West Highland Way

A large crowd of walkers is expected to descend on Fort William on Saturday 11 September to celebrate the launch of the new end of the West Highland Way.

Leaving from the Ben Nevis Woollen Mill at Nevis Bridge at 1.30 pm, the Edinburgh Postal and Lochaber Pipe Bands will lead the walkers through the town to the new end at Gordon Square. 

Scottish Enterprise Energy and Tourism Minister Jim Mather will be attending the ceremony.

Everyone who has ever walked the West Highland Way is being invited to take part and a wide range of WHW representatives are also expected to attend, including civic representatives from all the areas the WHW passes through. 

When the Parade reaches Gordon Square at 2 pm, an afternoon of entertainment will begin including demonstrations of Highland and country dancing, piping and ceilidh bands.

All the walkers are being encouraged to bring their own musical instruments and the afternoon will end at 4.30 pm with a ‘stramash’,  with everyone being invited to take part in the finale. 

In response to comments that the sculpture ‘Sore Feet’ is missing his boot, a competition to find ‘the missing boot’ will add to the fun as everyone is encouraged to look for it in all the shop windows.

Local Councillor and Chairman of Fort William Steering Group, Cllr Brian Murphy said: “Up until now there has never been a custom-built end point for the Fort William end of the West Highland Way and this will be a fitting celebration which we hope everyone will enjoy. We hope that many people who have completed the walk in the past will take this opportunity to walk the last mile and possibly renew old friendships with those who accompanied them the first time.”

Funding for the work which is part of the ‘Routes West’ project been made available from the Scottish Government’s Town Centre Regeneration Fund, Highland Council, EU Highland LEADER 2007-2013 Programme, Highlands and Islands Enterprise and the Rotary Club of Lochaber.