The Fort William Mountain Festival runs from Thursday 11 to Sunday 14 February 2027 in Lochaber. The festival organisers list adventure films, talks, workshops and guided outdoor events. As of 12 November 2026, the official programme page showed neither the full timetable nor ticket prices. If you’re travelling for the festival, start with a flexible room in Fort William and choose your sessions when the programme goes live.
It is one of the stand-out dates in our Highland events calendar for 2027, and a good reason to see the Highlands in their quieter season. If you’re new to a February trip, our Scottish Highlands winter guide covers daylight, clothing and road conditions in more depth.
What to look for when the programme opens
Start with one event you would make the trip for. A film screening or speaker session gives you a straightforward first visit, especially if your group has mixed interests. If there’s a workshop you want, check the length, venue and whether it assumes any prior experience before building the rest of the day around it. For a guided outdoor event, look at the grade, equipment list and meeting point. The meeting point may be away from your other sessions, so compare it with the low-level Highland walks you might do on your own.
The organiser says the programme is due in November. Once it appears, check how each session is booked, whether a pass is available and what happens if an outdoor activity is cancelled. If you’re holding a refundable room, put its cancellation deadline in your diary so you can adjust your stay if your preferred events fall on different days. You can join the mailing list on the programme page to hear when bookings open.
Where the festival takes place
The Nevis Centre at An Aird is listed as Festival HQ. The organiser advertises free entry to the HQ and still marks its February opening date as to be confirmed. Check the individual listing for any film, talk or workshop you want to attend, since the festival uses several venues. The Nevis Centre contact page shows its location close to the town centre.
The organiser’s visitor and access information lists wheelchair access at both the Nevis Centre and Highland Cinema. The cinema has limited wheelchair spaces, so confirm the screen and companion seating for the session you want. For a workshop or off-site event, ask about access at the actual venue and meeting point.
Fort William is also where the West Highland Way finishes, so the town is well used to walkers, outdoor shops and early starts. That makes it an easy place to spend a festival weekend even when the weather turns.
Stay in Fort William or travel from Inverness?
Stay in Fort William if you want evening screenings, more than one festival day or an easier return after a late finish. Look for somewhere within a walk you’re comfortable making from your chosen venue. If you have yet to pick a session, a flexible room near the High Street or transport stops gives you a practical starting point. Our guide to the best hotels in the Scottish Highlands can help you compare styles of stay.
Keep Inverness as your base if you already have accommodation there and want one daytime session. Look up your journey home before buying the event ticket. Compare the session’s likely finish with the last coach you can realistically reach, including the walk to the stop. If the gap is tight, plan to stay overnight. Our comparison of the best base for exploring the Highlands explains the trade-offs between the two towns, and there are plenty of things to do in Inverness on the days either side.
Getting to Fort William from Inverness
The road runs south-west through the Great Glen, past Loch Ness and Urquhart Castle, which makes the journey part of the trip rather than just a transfer. If you’re flying in, an Inverness Airport transfer can take you straight to your accommodation.
| Travel option | When it suits the trip | What to check |
|---|---|---|
| Scottish Citylink 919 coach | You want a direct journey and your session fits the return timetable. | Look up both directions for your date. Highland Council notes reduced winter timings. Route information |
| Drive via the A82 | You want flexibility for a daytime stop in the Great Glen or need to reach an out-of-town meeting point. | Allow extra time and check for road disruption before leaving. Find parking for the actual venue. Traffic Scotland |
| Private travel | Your group needs a particular arrival or departure time, or wants to add a sightseeing stop. | Confirm the pick-up and drop-off, return arrangements and availability before you commit. Compare chauffeur, taxi and car |
Groups with skis, camera kit or bulky winter clothing should think about luggage space as well as seats. Our note on choosing the right vehicle for a Highland tour and the vehicles in our fleet show what fits. If you’d like to see the route with stops along the way, our Fort William and distilleries tour follows the Great Glen from Inverness.
A two-night festival plan that leaves room for winter weather
Friday 12 to Sunday 14 February is one possible window. Use the same plan from Thursday if your preferred sessions fall earlier.
Day 1. Arrive and find your venue. Travel to Fort William, drop your bags and check the route from your accommodation to the venue. If a film or talk fits your arrival, make that your first session. Leave enough time for a delayed coach or a slow drive along the Great Glen.
Day 2. Build the day around one session. Leave space for lunch and time to move between venues. If rain sets in or a session falls through, the West Highland Museum in Cameron Square is an indoor option when open, and our list of things to do in the Highlands when it rains has more ideas. In clear conditions, consider Neptune’s Staircase in Banavie if you have time for the round trip and paths are suitable. On a clear, dark night away from the town lights, keep an eye on the forecast for the northern lights.
Day 3. Keep your departure flexible. Fit in a short stop if conditions and your return journey allow. The Glenfinnan Viaduct is a short drive west of Fort William. If you’re thinking of returning later in the year to see a train cross it, read when to visit the Jacobite steam train first. If you’re staying longer, Glencoe makes sense as a separate outing with time for daylight and road conditions, and our Glencoe and Glenfinnan tour guide shows how the two fit into one day.
Check the mountain and avalanche forecasts if you’re considering higher ground. Treat a February Ben Nevis ascent as a separate winter mountaineering plan requiring appropriate skills, equipment and conditions, as set out in Mountaineering Scotland’s winter guidance.
If you need a lift from Inverness timed around a festival session, send a private travel enquiry with your preferred date, departure point and group size. You can read more about our Inverness team before you get in touch.
Festival questions
Can children attend the Fort William Mountain Festival?
Check the age guidance for the particular screening, talk or activity when the official programme appears. For a family visit, look for a session with a clear age recommendation and a finish time that works for your journey home. For an outdoor booking, also confirm any equipment, experience and adult supervision requirements. Our guide to the Scottish Highlands with kids has more ideas for keeping a family trip relaxed.
Emma is a solo traveler and freelance travel writer from New Zealand who spent three weeks exploring the Scottish Highlands. With a deep appreciation for history and landscapes, she booked a series of day tours and a private chauffeur journey with Scotland Highland Trip. From Loch Ness to the Cairngorms, she documented her experience through vivid blog posts and drone footage.
