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Fort William
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With its stunning position on Loch Linnhe, tucked in below the snow-streaked bulk of Ben Nevis,
FORT WILLIAM
(known by the many walkers and climbers that come here as "Fort Bill"), should be a gem. Sadly, the same lack of taste that nearly saw the town renamed "Abernevis" in the 1950s is evident in the ribbon bungalow development and ill-advised dual carriageway - complete with grubby pedestrian underpass - which have wrecked the waterfront. The main street and the little squares off it are more appealing, though occupied by some decidedly tacky tourist gift shops.
The countryside around the town is a blend of rugged mountain terrain and tranquil sea loch. Dominating the scene to the south is
Ben Nevis
- Britain's highest peak, best approached from scenic Glen Nevis. Some of the best views of "the Ben", as it's sometimes called, can be found at the Commando Memorial by
Spean Bridge
, a small village which marks the junction of the Great Glen with
Glen Roy
, which stretches east into some remote high country in the centre of Scotland. The most famous glen of all,
Glen Coe
, lies on the main A82 road half an hour's drive south of Fort William, the two separated by the coastal inlet of
Loch Leven
. Nowadays the whole area is unashamedly given over to tourism, and Fort William is swamped by bus tours throughout the summer, but, as ever in the Highlands, within a thirty-minute drive you can be totally alone. Other useful information
for tourists (each section contains more specific sub-sections): |
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United Kingdom,
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