Fort William
A popular tourist destination, Fort William is an excellent base for exploring the Highlands. A small town with no shortage of holiday accommodation the main local attractions are Loch Linnhe (on who's banks it sits), the Caledonian Canal which begins just outside the town, spectacular Nevis Glen and of course Ben Nevis. As the highest mountain in the UK it dominates the town and attracts tens of thousands of walkers and climbers each year. There are also opportunities for skiing and many other activities in the area.
Fort William's history dates back to 1654 when General Monk established a garrison for Cromwell's troops and it's strategic position at the head of Glen Mhor has played an all important role in the development of the town. Originally known as Inverlochy the town was later named Fort William in honour of William of Orange when he had the fort built in an effort to pacify the Highlanders who largely remained loyal to the Stewart dynasty.
Although the fort was to survive attacks and sieges during both the 1715 and 1745 Jacobite uprisings it could not stand in the way of progress and was largely destroyed when the railway was built through it in 1894. Later road building has also taken its toll and very little now remains on the site to tell of the important role it once played.
As the wettest town in the UK it should come as no surprise that it was also the first to receive street lighting from a hydro electric scheme. This untapped resource led to the British Aluminium Company building their smelter outside the town, separating the metal from its ore with power produced Europe's largest private hydroelectric scheme. The original industry in Fort William came from the ample herring fisheries out in the loch.
Nowadays the main industry is surely tourism with thousands each year coming to enjoy the charms of the town and its surrounds, not to mention those limping in at the end of the West Highland Way (Scotland's best established long distance walking track), or setting off with a spring in their step to begin the Great Glen Way (one of our newest).
In Fort William we can:
- Visit Nevis Glen
- Go Souvenir hunting
- Hear the History and legends
Tours that visit the area of Fort William include:
Other places that mwy be of interest:
