Area Guide - Fort William

Fort William is the second largest settlement in The Highlands, after Inverness, and the main town in the Lochaber region which is known as The Outdoor Capital of the UK, and for good reason. Fort William is situated at the foot of Britain's highest mountain, Ben Nevis which many visitors set out to climb or head to for it's various other challenges such as the mountain biking and winter sports to be enjoyed at the Nevis Range Mountain Resort or the miles of trails to be explored through Leanachan Forest.

Fort William is also famed as the starting point for one of the most iconic railway journeys in the world onboard The Jacobite Steam Train, now also renowned as "The Hogwarts Express", which takes passengers on a stunning trip through incredible scenery to Mallaig, on Scotland's west coast, passing over "The Harry Potter Viaduct" at Glenfinnan along the way!

Glen Nevis, which is the valley on the west and south sides of Ben Nevis, is not only the starting point for the most popular route to the summit but also has plenty to offer visitors who are not planning on trekking to the top of the Ben with spectacular waterfalls and great views all along the glen. The visitor centre, 1.5 miles along the Glen Nevis road, is a great starting point for finding out more about this wonderful spot.

The town of Fort William, although not as large or as thriving as Inverness, is worthy of a visit, even if just to see the Bronze Model T Ford Statue situated at Cameron Square in the town centre and the nearby West Highland Museum which explains the story of the Model T that drove up Ben Nevis as well as having a lot of other interesting exhibits. Other indoor attractions around the town include The Treasures of The Earth at Corpach which has wide-ranging displays of rocks and gems from around the world,Ben Nevis Distillery which provide tours and whisky tasting, and The Nevis Centre which has ten-pin bowling lanes and hosts events and music concerts throughout the season.

Some of the finest views of Ben Nevis can be had from Corpach Basin, which is at the southern extremity of The Caledonian Canal where it meets Loch Linnhe. Slightly further along the canal at Banavie is Neptune's Staircase which is the longest set of canal locks in Britain - a 19 metre rise over a quarter of a mile stretch containing eight locks.

For golfers the Fort William Golf Club welcomes visiting players and offers the unusual opportunity to play a round with a backdrop of The Nevis Range. Close by, on the banks of the River Lochy, are the remains of Old Inverlochy Castle which dates back to the 13th century.