Fort William Area
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-> Fort William AreaThis area stretches between Glen Coe in the south to Invergary in the north, including Fort William, Ben Nevis, the sea lochs of Loch Leven and Loch Linnhe, and the inland lochs of Loch Lochy and Loch Oich.
Fort William
The town has a magnificent setting overlooking Loch Linnhe and is a convenient centre for climbing, walking and mountain biking in the surrounding area. Attractions include the West Highland Museum, the Ocean Frontier Underwater Centre (which includes a diving training centre with artificial wreck), the Ben Nevis Distillery and a trip on the Jacobite Steam Train to Mallaig.
Around Fort William
Ben Nevis is Scotland's highest mountain at 1343 metres but is surrounded by many other peaks over 1000 metres. The area is thus a magnet for 'Munro baggers' (climbers of mountains over 1000 metres), walkers, skiers (at the relatively new Aonach Mhor ski centre), paragliders and cyclists attracted by the championship downhill mountain biking course. The Caledonian Canal starts at Banavie where there are eight locks known as Neptune's Staircase. Nearby is the Treasures of the Earth geological exhibition at Corpach.
Glen Coe, south of Fort William, is the site of the 1692 massacre of the MacDonalds at the hands of the Campbell clan. There are lots of both strenuous and less challenging walks in this area, for example, the Devil's Staircase from Kinlochleven and the Buachaille Etive Beag circuit along the valleys. The 14-mile walk from Kinlochleven to Fort William constitutes the final section of the West Highland Way. There are a few attractions in Kinlochleven: the Aluminium Story, The Ice Factor (an indoor climbing centre) and Atlas Brewery.
Information
There is a tourist office in Cameron Square in Fort Wiiliam and Ballachulish.
The hotels in the area include: Fort William area - Alexandra Milton Hotel, Glenloy Lodge Hotel and Inverlochy Castle; Clachaig Inn, the Ballachulish, Isles of Glencoe Hotel and Kinghouse Hotel in the Glen Coe area; and the MacDonald Hotel and Tailrace Inn in Kinlochleven.
The restaurants in the area include: Fort William area - the Crannog Seafood restaurant, No. 4, Nevisport Restaurant, the Grog and Gruel, Old Pines (near Spean Bridge) and An Crann (Seangan Bridge); and the Four Seasons (Ballachulish). | 
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