Fort William, in the Scottish Highlands, is situated on the shores of Loch Linnhe and Loch Eil. Its west coast location led to it being used as a base by the Royal Navy during the Second World War but today outdoor sports enthusiasts know it better as the closest large town to Ben Nevis, one of the UK's best-known mountains.

Other local attractions include the Highland Games, the area's beaches and of course some of the most famous whisky distilleries in the Highlands! Fort William also makes a good stopping point if you are planning a visit to the Isle of Skye.

Fort William hosts a round of the UCI Mountain Bike World Cup most years and is well known for its Downhill Mountain Bike Track. If you're planning on a mountain biking expedition to the area, you might consider travelling by train to Fort William and then renting a hire van to get you out to the trail - Fort William has its own van hire companies, offering all of the following:

• Medium / short wheelbase vans - e.g. Ford Transit, Vauxhall Vivaro, Renault Trafic, Volkswagen Transporter
• Small vans - e.g. Vauxhall Combo, Ford Transit Connect, VW Caddy
• Large / long wheelbase vans - e.g. Mercedes Sprinter XLWB, Ford Transit LWB, Renault Master, LDV Maxus
• Luton vans & box vans (3.5 tonne / 3.5t).