Fort William Area Things To Do<<>> Fort William highland holidays with things to do in the area is the subject of this page. Situated at the end of the West Highland Way this Lochaber town, at the head of Loch Linnhe, is well worth a visit. Looked on as the outdoor capital of the UK it offers superb magnificent scenery, lochs and rivers. Together with beautiful glens and the highest mountain in the UK - Ben Nevis.
Fort William town is the largest in the west of Scotland and offers mountains, fresh clean air and outdoor sports. People come here for highland holidays, culture, clan history, quiet country roads, and comfortable places to stay. Fort William at the foot of Ben Nevis is named after the military fort built by William of Orange to station English Redcoat soldiers. Who were garrisoned here to control the Jacobite Highlanders in the 1700s. The West Highland Area Museum at the corner of Cameron Square in the centre of Fort William is excellent. It has a great collection of local artefacts and important Jacobite relics. Visit the ruins of Inverlochy Castle abandoned during the Scottish Wars of Independence (1296-1357).
Glen Nevis is a wonderful drive with wonderful views, great walks and hikes. An easy, gentle walk in the Nevis Gorge is to Steall Waterfall. This hike is very easy but good footware is recommended.
You can park at the end of the road or at the Lower Falls car park and view the lower falls at the beginning of your trek. These waterfalls are impressive as they thunder below your feet under the road bridge.
Hike through the Glen walking against the flow of the River Nevis as it cascades down from the surrounding mountains. Marvel at the rocks in the riverbed and the superb views all around you. In a short time the glen opens up to reveal a lovely valley with the hanging Steall Falls at the end. Walk up the valley and test your balance and nerve by crossing the river on the steel rope bridge. From here you can see Steall Falls at close hand.
The most impressive engineering feat on the Caledonian Canal lies north of Fort William, at Corpach where you will see the beginning of Neptune's Staircase. This is a ladder of eight locks that raises vessels to a height of 70 feet above sea level over a distance of 500 yards. The 60 mile Canal links Loch Linnhe, Loch Lochy, Loch Oich and Loch Ness was started in 1803 to provide work and stem the flood of emigration from the Highlands. It finally opened in 1822 too shallow for many of the increasingly large ships being built at the time. A second phase of construction was undertaken between 1844 and 1847.
Indeed, no reference to things to do Fort William area is complete without mentioning Ben Nevis, the UK's highest mountain. At 1344m it draws walkers and climbers from around the world. Every year, thousands of people reach the top by following the “mountain footpath” from Achintree. If you want to scale its summit, climb its cliffs or just admire its views you will be impressed.
For Fort William things to do you can go up the Nevis mountain range without any effort using Britain's only mountain gondola that transports you effortlessly to a height of 650m. The gondolas transport visitors effortlessly from 300ft up to 2150ft on the north face of Aonach Mor, the eighth highest mountain in Britain. The journey takes approximately 12 - 15 minutes each way, and each gondola can accommodate up to six people. The ride allows breathtaking views of the Scottish Highlands, including the Great Glen, Ben Nevis, and surrounding areas. On a clear day this spectacular view can extend as far as the Inner Hebrides. Frequent visitors often remark that every visit to Nevis Range can be extremely different with the changing seasonal colours.
The Jacobite steam train which runs from Fort William to Mallaig was voted Top Railway Journey in the World 2009 by Wanderlust Magazine, due mainly to the stunning scenery on the 84 mile round trip. <<>> The journey takes you past Britain's highest mountain, deepest loch, shortest river and most westerly station. It crosses the world famous 21 arch concrete viaduct, (as featured in the Harry Potter films) with its stunning views down Loch Shiel. A truly unforgettable Fort William experience.
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