10 fascinating facts about… Fort William

February 20, 2020 / Kenny Smith /
February 20, 2020 |

Head towards the north west of Scotland, and you’ll come across the wonderful town of Fort William.

Fort William, in the western Scottish Highlands, is located on the shores of Loch Linnhe, and is regarded as a gateway to Ben Nevis, the U.K.’s highest peak

Here’s 10 fascinating facts about the area.

Fort William is known as the Outdoor Capital of the UK.

The fort was named after King William III. His wife gave her name to the town of Maryburgh.

The original fort was built in 1654 and then rebuilt in 1690. In the 1860s, a railway station was built on the fort.

The Jacobite Steam Train, which passes through Fort William, doubles as the Hogwarts Express in the Harry Potter films.

The ghost of former caretaker Edith MacGregor, who died in the 1960s, can be heard typing at the West Highland Museum.

The Mountain Festival takes place in mid-February, and includes talks, exhibitions and workshops.

Fort William was the first town in Britain to light up its streets using hydroelectricity in 1896.

The aluminium smelter was built by British Aluminium Company Ltd in the 1920s.

There is an Ojibwa First Nation reserve in Ontario, Canada named Fort William First Nation.

Troops flocked to Spean Bridge during the Second World War to train in the nearby mountains and lochs.

 

 

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