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.
8/29/2024
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Lord of the Glens
Mull, Iona, and Duart Castle
Morning found us traveling across the Isle of Mull by bus, headed towards the Isle of Iona, a small island with a significant place in Scottish history. In 563, Columba arrived on Iona from Ireland to establish a Christian community, spreading this faith across Scotland. On Iona, we had the chance to tour the sites and visit the 13th century Benedictine Abbey with a local guide. Some set off on other activities, either a hike to the western shore of Iona or a boat ride out to the fabulous Isle of Staffa. After lunch, we headed back across Mull, with a stop to admire the Highland cows. Before reaching the ship, we turned off the main road to visit Duart Castle, home to Clan MacLean. Our final destination of the day was Oban on the mainland, a bustling town of about 8,000 people. The day was capped off with a whisky tasting provided by the local Oban Distillery.