If this is a bit late … its because we were out partying last night. The Fort William Mountain festival launched in style, with its opening party held at undoubtedly the most awesome venue in the Fort, the Snowgoose restaurant & bar at 650m on the slopes of Aonach Mor. For those of you who haven’t ever been to Nevis Range, the restaurant is accessed by the mountain gondola, situated half way up the mountain, and at the base of the skiing area. The forecast for the day was a bit ‘wild’ (to say the least) and an alternative venue had been frantically organised. At lunchtime, after calling the Met Office in Aberdeen for a professional interpretation of the weather charts, we made the decision to go ahead. The Snowgoose restaurant & bar opened for the evening, serving a great choice of meals freshly prepared on the premises including a traditional Steak pie, Salmon in a white wine sauce, as well as veggie lasagne. The Ceilidh band, Andrew & Megan, kicked off the ceilidh with traditional Scottish dancing. As always, the dance floor soon filled with ceilidh dancers, as well as Festival goers, skiers, boarders and climbers … During the break, Andrew and Ewan introduced us to the world of Bowmore whisky and explained how it tasted best with chocolate … In particular, we liked the rare 42 year old, costing some £2,500 per bottle :) After a rendition of Auld Lang Syne, the party goers made their way back down the mountain. The highland mountain views on the gondola trip are always stunning. Last night, as the gondolas swayed in the wind, the snow covered slopes lit up the mountain side, and the lights of Fort William shimmered in the distant darkness.
