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The village of Caol is situated three miles from Fort William, one of the main tourism hubs of the West Highlands. Nestling in one of the most spectacular locations in Britain, Caol enjoys stunning views of Ben Nevis and equal stunning loch views both east across Loch Linnhe towards Fort William and westerly along Loch Eil.
Before the Second World War, Caol was predominantly a marshland known as Corpach Moss where there were five crofts, struggling to make a living. Local authorities wanted to build houses in some of the land and after a Public Enquiry in 1947, during which crofters’ objections were over-ruled, the land was ‘compulsorily purchased’ and wooden houses were imported from Sweden to overcome the desperate shortage of building materials.
Since then many houses have been built and now Caol is the largest village in Scotland with a population of 3240. Primarily a residential village, the area has very few amenities or services as most are situated in nearby Fort William. Only one new retail outlet has come to the area in recent years and the local population feel the time is now right to help develop further commercial enterprise. This increasing community confidence and pride has manifested itself in the enhanced surroundings that are predominantly the results of the work of the ‘Caol in Bloom’ group.
Caol In Bloom continues to do its horticultural work in the village.
To undertake the proposed commercial development and regeneration a new organisation,
Caol Regeneration Company Limited has been formed.
We are recognised as a Scottish Charity.
- The Objects of the Company are:
- To promote, for the public benefit, urban or rural regeneration in areas of social and economic deprivation (and in particular in the Caol ward of the local authority area of The Highland Council and its environs) by all or any of the following means:
- The advancement of education, training or retraining, particularly among
- unemployed people, and providing unemployed people with work experience;
- The maintenance, improvement or provision of public amenities; and/or
- the protection or conservation of the environment.
- To advance the education of the public in the history of the area, and its environment and to research or promote research of the same and ensure the dissemination of the useful results of any such research.
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