Today we commenced our transit of the Caledonian Canal from an overnight stop at Fort Augustus. This protected waterway is an engineering marvel of the early 19th century, and was constructed under the supervision of Scottish engineer Thomas Telford. The canal connects the west and east coasts of Scotland, enabling ships to avoid the treacherous north coast. A series of locks allowed the Lord of the Glens to safely defy gravity as this morning we sailed “uphill” — against the flow of water as it drops from the terrain’s high point. We spent the afternoon in the area of Glenfinnan, home to the famous Viaduct featured in the Harry Potter movies. The Glenfinnan Viaduct is a renowned feat of Victorian engineering and the longest concrete railway bridge in Scotland. I enjoyed a hike with guests through the estate with great views of the bridge along the way.