Go Away! Outdoor Activities in Fort William and Lochaber

Where? Adrenalising outdoor activity in Fort William and Lochaber.

What? More specifically, a mountain bike marathon, or if H2O’s your thing, white water rafting and canyoning in the Outdoor Capital of the UK.

Why? Well, the clue is ‘Outdoor Capital of the UK’. A rather bold statement to make, but easily backed up by the stunning geographical backdrop and the range of activities and facilities available. No Fuss Events are mountain bike-crazed adventure junkies, organising everything from bike-based ‘avalanches’, downhill endurance events and on 21 May bring you 10 Under The Ben. This event, in its seventh year, sees teams of 2-4 bikers complete as many laps of a 10 mile course as they can in 10 hours. Sounds tough? Well, yeah, it is, but then some people really enjoy the pain. Of course, they don’t expect us all to be masochists, so the event can take the form of a relay, with one member out on the course at a time, while the others kick back and take in the refreshments and live music which will be available all day.

Highland Activities co-ordinate a mind-boggling range of land and aquatic based undertakings and are particularly adept at catering to large gatherings, from unruly mobs (corporate events) and group bonding experiences (stag and hen). They also offer the best summer white water rafting in Scotland because of the guarantee of... well, water. The rivers Garry and Awe have their flow guaranteed as a consequence of hydro dams so the fun of crashing through rapids and dropping over falls never has to stop.

They also specialise in Canyoning, which has been described as white water rafting –without the raft. Sounds ominous, but basically, it is the extremely exhilarating process of sliding, abseiling, swimming and generally making any way you can down a deep gorge on a spectacular mountainside. Well why not?

How? Getting there: Fort William is well serviced by trains and buses from the Central Belt.