Fort Augustus & Loch Lochy
The picturesque village of Fort Augustus lies at the south end of Loch Ness, where Thomas Telford’s Caledonian Canal opens out into the mysterious waters of the loch.
First, the Lord of the Glens ascended the flight of five locks to the top of the village, its progress equally impressive when watched from the deck of the ship, or from the bustling sides of the canal. The rest of the morning was spent exploring the area, some of us visiting a working croft where rare breeds of Scottish sheep, goats, cattle and ponies were raised. Others took a walk through the countryside, part of the way on an old military road built by General Wade in the early 18th century, and featuring a two-hundred-year-old graveyard planted with ancient yews and filled with intriguing memorials, including the burial place of ‘John Anderson my Jo’ immortalised by the bard Robert Burns.
After lunch, some of the group walked or cycled along the towpath lined with Scots Pine and an abundance of wild flowers, to meet the Lord of The Glens at Kytra Lock. Then, the route continued through Loch Oich, at 106 feet above sea level, the highest point through the Great Glen, to our berth at Laggan Locks, followed in the afternoon sunshine by an escort of kayakers.
A lovely evening followed, looking out over the delightful waters of Loch Lochy, and the prospect of a convivial dram in the floating barge pub, the ‘eagle’, moored adjacent.
The picturesque village of Fort Augustus lies at the south end of Loch Ness, where Thomas Telford’s Caledonian Canal opens out into the mysterious waters of the loch.
First, the Lord of the Glens ascended the flight of five locks to the top of the village, its progress equally impressive when watched from the deck of the ship, or from the bustling sides of the canal. The rest of the morning was spent exploring the area, some of us visiting a working croft where rare breeds of Scottish sheep, goats, cattle and ponies were raised. Others took a walk through the countryside, part of the way on an old military road built by General Wade in the early 18th century, and featuring a two-hundred-year-old graveyard planted with ancient yews and filled with intriguing memorials, including the burial place of ‘John Anderson my Jo’ immortalised by the bard Robert Burns.
After lunch, some of the group walked or cycled along the towpath lined with Scots Pine and an abundance of wild flowers, to meet the Lord of The Glens at Kytra Lock. Then, the route continued through Loch Oich, at 106 feet above sea level, the highest point through the Great Glen, to our berth at Laggan Locks, followed in the afternoon sunshine by an escort of kayakers.
A lovely evening followed, looking out over the delightful waters of Loch Lochy, and the prospect of a convivial dram in the floating barge pub, the ‘eagle’, moored adjacent.
