Fort William

Fort William sits at the foot of Ben Nevis on the shores of Loch Linnhe, and has fairly earned its nickname: the Outdoor Capital of the UK. It is the natural basecamp for the Scottish Highlands — Britain's highest mountain on the doorstep, the West Highland Way finishing in town, world-class mountain biking at the Nevis Range, and endless ridges, glens and Munros in every direction.

The town itself is workmanlike rather than pretty — a functional Highland hub of gear shops, bunkhouses, hotels and a decent high street. Nobody comes for the architecture; they come because almost every great Scottish adventure starts within an hour's drive. What it lacks in Alpine glamour it makes up for in access and value.

The catch is the weather. This is the wet west of Scotland, and Ben Nevis makes its own climate — you will get rained on, and the summit is in cloud more often than not. Come prepared for all four seasons in a day and you will not be disappointed.

May to September is the prime window for hillwalking, when the Mountain Track up Ben Nevis is largely snow-free and daylight is long. Autumn brings colour and quieter trails. Winter turns the high tops into a serious mountaineering arena and the Nevis Range into a ski hill — beautiful, but for those with winter skills and kit. Midges peak from June to August, so pack repellent.

Fort William is about two hours by car or the scenic train from Inverness, and two and a half hours from Glasgow. The Glasgow–Fort William railway (and the onward Jacobite steam line) is one of the great rail journeys in Britain. Once there, a car helps for reaching trailheads, though the town, Nevis Range and Glen Nevis are all close by.