochy or, in particular, at Neptune's Staircase by Corpach on the A830 road to Mallaig. The construction of this staircase a series of 8 locks, which raises the canal a height of 65 feet over a distance of 500 yards, started in 1803 and was built during the time of the Napoleonic Wars. It cost £50,000 which was the cheapest option at the time as the price of oak, the normal material used in such construction, was at a highly inflated price due to the demands made by the Royal Navy for repairing and building ships. The option used in the construction was cast iron gates sheathed with pine.
  
  
• Cille Choirille
  From Spean Bridge, which is nine miles north of Fort William on the A82, is Cille Choirille a picturesque 14th century church and graveyard located high above the road to Newtonmore (A86) offering some wonderful views along Glean Spean. (Used many times in the BBC "Monarch of The Glen" series.)
  
  
• Glenfinnan
  The village of Glenfinnan located on the "Road to the Isles (A830 to Mallaig) is a wonderful place to stop and relax. You can visit the National Trust Centre, the cruise boat which operates the length of Loch Shiel, or the small but fascinating Glenfinnan Station Museum and/or the Dining car operating out of a converted railway carriage. And if that is not enough spy the Glenfinnan Viaduct which was used in the "Harry Potter and the Philosophers stone" film. All in all a magical place to visit!
  
  
• West Highland Railway
  The Jacobite Steam train operates during the summer months and is worth a trip. Indeed the whole West Highland Line from Glasgow to Fort William and Mallaig is a wonderful journey starting in the suburbs of Glasgow on to some of the wildest and most powerful scenery in the Highlands. The line is ideal for day trips and for access to some wonderful walks. Plus if you are coming from the south remember the sleeper service from London Euston direct to Fort William.

 

Attractions within 1 -2 hours drive of Melantee:

• Aviemore
  The main "village"of Stratshspey. Aviemore was a small village in the early 60's, but with the development of the ski area is now a bustling activity centre. Why not try the new "Funicular railway" which has replaced the old chairlifts
  
  
• Inverness
  Inverness only became a city in 2000 but has always been considered the capital of the Highlands. To travel to Inverness take the A82 from Fort William north. It will take you direct to Inverness passing on the left side of Loch Ness and Urquhart Castle.
  
  
• Mallaig
  (Follow "The Road to the Isles") Mallaig is not only the ferry point for the Island of Skye but is also a busy fishing port. To find the "Road to the Isles" take the road to Fort William and then travel 2 miles north to the A830 and follow the sign "Road to the Isles".
  
  
• Oban
  A busy ferry town, Oban provides access to many of the well known Hebridean islands. Mull, Tiree, Iona etc. Well worth a visit.
  
  
• Isle of Skye
  You have three choices in how you can access Skye by car. Either by ferry from Mallaig or Glenelg, which is the old "drovers" route, or by bridge from Kyle of Lochalsh.