Fury over magazine’s advice to ‘skip’ Fort William

Fort William hosts the UCI mountain bike world cup, but that didn't impress Travel magazine

A publication called Travel has rated the 260-miles route from Glasgow to Skye as one of the 30 greatest drives in the world.

However, despite passing through Fort William, the guide suggests it is not worth stopping.

It states: “Unless you want to stock up on tartan, tablet and fluffy haggis toys, skip Fort William and power on to the Commando Monument viewpoint at Spean Bridge for splendid Ben Nevis views instead.”

Admirers of the Lochaber town – known as the outdoor capital of the UK and heavily reliant on tourism – hit back at the advice in Travel magazine.

Local councillor Brian Murphy said the authors were “ill-informed and stupid”.

He said: “What Travel has said is very unfair and is typical of the ill-informed and stupid comments we get from time to time. It is badly wrong.

“The town has a lot to offer tourists and is a great place to visit. It is the outdoor capital of Britain – and for good reason.”

Lochaber Chamber of Commerce destination manager Frazer Coupland said it was “nothing short of foolish”.

He added: “This is another piece of unresearched, cheap journalism given the town’s rich industrial, historical and cultural heritage.”