Fort William, a popular destination in the Scottish Highlands

Fort William, a popular destination in the Scottish Highlands

Image taken from high elevation and shows the town of Fort William, Loch Linnhe and Loch Eil.
View of Fort William from Aonach Mor

Introduction to Fort William

The town (pop 10,000) is situated in the western Highlands of Scotland on the shores of Loch Linnhe. The name originates from a military fort built in 1690 to pacify the Scottish Highlands and was named after William of Orange In recent years the town has successfully established itself as an outdoor centre with emphasis on mountain biking, skiing, hiking and mountain climbing.

Image shows Fort William High Street lined with shops and pubs.
High Street, Fort William

More information on Fort William

View of Fort William from boat on Loch Linnhe
Fort William viewed from l,och Linnhe

The twon is well positioned as a base (or stopover) for touring the Highlands and islands  of Scotland. From here a visitor can:-

  • Admire (or cruise) the Caledonian Canal which extends nearly 100Km from Corpach to Inverness. This canal is great piece of Scottish engineering dating from 1803-1822.
  • Enjoy some hiking and climbing. Close by is Ben Nevis which at 4413 feet is Britain’s highest mountain. There is also the the West Highland Way hiking trail which spans 96 miles between Fort William and Glasgow.
View of Ben Nevis, Britain's highest mountain, from west with aluminium smelter in foreground.
Ben Nevis
  • Explore Glen Nevis which offers magnificent scenery, water falls and occasional views of Highland cows.
View from west of Glen Nevis, a scenic valley which connects with Fort William.
Glen Nevis
  • Take the Jacobite Express  (aka ‘Harry Potter’ train) to Mallaig. This is popular steam train experience through stunning scenery.
View of Jacobite Express steam train traversing the Glenfinnan viaduct.
Jacobite Express at Glenfinnan
  • Ride the Mountain Gondola (chairlift) up Aonach Mor (mountain) to the high elevation environment at 2100 feet. Here visitors can enjoy the scenery, take photographs or avail of snowboarding, skiing or mountain bike experiences.
  • Take a sightseeing boat trip on Loch Linnhe (pronounced ‘Linnee’).
  • Explore the ruins of Inverlochy Castle on the banks of the River Lochy. This castle dates from the 1200s and was owned by the once powerful Comyn family.
View of visitors at Inverlochy Castle, a classic medieval fortress near fort William.
Inverlochy Castle
  • Tour Ben Nevis Distillery at and learn about the production of Scotch whisky from malting, mashing and fermentation through to distillation and maturation.
View of copper whisky stills at Ben Nevis whisky distillery.
Stills at Ben Nevis Distillery
  • Use Fort William as a base for visiting such famous Scottish sites as Glencoe  (scenery and site of infamous massacre), Isle of Skye  and Glenfinnan
View of mountainous scenery at Glencoe in the Scottish Highlands.
Glencoe Scenery

Accommodation

There is a wide range of visitor accommodation available coupled with restaurants and pubs.

View of Scottish music entertainment group at Ben Nevis Inn, Fort William.
Entertainment at Ben Nevis Inn

Travelling

Main options are road and rail. The nearest airport is Inverness, sixty-six miles to the N.W.

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