Fort William

Fort William is the main town of the Scottish West Highlands, sitting at the foot of Ben Nevis — Britain's highest mountain — where Loch Linnhe meets the Great Glen. It has long been a base for walkers, climbers, and those drawn to serious Highland scenery. Just outside town, Inverlochy Castle Hotel occupies a magnificent 19th-century baronial mansion, offering five-star luxury surrounded by private grounds and mountain views. The old ruined fortress of Old Inverlochy Castle nearby dates back to the 13th century. Fort William is also the southern starting point of the West Highland Way and the famous Jacobite steam train route to Mallaig. Local distilleries, a good West Highland Museum, and easy access to Glencoe and the Great Glen make this a place where history and landscape combine in a way that few other Highland towns can match.

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Things to Do

• •Walk or hike to the summit of Ben Nevis, Britain's highest mountain, from Glen Nevis
• •Ride the Jacobite steam train from Fort William to Mallaig across the famous Glenfinnan Viaduct
• •Visit Old Inverlochy Castle, the 13th-century ruined fortress beside the River Lochy
• •Explore the West Highland Museum in Fort William for local history and Jacobite artefacts
• •Drive through Glencoe, one of Scotland's most dramatic and historic mountain passes, 20 miles south
• •Take a boat trip on Loch Linnhe from Fort William with views to the surrounding mountains
• •Sample single malt whisky at the Ben Nevis Distillery on the northern edge of Fort William

Nearby Attractions

• Glencoe — one of Scotland's most dramatic mountain glens with a tragic history of the 1692 massacre, 20 miles south
• Glenfinnan Monument and Viaduct — the iconic Jacobite steam train crossing and site of Bonnie Prince Charlie's standard raising
• Old Inverlochy Castle — the ruined 13th-century fortress built by the Comyns just outside Fort William
• Ben Nevis Distillery — one of Scotland's oldest Highland distilleries, producing single malt whisky at the foot of Ben Nevis
• Neptune's Staircase at Banavie — Britain's longest staircase lock on the Caledonian Canal, with views to Ben Nevis