Fort William, on the banks of Loch Linnhe in the Scottish Highlands, has been voted the best town for a autumnal staycation by accomodation provider Sykes Holiday Cottages
It is fairly telling that if you search for the ‘best five things to do in Fort William’, four of them are not actually in the Highlands town.
When I lived in Reading, Berkshire, it was a great source of amusement that its highest-rated attraction on Tripadvisor was the train station. ‘Like it here? Well, you’ll probably like it even more if you leave.’
Fort William, which has just, inexplicably, been voted the best staycation spot in the UK, suffers from the same problem. Among the best things visitors to the Loch Linnhe town can do is “discover Steall Waterfall & Glen Nevis”, which is a minimum of seven miles from Fort William.
The famous Glenfinnan Viaduct is also on the list, and is 16 miles from the town. The big draw for those who make it to the Lochaber Region’s most prominent settlement is, of course, climbing Ben Nevis. In fairness to Fort William, the UK’s tallest mountain does tower over the town of 15,000, but it’s not exactly in it.
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Defenders of the town would argue that it’s plenty close, and, as its nickname ‘the Gateway to the Highlands’ suggests, it is more of an access point rather than a final destination in its own right.
Location hairsplitting aside, I would contest that Fort William is unworthy of its recently claimed title as the best autumn staycation destination in the UK, as awarded by Sykes Holiday Cottages.
I have visited over a dozen times over the years and always found it wanting in comparison to the beautiful scenery that surrounds those who venture further north into the Highlands proper, and the charm of the many pretty villages that are scattered across it such as Glenelg, Mallaig and Ullapool.
Fort William seems to suffer from the same architectural ailment as Aberdeen, which has leaned into its greyness by taking the title ‘the City of Granite’. FW has similarly pebble-dashed, austere vibes that make you feel like you’re stuck in a permanent Sunday.
For me, the two standout attractions in Fort William are the Morrisons and Grog and Gruel. The former is one of the most prominent and sizeable supermarkets you’re likely to see. It delivers a selection of regional pastries in its hot food section that will see you well on your way into the Highlands.
The latter is a cockle-warming alehouse that has been serving up delicious food and excellent pig-centered merchandise for the past 30 years.
But I’m not convinced that this is enough for Fort William to be deserving of its autumn staycation trophy. Especially not in a country that is home to York, Edinburgh and Bath.
Indeed, another section of the voting public has previously made their feelings about the small town known. In May 2024 it was ranked among the least liked holiday spots in the UK.
In a survey of 3,967 members, Which? asked respondents to rate cities and towns across the UK that they had visited for leisure and stayed in for at least one night in the past two years. Fort William was ranked last on the list of ‘small UK cities,’ scoring a mere 58 per cent, alongside Torquay in England.
The town received a lowly two out of five for food and drink, accommodation, shopping, and ‘ease of getting around’. Hotels in Fort William also ranked among the priciest, with an average cost of £135 per night. While the town is home to well-loved restaurants praised on Tripadvisor, other eateries have been criticised as “overpriced” and “abysmal.”
While some visitors appreciate the charm of the central shopping district, others have been less impressed. particularly by the town’s noisy main road. One travel publication even went as far as calling it “ugly.”
Describing the town centre, Scotland Off the Beaten Track wrote: “Fort William isn’t easy on the eye. An ugly shopping arcade blights the northeast end of the High Street, while a noisy dual carriageway with an irritating lack of crossing points makes access to the underutilised esplanade and Old Fort awkward.”