Watersports and other adrenaline activities
Kayaking and sea kayaking
It does rain occasionally in Glencoe and this can lead to terrific kayaking conditions including the River Etive and the River Coe in spate. Slightly further afield you have the Rivers Spean and Garry. Where's the water has the latest river levels for you.
There is tremendous potential for sea kayaking in the area too, from the sheltered Loch Leven out to Loch Linnhe and then further afield to Loch Sunart. If you’re just beginning or fancy a guided trip Rockhopper offer lots of options, including boat hire.
Nevis Canoes in Fort William offers equipment sale and hire. Whatever you’re doing you’re bound to get wet so don’t forget we have a purpose-built drying room for your kit!
Sailing
Sailing on Loch Leven provides a wonderful backdrop and from April to October the local boat club has many boats out. Lochaber Watersports based at Ballachulish offers yacht charters as well as canoe hire and many other activities.Vertical Descents
Vertical Descents are only 8 miles from us and offer well organised and exciting activities such as canyoning, kayaking and rafting. kayaking and rafting. These are fantastic fun for individuals and they also offer group options – great for a stag/hen party. They also run "Sea Xplore" fast boat wildlife tours on the West Coast of Scotland. Sea Xplore are based in Ballachulish. They specialise in offering a unique combination of high adventure and pure exhilaration, with the thrill of close encounters with Scotland’s magnificent sealife and scenery.
Highland Activities
Highland Activites are based at Ardverikie which is about 1 ¼ hours drive from us and offer activites such as quad biking, canyoning and white water rafting.
Cycling (mountain and road!)
Despite the steep mountainsides there are some great mountain biking routes around Glencoe. The infamous Devils Staircase (starting at the Kingshouse or right at the foot of the climb at Allt na reigh?) gives a fantastic hike a bike climb followed by a helter skelter descent down to Kinlochleven. This is a part of the popular West Highland Way and is very busy so best enjoyed out of season and/or later on in the afternoon. On a spring evening it makes a fantastic run!Other stretches of the West Highland Way give good riding too, especially the stages from Bridge of Orchy to the Kingshouse, and from Fort William round through Glen Nevis to Lundavra. The Bridge of Orchy route can be quite exposed in ‘challenging’ weather, especially if you forget your food, gloves and water…!
Man made trails are available at Nevis Range (downhill and cross country) and at the fantastic Laggan Wolftrax. Both sites offer cafes serving good food, coffee and cakes. Lochaber Farm Shop just down from Nevis Range has another good café.
The circular road route around Loch Leven to Kinlochleven is great too, with cracking views. Go out via the ‘high road’ and back the ‘low’ road for the best descent into Kinlochleven.
The circular road route around Loch Leven to Kinlochleven is great too, with cracking views. Go out via the ‘high road’ and back the ‘low’ road for the best descent into Kinlochleven.
Another good road route is to ride from Corran across the ferry to Ardgour and then round the whole peninsula via Strontian, Acharacle and Glenfinnan, finishing with the minor road at the east side of Loch Linnhe and the ferry back home. It’s 90 miles so save it for a good day! There are two good bike shops in Fort William – Offbeat Bikes and Nevis Cycles.
Families, days out and stuff to do if it’s wet
The Nevis Centre in Fort William has a soft play area and ten pin bowling. Lochaber Leisure Centre, also in Fort William, has swimming and squash courts, Fired Arts café does great cakes and coffees plus pottery workshops. Treasures of the Earth in Corpach (just through Fort William) is an interesting gemstone and geology exhibition. Closer to Glencoe there is the fantastic National Trust visitor centre or the Ice Factor in Kinlochleven.If you want to venture further afield Oban, with its distillery, working harbour and great seafood, is an hours pleasant drive and Fort Augustus with its cruises up Loch Ness is about 1 ¼ hours away. Mallaig, one of the main ports for the Isles and Skye, is about 1 ½ hours and the beautiful drive takes in the stunning beaches around Morar. Inverness makes for an interesting visit and the early risers can even make Skye and back in a day.
Even when the weather is bad you can still have a great day on the hills so why not wrap up and get out anyway? Alternatively you can relax in front of the fire (hostel), or while away a few hours in one of the local cafes or pubs. There is excellent food to be found at the Loch Leven Seafood Cafe nearby.
Snowsports
We are in a great spot for snowsports, with Glencoe Mountain Resort a 20 minute drive and Nevis Range slightly more at 40 minutes.
Both centres offer packages from lifts/gondola only right through to full equipment hire and tuition. The snow in Scotland can be patchy and the conditions are normally better later in the season (January/February) but keep your eyes peeled for good conditions as early as December and as late as May. If you’re lucky and get a crisp and clear blue sky day it’ll be the highlight of your trip!