Fort William Has Much To Offer Tourists

On the beautiful untouched sands of Loch Eil and Loch Linnhe lies the town of Fort William, “The Garrison” on the Western Highlands in Scotland. Loch Eil and Loch Linnhe are just a few of the Lochs that you will find along the series of valleys known as the Great Glen or ‘Gleann Mor’ (in the Scottish Gaelic dialect). The Great Glen runs from Inverness for 100 kilometers on the Moray Firth to the great town of Fort William which lies at the head of Loch Linnhe on the southern end of the Great Glen. Fort William is also well respected as the commercial centre for the area known as Lochaber.

Fort William, named after the historical ‘William of Orange’, is well positioned near the Ben Nevis standing at 1 344 m. It is considered the highest mountain in all of the British Isles, as well as the most perilous. Regardless, this brings hoards of adventurous, clambering tourists who come for the Ben Nevis and other surrounding mountains on a yearly basis, determined to reach their summits.

A word of caution – should you wish to attempt any of these hikes and are not familiar with the indecisive Scottish weather, it is best to remember that it will invariably be under snow, cold, windy and on most occasions wet, thus bringing along it’s own set of dangers. Be sure to make use of a good compass and map, and don’t hike on your own.

The town of Fort William is one that, should you be visiting the Highlands, you will unavoidably find yourself in, as it is also the largest transport hub with a variety of rail and road routes running from the centre of town. Here you will find a variety of attractions and recreational activities from distilleries and un-spoilt beaches to one of the best Scottish golf courses in the Highlands. Fort William is by no means unforgotten for the culture and clan history that it brings as well.

Each year the Fort William Mountain Festival, which is all organised by volunteers, is held with great enthusiasm surrounding the different cultural, climbing, walking and mountain walks. It is also known for it’s two greatest ‘shinty teams’ known by the local people as Kilmallie Shinty Club and the Fort William Shinty Club. This is a local game played mainly in the Highlands of Scotland and is not too dissimilar to the popular game known as hockey. An interesting fact is that the film “Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix” was shot in the town of Fort William.

back to Highlands