Around Fort Williams

Ben Nevis peaking up behind the
ruins of Inverlochy Castle

While it wasn’t the Isle of Skye or Islay, Jeff’s favored Scotch distilleries, we did get to take a tour of the Ben Nevis distillery, complete with Ben Nevis in the background. This particular distillery does not complete every step, the hops are fermented elsewhere, but they do complete the process for distilling the scotch and barreling it for the many years until it is ready to be bottled and sold – generally between 3 and…pick a number.  I did learn that since in America, you can only use a barrel once, many of the barrels they use came from wineries and such in America – and whatever was in it the first time “flavored” the barrel and thus the scotch.

Inverlochy Castle

After the tour, we decided to walk back to Fort Williams. They have wonderful walking paths here and generally off the main road so you don’t have to breath car fumes all the way. We quite accidentally walked into a castle. Inverlochy Castle is one of the many ruins scattered across Scotland. It was originally built around 1280 but, of course, saw its way through a number of battles and restructures until we have indeed the ruins here today. It is still used – there was some kind of a reception going on so we primarily took in the outside of the remaining castle, picturesquely located on yet another loch.