Today dawned bright and sunny over the town of Fort Augustus on the Caledonian Canal. After breakfast, Lord of the Glens set off on its navigation southward. It was gloriously warm on deck as we passed along the tree-lined canal.
The morning continued with Jim Richardson’s presentation about his time working in Scotland for National Geographic. His pictures of the Highlands and Islands were outstanding, leaving us all excited for the days ahead.
The journey took us along Loch Oich, through Laggan Avenue, and across Loch Lochy before rejoining the final section of the canal, which led to Neptune’s Staircase. Neptune’s Staircase is a series of eight locks with a total fall of 64 feet. Due to a swing bridge needing repair, we had to adjust our afternoon program.
Most guests took a coach to Glenfinnan to visit the memorial marking the start of the Jacobite uprising of 1745. The same location also features the train viaduct seen in the Harry Potter films. Two hardy guests joined our naturalist, Chelsea, on a kayaking experience along the canal.
By the time we returned, the bridge was repaired, and the ship was through the staircase, ready for our onward journey tomorrow.
