3-Bedroom Hot Tub Cottage in Kinlochleven - Fun Days Out

Castle Stalker is a four-storey medieval tower house on a tidal islet on Loch Laich, an inlet off Loch Linnhe, in the Lynn of Lorn National Scenic Area. It is one of the best preserved medieval tower houses in western Scotland and is Category A listed. You may also recognise it from Monty Python and the Holy Grail.

It is privately owned and open to the public only at selected times in summer, by advance booking. A tour includes a short boat crossing of about 200 metres and a guided visit led by a member of the owning family. Groups are limited to six, and you should allow up to two hours. Access involves getting in and out of a boat and climbing numerous steps, so it is not suitable for wheelchairs.

Tip: Book ahead via the website's Contact Us form. Tours for 2026 have finished and the castle is closed for winter; next dates are due February 2027. Wear weatherproof clothing and wellies for the crossing.

Ben Nevis Distillery is a whisky distillery in Fort William, at the foot of Ben Nevis, the highest mountain in the British Isles. It was founded by "Long John" McDonald, a 6 ft 4 in man whose name was later given to a well-known blended Scotch. Queen Victoria visited with her young son, and Long John presented her with a cask of his whisky.

The water comes from the Allt a'Mhuilinn, which starts in two pools high on the mountain, Coire Leis and Coire na Ciste. Making the whisky involves mashing malted barley, fermenting the wort for around 48 hours, then distilling in a wash still and a spirit still. The spirit then matures in oak casks in traditional warehouses at the foot of the mountain.

Tip: Read about the water's journey from Coire Leis down to the distillery on its website before you go, so you know the story behind the whisky.

Neptune's Staircase is a flight of eight locks at Banavie, near Fort William, on the Caledonian Canal. Thomas Telford designed it, and it was built between 1803 and 1822. Together the locks lift boats 64 feet, and it is a staircase lock, so each chamber opens straight into the next.

Watching boats work their way up or down the flight is the main draw. The original hand-operated system has been replaced by hydraulic operation, but the base plinths of the old capstans can still be seen beside the locks. Cast iron swing bridges carry the road and the railway across the canal at the foot of the flight.

It suits canal and engineering fans, history lovers and families looking for a gentle outdoor stop. The story behind the locks, from Telford's plans to the repairs over the years, gives plenty to read and talk about.

Tip: Look for the base plinths of the old capstans beside the locks.

Oban Distillery was founded in 1794 by brothers John and Hugh Stevenson, and the town grew up around it. It is one of Scotland's oldest and smallest working distilleries, with just two pot stills, and it sits in the centre of Oban near the harbour.

Guided tours explain how whisky is made on a small scale, with a tasting of the coastal Highland single malt. Oban is known for a balanced, gently smoky style with bright citrus notes, somewhere between the smokier island whiskies and the lighter, sweeter Highland malts.

It's an easy stop on a day in town. The distillery is a five-minute walk from Oban train station, and there is a bar and a retail shop on site. Oban is also the gateway to the West Highlands and the islands.

Tip: Allow extra time to find paid parking nearby, or walk from Oban train station, which is five minutes away.