We offer a brief insight into our Highland town Fort William
Fort William is mostly popular because our Highland town is located at the foot of the highest mountain in the UK - Ben Nevis. Each year more than 500,000 people visit Fort William to climb up the mountain which rises from sea-level to 4,406 feet in a relatively short distance.
Fort William is also famous for the Jacobite Steam Train journey, which is considered one of the most scenic train journeys in the world - and we think it is too !
Fort William's early history and development began during the Jacobite Risings, a result of which caused the garrisoning of troops in a fort - hence "Fort William", named after the reigning monarch at the time - King William. It was built on the shore of Loch Linnhe - the site can be visited today as it is a pleasant grassy park at An Aird, very close to the West Highland College building and Morrisons supermarket.
Fort William has a population of around 12,000 people who live in the town and surrounding villages of Inverlochy, Caol, Banavie, Corpach, Torlundy and Tomacharich.
Our town has an interesting variety of industry which includes aluminium smelting, timber processing, fish farming, forestry and a wide range of local services from building and construction to retail, and probably most importantly of all - tourism!
Visitors come to Fort William from all over the world to sample our friendly welcome and hospitality, experience Highland culture and some traditional ways of life, and of course to discover our wonderful scenery of mountains, glens, rivers and lochs.
We hope we can welcome you to Fort William and help you get the best from your time in our town.
Alternative places to stay
If you are interested in an excellent quality self catering apartment, we highly recommend The Waterfront self catering.