Overview
The town of Fort William is a place well-known as the as the outdoor capital of the UK. Nestling at the foot of Britain’s highest mountain, Ben Nevis, the town serves as a hub for mountain bikers, climbers, paragliders, canyoneers, wild swimmers, kayakers, skiers, snowboarders, walkers and more. And on the subject of walking - Welcome! I’m Hugh, your guide, looking forward to helping
you wander through the most fascinating and historic areas of Fort William. The route is nearly a
complete circle, beginning at Fort William Train Station and Transport Centre and ending at the Old
Fort, just next door. The distance is 2.9 km, and it takes me 1 hour 30 minutes. But you get to enjoy it at your own pace. Pause where you want. Enter a visitor attraction if you wish. Then pick up the story again, whenever you’re ready. The audio will uncover each stop when you need it. No crowds, just you, me and the stories.
Some highlights on this tour are:
• Craigs Cemetery: entered through the relocated gate from the old fort, and giving rewarding views including a glimpse of Britain’s highest mountain.
• Saint Mary’s Roman Catholic Church: an impressive structure, built mainly from grey granite.
• Highland Hotel: old railway hotel later seeing service as a diamond factory, a wartime training base, and finally again a hotel.
• Gordon Square: see the statue of the man with sore feet, and the little Fort William Pier.
• Cameron Square: municipal space on the high street, where the fabulous West Highland Museum stands. A great visit.
• Saint Andrews Episcopal Church: hoped to be a cathedral. It never happened, but the gorgeous interiors were designed with that hope in mind.
• The Parade: well named as it was, indeed, the parade ground of the old fort, and has a number of attractive monuments and an unusual ghost.
The Old Fort of Fort William.
Being built on a hill gives Fort William much of its character. So, after our first couple of stops, this
walk will take us uphill on a short and gentle climb, affording us fine views of the surrounding
landscapes. Then, we’ll drop back down to Gordon Square and the latter half of the walk is a level
stroll along the High Street. By the time that I leave you, in the atmospheric remnants of the Old
Fort, I hope that our time together will have given you enough snippets about history and culture to
increase your enjoyment and understanding of my home town.
