Fort William is a hub for outdoors enthusiasts, but the profusion of watering holes around town suggests that one of the country’s favourite indoor activities, heading down to the pub, is very much in vogue as well. The quality is high across the board, but here are five of Fort William’s best spots for a drink.
The Crofter Bar and Restaurant (Photo: Droigheann via Flickr / CC BY-NC-ND 2.0)
Many people end up in Fort William after a long, challenging hike or cycle along the West Highland Way or the Great Glen Way, both of which have the Highland town as a terminus. Ben Nevis is also close by, and the mountain area attracts hikers, downhill bikers and, in the winter, skiers. And when you’ve put that kind of effort into your day, there’s only one thing for it at the end: a drink.
Most of the pubs and bars in Fort William are clustered around High Street and although there are a couple of outliers, this is very much the heart of all the action. It would be possible to do a pretty sizable pub crawl without leaving High Street, in fact, but in the spirit of common sense, it’s best to drink sensibly.
The Crofter Bar and Restaurant
Community pub The Crofter is the kind of place you want to end up after a day out hiking in the hills. The warm vibe and hearty fayre on the menu are the perfect antidote to tired feet and empty stomachs. Draft beers are limited to your usual big brands like Tennents and Guinness, but the kitchen cranks out burgers heaving with ingredients like onion rings, along with sides of delightfully thick chips. The full Crofter breakfast would provide enough fuel to get you going before a hike too.
11 High Street
The Grog & Gruel
Good atmosphere at the Grog & Gruel (Photo: courtesy of the Grog & Gruel)
Doing exactly what it says on the tin, The Grog & Gruel is an alehouse and eatery and excels at both. The cosy, wood-panelled bar area is great for something informal like a bar snack, although there is a separate section for a proper sit-down meal too. The selection of ales and spirits here is excellent, with a good number of single malt whiskies available including offerings from the likes of Ardbeg, Talisker, Auchentoshan and Balvenie. Another major bonus of the Grog is that dogs are welcome.
66 High Street
The Volunteer Arms
Volunteer Arms (Photo: courtesy of The Volunteer Arms)
The Volley, as it’s affectionately known by the dedicated local contingent, is a great place to chat to locals by day and party by night. It can get quite busy of a Saturday night in here. Drinks are cheap and there’s a pool table and dart boards which are easier to get access to during the day when there’s no sport on. Football and rugby matches are regularly shown on the TV here. The big draw though is Tartan Paint, a once-monthly live music night where dancing is a given.
47 High Street
The Lochy
The Lochy (Photo: courtesy of The Lochy)
You could almost drive past The Lochy without realising, such is the stature of this wee pub. The one-storey, flat-roofed building is overshadowed by its own welcome sign and the mountains behind it. Yet inside it seems so much larger, with comfortable seating and great food portions, like steak or burgers, often served with chunky chips. There’s also the fish and chips, with haddock either grilled or breaded. There’s a great gin selection at the Lochy, many of the brands on offer are from increasingly celebrated Scottish distilleries.
230 Kilmallie Road
Sunny’s Sports Bar
Located on Middle Street, which runs parallel to Main Street, Sunny’s is a locals’ spot with a friendly atmosphere. This is the place to come when there’s a sporting event you want to watch, particularly football (within reason and along partisan lines of course). On Saturday nights Sunny’s transforms into a packed disco cranking out 70s and 80s classics all night long. There are dart boards and a pool table here also, which are easier to access during the day.
19 Middle Street
By Cedric Pentonville