Fort William is the second largest city in the Highlands after Inverness, to which it sometimes claims the title of regional capital. It is undoubtedly the tourist hub, with Glen Coe to the south, the road to the islands to the west, Loch Ness to the north and mountains as far as the eye can see to the east. Cradled by the waters of Loch Linnhe and nestled at the foot of the gigantic Ben Nevis, the country's highest peak, it has an unrivalled location in all of Scotland. The High Street is home to pubs, restaurants and stores. People come here for the outdoor activities and the immense natural beauty. Take time to walk the Glen Nevis. Many movies, such as Braveheart, Harry Potter, Highlander and Rob Roy have shot scenes here.South West Lochaber: Ardgour, Morvern, Moidart and Ardnamurchan. This huge area of Lochaber lies to the west of Loch Linnhe and south of the island road to the outskirts of Mull. Very isolated and sparsely populated, it is often forgotten by the visitors, but concentrates nevertheless an incredible beauty. A few small roads wind between glens, lochs or mountains and the only tourist office is located in Strontian. To get there, you have to take the A838 between Fort William and Mallaig, or take the ferry (www.calmac.co.uk or www.ardnamurchan.com).Ardgour: at the corner of Loch Linnhe and Loch Eil, it is the most accessible. Its only road runs parallel to the A82 (Glencoe-Fort William) and follows the shores of the loch, at the foot of the glens and the peaks.Morvern: south of Ardgour, it is just opposite the Isle of Mull and covers 650 km². The A884 which crosses it from north to south reveals vast wild and hilly spaces, before joining the south coast.Moidart: between Loch Shiel and the sea, it is almost deserted, but still has the ruins of Castle Tioram on the island of Eilean Tioram in Doirlinn, former seat of a branch of the Donald clan.Ardnamurchan: on 130 km², it is the most beautiful and the most remote of all. At its western end, Ardnamurchan Point is described as the most westerly point on the island of Great Britain, topped by a 36 m lighthouse. The geology, resulting from an ancient tumultuous volcanic activity, gives it a lunar air.The Road to the Isles. Between Fort William and Mallaig stretches the A830 : the road to the islands (road-to-the-isles.org.uk) and its fairy tale landscapes. For 78 km, it follows successively Loch Eil, Glenfinnan, Loch Eilt, Loch Ailort, Loch Nan Uamh, the small port of Arisaig on Loch nan Ceall and the immense Loch Morar. At every turn, in every valley, over every pass and along every shore, the beauty of Lochaber is revealed a little more, between land and sea. The entire length of Lochaber can be easily covered by car, train or bus. Three spots are particularly interesting, from the beginning to the end.Glenfinnan: it is in this tiny village, on the banks of Loch Shiel, that Bonnie Prince Charlie raised his colors in 1745 and called the Scots to arms, thus triggering the Jacobite revolution. Seventy years later, the Glenfinnan Monument was erected on the same spot, to commemorate this national hero from the top of its 18 m. This is not the main local star. The Glenfinnan Viaduct, a railway viaduct built in 1898, was recently immortalized in the Harry Potter films by the famous Hogwarts Express. You can follow in its footsteps aboard the Jacobite Steam Train or a classic Scotrail service. The loch itself was the setting for the legendary school of magic and was also the birthplace of Duncan MacLeod in the Highlander films.Loch Morar: Directly east of the village of Morar, before Mallaig, Loch Morar is the deepest lake in Britain, with no less than 310m of water below its surface. A small picturesque road follows the beginning of its northern shore and continues as a footpath to the middle of the loch.Knoydart: sometimes referred to asBritain's last wilderness, this peninsula north of Mallaig is wedged between Loch Nevis and Loch Hourn. It is completely inaccessible by road and can only be reached by foot from the east and by boat from the west. Its only hamlet is Inverie and one comes to lose oneself here for a real and absolute communion with nature. Ferry schedules on : westernislescruises.co.uk or knoydartferry.co.uk (same company).

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Des randonneurs redescendent vers Fort William après l'ascenssion de Ben Nevis. Maxence PEIGNE
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