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Town in the Highlands of Scotland
Photo: Martin Horsfall, CC BY-SA 2.0 via Wikimedia Commons
Fort William is a town at the foot of the Great Glen, on the west coast of the Scottish Highlands. It's the main transport, commercial and visitor hub for the area: its attractions include Ben Nevis, Nevis Range ski resort, the Caledonian Canal, and "The Jacobite" steam train.
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Regional history from earliest times through Jacobites and Victorians to the present.
A ruined medieval castle built in the 1270s, and patched up but little altered since. It comprises a quadrangular courtyard, 31 m by 27 m, surrounded by a sturdy curtain wall with round towers at each corner. The largest, Comyn Tower, was the castle keep. The three sides not facing the river were protected by a water-filled ditch, and both entrances were defended by a portcullis. The ruins are unstable and fenced off for safety.
Small geology museum and shop, with a collection of crystals, gemstones and fossils.
Independent cinema and café bar with two cinema theatres, and café bar seating up to 84.
Indoor climbing (roped) and bouldering (unroped) walls in an old church.
Nevis Range ski resort is on Aonach Mor, the mountain just north of Ben Nevis. From the car park (£5 / day) take the gondola to "Snowgoose" at 650 m. Chairlifts and tows lead to the summit plateau around 1221 m, with most pistes along this stretch. Just east are some hairy steep descents. Weather and snow conditions are highly variable, always check ahead on the resort website.
Great seafood, classic pub fare done well. Their branch on town pier has closed.
standard Indian curries, done really well.
Single malt whisky distillery, offers tours.
Offers tours
Good selection of real ales.
A good laugh, decent beer, and well-priced spirits. Live sports and dance floor.
This is now a small hotel and no longer run as a hostel.
Decent chain choice, acceptable for what you pay.
Open mid-Mar to Oct, this has caravan pitches, static caravans, pods, campsite, and sometimes a lot of midges. Restaurant on site is open May-Oct.
Two miles from town, but convenient for Ben Nevis and the West Highland Way. Clean friendly place.
Backpackers’ hostel, providing accommodation for walkers, cyclists, people on activity holidays, families and groups, but no hen or stag parties. Dorms are only available for exclusive hire.
Reliable chain hotel.
Creaky old rooms but bright helpful staff. No lift, no pets. With restaurant, pizzeria & public bar.
Welcoming B&B on hill overlooking Loch Linnhe, open Apr-Sep. No pets or children under 13.
A great base camp for climbing Ben Nevis. No dorm, the former bunkhouse has been converted into separate rooms. Breakfast is self-catering, the restaurant is open daily Apr-Oct, Th-Su Nov-Mar.
B&B open all year plus self-catering rooms, friendly knowledgeable host, great location at the foot of Ben Nevis.
Comfortable loch-side inn. Nowadays it's room-only serviced accommodation as the restaurant and bar are closed, and no reception.
B&B in former church manse, six rooms en suite. No children under 12.
Small hotel with bistro by the canal ladder of locks. A bit run down, dog-friendly.
Luxury country house hotel in a Baronial mansion built in 1863. A big splurge but most guests rate it well worth the money, some found the service and dining below par.
By train
Trains from Glasgow Queen Street take four hours via Dumbarton, Helensburgh, Arrochar & Tarbet (for Loch Lomond), Crianlarich (where a portion divides for Oban) and Spean Bridge.
By bus
Citylink buses 914, 915 and 916 run four times daily from Glasgow Buchanan Station to Fort William, taking 3 hours. Two of them continue via Spean Bridge and Laggan to Portree on Skye.
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