Fort William, Scotland

Known as the “Outdoor Capital of the UK,” Fort William is the second largest city in the Highlands after Inverness.  Surrounded by idyllic Glen Nevis and Ben Nevis, the highest mountain in Britain, the area is a magnet for hikers, bikers, and climbers.

Fort William on the shores of Loch Linnhe

Winter skiing is a major draw for tourists to the Fort William area with a gondola that takes visitors up 2,000 feet for amazing views and access to ski slopes.  The area also hosts the UCI Mountain Bike World Cup in June each year.

Fort William marks the end of the 96-mile West Highland Way, where hikers are greeted by a seated statue of a hiker looking out toward Loch Linnhe.  It is also the beginning of the 73-mile Great Glen Way hike to Inverness, where the starting point can be found in the old Fort.

The original fort on the shore of Loch Linnhe was built in 1654, but saw little action until the Jacobite Uprising in 1745 when the defeat of Bonnie Prince Charles left the Highlands changed forever.

Other unique sites in Fort William are St. Andrews Church on the north end of Main Street, St. Mary’s Catholic Church on Belford Road, and Ben Nevis Distillery.

Fort William and surrounding area

The town of about 10,000 residents sits at the head of Loch Linnhe, one of Scotland’s longest sea lochs.  Several small villages and hamlets make up Fort William including Banavie, Caol, Corpach, Inverlochy, Torlundy, and Tomacharich.

In 1822, the Caledonian Canal was opened for merchant shipping and it also brought Victorian tourism to the area.  The canal passes by the little village of Banavie near Neptune’s Staircase, a set of lock gates that raises vessels into upper Banavie canal area.

High Street in Fort William

Pedestrian only High Street is the heart of Fort William.  Here is where you’ll find shops, restaurants, pubs and the West Highland Museum.  The traditional Scottish dish is haggis, while the preferred drink is single malt whisky.

In addition, parts of several movies, including Braveheart, Rob Roy, and the Harry Potter movies, were filmed there.