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 Fort William from Across Loch Linnhe with Ben Nevis Beyond |
Fort William is the most important town in Scotland south of Inverness, west of Stirling, and north of Glasgow. It forms the natural centre of a very large area and the focus of road and rail routes. Most visitors to the Highlands are likely to find themselves here sooner or later.
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And that's no bad thing, for Fort William has a great deal to offer. It has to be acknowledged that the town is not universally admired by visitors' guides to Scotland. Concern tends to focus on the by-pass, the dual carriageway that largely cuts it off from the banks of Loch Linnhe.
Critics overlook two things. First, that the road largely follows the path of the railway line built in the 1800s to serve a station then located further south and nearer the centre of the town. And second, what would improve things? To allow through traffic to go down the now pedestrianised High Street? To put in a by-pass on the hillside above the town? To build along the line of the old military road down Glen Nevis?
Turning to the positives, Fort William has everything you could possibly need while in the Highlands. The High Street has a reasonable range of shops, and outdoor enthusiasts are especially well catered for by large outlets at either end of the underpass leading to the railway station. The new development area north west of the station houses a large supermarket and is essential visiting for anyone on a self-catering holiday.
 High Street |
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 Macintosh Memorial Church |
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 Fort William's South End |
There are a wide range of eating and drinking opportunities in Fort William, ranging from good fish and chips, to rather more upmarket establishments, including the prize winning Crannog Seafood Restaurant. For many, the highlight will be a visit to the Grog and Gruel, on the High Street.
This has a restaurant upstairs, but is still more highly recommended for the traditional (though not traditionally Scottish) pub downstairs serving a wide range of excellent real ales. Probably not the cheapest pub in town, but without doubt our favourite.
The town also marks the end of the West Highland Way, Scotland's oldest and most popular long distance walk: and the start of the Great Glen Way, the newest. The steady stream of footsore travellers coming into the town from Glen Nevis is a reminder of just how far the 95 miles from Milngavie, near Glasgow, can seem. Meanwhile a fresher stream is embarking on the 73 mile trek to Inverness.
There's plenty to do in Fort William when weather or inclination rule out a day in the hills. The West Highland Museum in the centre of the town is excellent; and a couple of miles miles west at Corpach, on the Mallaig road, you can admire Neptune's Staircase of locks on the Caledonian Canal (and also admire some of the best available views of Ben Nevis while you are at it).
Indeed, no description of Fort William could be complete without reference to Ben Nevis, normally climbed from Glen Nevis, just to the north east of Fort William. This is the UK's highest mountain.
Though the Ben dominates the town in distant views, especially from across Loch Linnhe or from Corpach, it is invisible from most of the town itself due to the intervening ridge separating Fort William from Glen Nevis.
