Fabulous Fort William by super Scottish Citylink!

Sitting snugly beneath the brooding bulk of Ben Nevis and gazing out across the glassy waters of Loch Linnhe, Fort William is the sort of Highland town that grabs your heart from the moment you step off the coach. And what a way to arrive, on the marvellous Scottish Citylink network, where every mile of the journey is a Great Scenic Journey in itself! Forget the car, forget the traffic, forget the endless faff of finding somewhere to park. Slide into a comfy seat, pop your bag in the rack, and let the Highlands roll by outside the window like the world's most spectacular slideshow.

Fort William is famously billed as the Outdoor Capital of the UK, and once you clap eyes on the mountains, sea lochs, glens and forests that fan out in every direction, you'll see exactly why. It sits on the West Highland Line and at a natural crossroads of the north, which is why Scottish Citylink has woven it so beautifully into its network. The 914, 915 and 916 services thunder up daily from Glasgow through Loch Lomond, Tyndrum, Bridge of Orchy and the eerily beautiful expanse of Rannoch Moor, before dropping down Glen Coe in a jaw-dropping crescendo of cliffs, waterfalls and heather-blanketed slopes. If ever there was an argument for leaving the car at home, this is it. You simply cannot stare slack-jawed at the Three Sisters of Glen Coe if you're the one behind the wheel!

From the north, the equally magnificent Scottish Citylink 919 links Inverness with Fort William through the Great Glen, tracing the shores of Loch Ness, Loch Oich and Loch Lochy. It is a ribbon of blue and green that feels almost too pretty to be real. And for those heading further west, the 918 continues on from Fort William out to Portree on the Isle of Skye, meaning your Highland adventure can just keep going and going. It really is a case of hop on, sit back and marvel.

The coaches themselves are a treat: comfy, warm, with big picture windows practically designed for photography, free wi-fi to share your snaps as you go, and drivers who know these roads like the back of their hand. There is something wonderfully civilised about gliding through the Highlands with a flask of coffee and a good book, glancing up every few minutes to gasp at another loch, another summit, another red deer picking its way through the bracken.

And then, there it is: Fort William. The bus station sits right in the heart of town, moments from the pedestrianised High Street with its cheerful jumble of independent shops, outdoor gear specialists, cafés, whisky merchants and woollen mills. First things first, stretch your legs with a stroll along the High Street and take in the mountain air, which up here somehow feels crisper, cleaner and about ten degrees more invigorating than anywhere else.

For a proper sense of the place, pop into the West Highland Museum, tucked just off the High Street in Cameron Square. It is a proper, old-school treasure trove of a museum, small enough to enjoy in an hour but stuffed with genuine gems: Jacobite relics, tartan curiosities, a fascinating look at Highland life, and the famous secret portrait of Bonnie Prince Charlie that only reveals itself when reflected in a polished cylinder. It is the sort of clever, quirky exhibit that makes children and grown-ups alike go "ooooh" in unison.

Once you have soaked up a bit of history, the great outdoors is calling and it is really rather insistent. A short stroll or local bus ride takes you to the Nevis Range and the entrance to Glen Nevis, arguably one of the most beautiful glens in Scotland. Even if you have no intention of tackling Ben Nevis itself, and let's be honest, at 1,345 metres it is Britain's highest mountain and not to be taken lightly, you can enjoy the lower paths, the tumbling waters of the River Nevis, and the sheer, cinematic drama of the surrounding peaks. Steven Spielberg thought so too: parts of Glen Nevis have doubled for Middle-earth and beyond on the silver screen.

Just north of town, the Jacobite Steam Train chuffs out of Fort William station on its celebrated run to Mallaig, crossing the 21-arched Glenfinnan Viaduct made world-famous by a certain young wizard and his flying car. Whether you're a die-hard Harry Potter fan or simply a lover of proper old-fashioned steam travel, watching that plume of smoke curl against the mountains is a sight that never, ever gets old. Combine it with your Citylink journey and you have a car-free day of pure, unadulterated Highland romance.

Water lovers will adore Loch Linnhe, the sea loch that laps almost against Fort William's front doorstep. There are boat trips out onto the loch to spot seals, porpoises, sea eagles and, if you're very lucky, the occasional dolphin. The views back towards town, with Ben Nevis looming behind, are the stuff of postcards. A gentle walk along the shore is a lovely way to spend an hour, especially as the light softens in the late afternoon and the mountains turn every shade of purple imaginable.

History buffs should saddle up (metaphorically) for the short journey to Neptune's Staircase at Banavie, a magnificent flight of eight locks on the Caledonian Canal designed by Thomas Telford in the early 1800s. Watching boats slowly rise and fall through this engineering marvel, with Ben Nevis as a backdrop, is oddly hypnotic. Bring a picnic, plonk yourself on the grass, and lose an afternoon.

Then there are the ruins of Old Inverlochy Castle, a 13th-century fortress just outside town that has seen its fair share of clan battles and Highland drama. It is free to wander around, wonderfully atmospheric, and gives you a real feeling for the turbulent past of this part of Scotland.

All that fresh air and exploring will, of course, work up a proper Highland appetite, and Fort William is more than happy to oblige. The Lime Tree, an art gallery and restaurant rolled into one, is a much-loved local favourite, celebrating Scottish produce with confidence and flair: think West Coast seafood, Highland lamb, and puddings that make grown adults go a bit misty-eyed. Crannog Seafood Restaurant, perched right on the pier over Loch Linnhe, is a Fort William institution, sit by the window with a plate of langoustines or a bowl of Cullen skink and watch the light dance on the water. Sheer, salty, seafood bliss.

For something more relaxed, the Grog and Gruel on the High Street is a cheerful, welcoming spot for a hearty pub meal and a decent pint of Scottish ale, while the Wildcat is a lovely little vegan and vegetarian café-shop that has picked up a serious following for its wholesome plates and homemade cakes. Coffee-wise, treat yourself to a proper Highland pick-me-up at one of the independent cafés dotted along the High Street, where the scones are big, the smiles are bigger, and nobody is in a rush.

No trip to Fort William would be complete without a wee dram, and this is deep whisky country. Ben Nevis Distillery, on the northern edge of town, is one of Scotland's oldest licensed distilleries, dating back to 1825, and offers tours where you can peek behind the scenes at the mash tuns, washbacks and gleaming copper stills before, of course, sampling the results. Slàinte mhath!

Fort William also makes a magnificent base for further adventures, and this is where Scottish Citylink really comes into its own. Hop on the 918 westward and you're bound for the Isle of Skye. Take the 919 north and Inverness, Loch Ness and the Cairngorms await. Head south again on the 914, 915 or 916 and Glen Coe, Loch Lomond and Glasgow open up before you. It is a Highland hub in every sense, and thanks to the Citylink network you can string together a whole holiday of scenic journeys without ever glancing at a set of car keys.

What lingers longest about Fort William, though, is not any single sight but the atmosphere: the smell of woodsmoke and pine, the way the clouds catch on the shoulders of Ben Nevis, the friendly hellos on the High Street, the pinkish glow on the loch at sunset. It is a town that feels genuinely of its landscape, proud of its heritage but full of warmth for anyone who wanders in.

So do yourself an enormous favour. Book a seat on super Scottish Citylink, pack a waterproof and a sense of wonder, and let the Highlands do the rest. Fabulous Fort William is waiting, and getting there is very nearly as glorious as being there. For timetables and tickets, head to citylink.co.uk and start plotting your Great Scenic Journey. You'll be humming Highland tunes for weeks afterwards, we promise. To plan your fun-packed scenic sojourn, check out https://www.citylink.co.uk/