I do find Scottish gift shops excel in tartan crap. It's a shame when there's some genuine crafts to be had.
Me and the missus did Ben Nevis many years ago (pre-kids) on a camping holiday. There was snow at the top and people were going up in flip-flops. It was too cloudy for a view, but I can tick off one Munro. On the way down my knees suffered a bit. I don't remember even seeing a gift shop that day.
Lol, it's a fine thing to do. I have done it once before and lived it because it was sunny and clear.
The gift shop is part of the visitor centre right at the start. And it's full of that tartan kak. There are so many good things too as you say that it's annoying they push all the twoddle at the tourists for a fast buck.
I remember going for a nice meal that evening in Fort William, with sore knees. I've had issues with them before when I did an Outward Bound in the Lake District. Going down hills is not good for them.
It's not, I get a terrible in my rights knee and was worried that even the little bit we did would hurt it.
Fort William is cool but a bit overpriced like everything up north. We had a nice pizza, I got outvoted for the Thai!