Fort William is a settlement in the Highlands of Scotland. Initially founded on the still-extant village of Inverlochy, the town lies at the southern side of the Great Glen, Fort William is found in close proximity to the head of Loch Linnhe, one of Scotland's longest sea lochs, beside the mouth of the rivers Nevis and Lochy. It is close to Ben Nevis, the highest peak in the British Isles, Glen Nevis and the town of Achnaphubuil is on the opposite coast of the loch. When the railway opened to Fort William on 7 August 1894, the station was bestowed prime position at the south end of the town. The consequence was that the town was disconnected from the lochside by railway tracks till the 1970s when the current by-pass was constructed, and the station was re-located to the north end. In accordance with the 2001 Census, it has a permanent resident population of approximately 9908. This makes Fort William the second largest settlement in the Highlands of Scotland and the largest town: only the city of Inverness is larger. Within this population, around 726 people, making up 7.33 per cent of the population, can speak Gaelic. Fort William is a leading tourism centre, with Glen Coe just to the south, Aonach Mòr to the east and Glenfinnan to the west, on the Road to the Isles. It is a hub for hillwalking and climbing a result of its distance to Ben Nevis and lots of other Munro mountains. It is additionally known for its neighboring downhill off-road bicycle track. It is the start and end of both the West Highland Way (Milngavie-Fort William) and the Great Glen Way (a walk/cycle way Fort William-Inverness). For all your home enhancements, make certain to identify reputable contractors in Fort William to make certain of quality.