Fort William is the gateway to the real Scotland — the wild, rugged, dramatic Highlands. The town itself is small, but it sits at the base of Ben Nevis, the highest mountain in Britain. For a photo tour, it’s the perfect base: surrounded by stunning views of lochs, waterfalls, and endless mountain slopes shifting in colour from bright green to almost black when low clouds sweep across them. The atmosphere here is completely different from Edinburgh — less "storybook," and far more raw, natural, and alive.
Not far from Fort William lies one of Scotland’s most iconic sights — the Glenfinnan Viaduct. To be honest, it looks like something from a movie… because it is. This is the very bridge the Hogwarts Express crosses in the Harry Potter films. But even without the cinematic association, the place is extraordinary. The viaduct stands amid rolling hills, framed by a loch and a valley where the light changes constantly: one moment sun illuminating the arches, the next — mist wrapping them in a mysterious haze.
The best time to photograph it is when the Jacobite steam train passes. It emerges from behind the curve, releasing plumes of white smoke, and the whole scene transforms into a perfect postcard. But even without the train, the viaduct is incredibly photogenic, especially at sunset when the stone glows warm and soft.
Fort William and Glenfinnan embody Scotland in its purest form: mountains, vast open spaces, wind, and just a touch of magic — as if you’ve stepped into another world.