Fort William in Scotland is sadly not a town high on the tourist destination list. But more as a base for the exploration of the surrounding area, but it has a unique charm that is needs to be fully appreciated.
Perfect Location
The town of Fort William, also known as the “Outdoor capital of the UK”, is the ancestral home of the Cameron Clan. It is also the second largest settlement in the Scottish Highlands. Under William of Orange, the town was known as “The Garrison”. But sadly the original fort was demolished in the 19the century, and the town started its downfall. It gained some impetus with the development of the railway in the 1800s. This was due to its location at the southern tip of the Great Glen, near Ben Nevis and the mouth of the Nevis and Lochy, as well as near Loch Linnhe, a sea loch.
The town’s population of about 10,000 has a community of only about 7.33% who speak Gaelic. The Celtic language is native to Scotland.
The town is also renowned for the Mountain Biking World Cup which takes place in June every year.
Second World War
During World War 2, the HMS St Christopher was re-commissioned in Fort William, as a Coastal Forces Training Base. It played a short, but important role in the war effort. This of course impacted on the area in and around Fort William with the construction of offices, training facilities and general development for the navy and the local community.
The film industry has recognised not only the historic importance of Fort William, but also the beauty of its location. Scenes from “Being Human”, “Braveheart”, “Highlander”, “Harry Potter”, “Rob Roy” and “Restless Natives” have been filmed in this inspiring setting. Then, of course, this town has been very much a part of the hit TV series “Monarch of the Glen”.
The Victorians visited this lazy little town in the late 1800s to discover unexplored Scotland. And today “Fort Bill” provides a warm welcome to the magical Scottish Highlands.
