Ben Nevis, Fort William

According to What Pub this is a Mitchell and Butler pub, a company that features in the higher reaches of my AVOID list. The public bar side was closed on my Thursday afternoon visit so I had to endure the food orientated and pretentiously named Jacobite Lounge. The three hand pumps here had a pathetic choice of just two beers, Deuchars IPA nd Harviestoun Bitter and Twisted. I went for the Bitter and Twisted (£3.40) which was in reasonable nick but dull. I'll leave this one to the tourists. I can only think it's GBG 2017 listed to make up the branch numbers.

Named in honour of the British Isles' highest mountain nearby, this is an appropriately large establishment, consisting of four separate sections. At street level are the Ben Bar and the Jacobite Lounge, although there is not much to choose between them in terms of comfort, customers or décor. Upstairs is the Munro Restaurant and outdoors, up a flight of steps, the “Beer Deck,” provides panoramic views over Loch Linnhe and the mountains above the opposite shore (which don't include Ben Nevis as it's on the other side of the pub). In the Ben Bar, a pint of Tennent's lager cost me £3.10. San Miguel and Carlsberg lagers, Strongbow and Somersby ciders, Guinness and Belhaven Best are also on tap while three hand pumps dispense East Coast Ale, Deuchars IPA and Harviestoun Bitter and Twisted. This is, understandably, a very busy and popular place, but with sufficient room to cope with a sizeable clientele.