Skip to content
Make It Scotland
SPEAN BRIDGE

Spean Lodge

1 / 12

A lodge with rooms and apartments, ten miles from Ben Nevis

Spean Lodge is a Victorian shooting lodge in the middle of Spean Bridge, restored and now doing two things at once. Three individually decorated rooms in the main house are run as bed and breakfast, with a guest lounge looking over the gardens and a breakfast that guests consistently single out. Beside them are two self-catering apartments, each with two bedrooms, for anyone staying longer or wanting to cook.

That mix is unusual and it is the reason to book here. A couple walking for a few days can take a room and be fed; a family staying a week can have an apartment and a kitchen; a group doing both can share the site.

The position is the other half of it. Spean Bridge is on the A82 at the top of the Great Glen, so Ben Nevis and Fort William are fifteen minutes south, Glencoe about forty, the Glenfinnan viaduct half an hour west, and the road up the Great Glen towards Loch Ness and Inverness runs from the door.

Good to know

  • Breakfast is included with the three lodge rooms. The two apartments are self-catering and do not include it.
  • The apartments have two bedrooms each, so they suit a family or two couples rather than a single pair.
  • The lodge is in the village itself, which means the shop, the pub and the railway station are walkable, and it is not a remote setting.
  • Dogs are welcome, but confirm which room or apartment when you book.
  • The lodge is a regular stop for walkers on the East Highland Way.

Features

  • Breakfast
  • Dedicated workspace
  • Free parking
  • Hair dryer
  • Heating
  • Indoor fireplace
  • Iron
  • King bed
  • Fully Equipped Kitchen
  • Dog Friendly
  • TV
  • Wifi
  • Washing machine
  • Towels
  • Toiletries
  • Outdoor furniture

Location

Rooms and apartments

Name Type Beds Breakfast
The Well Red Room B&B room in the lodge Double, overlooking the gardens Included
The Twin Room B&B room in the lodge Two singles Included
The Blue Room B&B room in the lodge Family room, flexible Included
The Wee Apartment Self-catering Two bedrooms Self-catering
River View House Self-catering Two bedrooms, river views Self-catering

The three lodge rooms share the guest lounge and the gardens. The apartments are self-contained, with their own kitchens, which is what makes a week here workable rather than just a night or two.

Where it puts you

The Commando Memorial is a mile up the road, and the view from it down Glen Spean to Ben Nevis and the Nevis Range is the one on the postcards. Ben Nevis itself, and the Leanachan Forest trails beneath its north face, are fifteen minutes away. There is a good six-kilometre circular from the door taking in the memorial and the River Spean, which is enough for an afternoon.

Fort William is ten miles south for everything else, and Glencoe is around forty minutes. Going the other way, Spean Bridge is where a lot of people spend the night before starting the North Coast 500 or heading out to Skye.

The steam train featured in Harry Potter is going through Glenfinnan.

Fort William

Ben Nevis, the Nevis Range, Glen Nevis and the town at the foot of the mountain.

The West Highland Way

The route finishes at Fort William, fifteen minutes down the road.

Frequently asked questions

Is Spean Lodge a B&B or self-catering?

Both. Three rooms in the main lodge are run as bed and breakfast, and two two-bedroom apartments beside it are self-catering.

Is breakfast included?

For the three lodge rooms, yes. The apartments are self-catering and do not include breakfast.

How far is Ben Nevis?

About fifteen minutes by car to the Glen Nevis visitor centre, and the same to the Leanachan Forest trails under the mountain's north face.

Is Spean Lodge dog friendly?

Yes. Confirm the room or apartment when booking.

How far is Fort William?

Ten miles, roughly fifteen minutes down the A82.

Can you walk from the lodge?

Yes. A six kilometre circular takes in the Commando Memorial and the River Spean, and the lodge is a regular overnight stop for walkers on the East Highland Way.

Is it a good base for the NC500?

It is a sensible night before or after it. Spean Bridge sits at the top of the Great Glen, so the road north through Fort Augustus and Inverness starts here.

Can you get there by train?

Yes. Spean Bridge is on the West Highland Line between Glasgow and Mallaig, and the station is within walking distance of the lodge.

Important

*Make it Scotland provides general information and aims to be as up to date as possible. However, we cannot guarantee the accuracy of the information or pricing provided.

Advertising disclosure

We may be paid a commission by our partners when you click on the links in our articles. This does not affect our independent journalism.

Explore nearby

Reading for the area: Glencoe to Skye Itinerary