Loch Ness

We got up early, for us, at 06:45am and it was a lovely summer’s morning. We had hoped to descend the staircase of four locks down to Loch Ness at 08:00 am. Unfortunately, the lock keeper decided to move two locks full of boats ascending the locks first. This took nearly 2 ¾ hours so it was 10:45 am before we entered the fist lock. As a group we were reasonably well organised and the complicated descent of the four locks, plus a swing bridge, was completed by 12:15. However, Ann found it quite tiring, largely because of the large number of spectators who all seemed to want to talk to her as she was trying to concentrate on handling Jomima’s ropes from the side of the locks.

After passing through the swing bridge, we began our journey across the full length of Loch Ness. The Loch is a very long and deep stretch of water. Our depth gauge stopped working at 180m. From our charts, I know that it exceeds 200m in many places – which is over twice as deep as the English Channel. There is more water in Loch Ness than all of the other British reservoirs put together. Much is made locally of the Loch Ness monster – which is obviously their biggest tourist attraction. Unfortunately, I failed to capture anything on camera and we were generally disappointed with Loch Ness. For us it was just a long trip between two relatively uninteresting mountainsides. Fortunately, the trip along the canal the other side made up for it.

Fort Augustus

After an overnight stop on Loch Oich, we arrived at Fort Augustus. Loch Oich is the highest point of the canal so we are now descending. This is easier than going up because you start of level with the top of the lock and can easily place the ropes over a bollard rather than having to throw a rope up to a lock keeper. We have been advised to moor at the top of the flight of four locks and will therefore pass through them later.

We walk down past the locks to the start of the famous Loch Ness. It stretches into the distance for twenty miles and a considerable swell reaches into the bottom moorings – which is why we are moored at the top. The small town itself is delightful with an interesting canal museum, post office and small super market. We take the opportunity to stock up with supplies because we may have to moor next time at a much more remote location.

In the evening, we visit the local pub, which is full of many nationalities. A number of boats from Finland and Holland are moored in the basin and we learn that there is a coach party, mainly of Australians, staying at a local hostel. The cosmopolitan crowd are good fun and everybody seems to be enjoying themselves.

We wake up in the morning to heavy rain and wind against us - if we decide to cross Loch Ness. It was an easy decision to stay here for another night.

Gairlochy

Now that we are safely in the Caledonian Canal, we do not have to hurry. Jomima has to be at Inverness, at the other end of the canal, by 31 July 2008 to await collection by truck. She will then be returned to Newark-on-Trent. Today we only completed 5.4 miles with one lock and two swing bridges. All of them are operated by staff from British Waterways so it is considerably easier than our passage through the Crinan Canal.

We found a beautiful mooring at Gairlochy, which is just before the start of Loch Lochy. The guide that we have indicates that the museum of the Cameron Clan is only 4km away. Therefore, we unloaded our bicycles and made our way along a picturesque road to the museum. Unfortunately, the guide gave an incorrect distance and it was more like 4 miles to the museum – particularly when you take into account the long driveway. However, the museum proved very interesting and supplied a lot of information about the Clan as well as the commandoes that trained in this area during World War II. Who knows, the Clan may even supply the next Prime Minister.

The Jacobite Steam Train

Ann, as you may know, is both a Harry Potter and steam train enthusiast. As a result, it was difficult to pass this way without having a ride on the steam train from Fort William to Mallaig – a distance of 41 miles. This is known as the Jacobite Train after the uprising that took place in these parts and it follows ‘The Road to The Isles’.

We left at 08:15 and caught the bus to Fort William and joined the queue for tickets. All of the pre-bookable tickets available had already been sold so we were pleased to be able to get two seats together. The ride did not disappoint Ann although she had obviously forgotten how sooty you could get riding in the carriage of a steam train with the window open.

It is undoubtedly one of the most spectacular and memorable rail journeys in the world with views of mountains, Lochs, seashore and Islands. We had lunch in the important fishing port of Mallaig (fish and chips for me and scallops for Ann). What a great day out.

Fort William

We left Oban at 08:15 to catch the remaining tide up to Fort William. It was fairly misty but clear enough not to need radar. Shortly after Fort William is the entrance to the Caledonian Canal with its sea lock and small ‘pepper pot’ lighthouse. We were now starting the last phase of our Scottish adventure and our journey, through the canal, to Inverness.

First opened in 1822, the Caledonian Canal was built to provide a short cut between the North Sea and the Atlantic Ocean, avoiding the hazardous route around Scotland’s north coast. The majestic canal is 60 miles in length, of which approximately 1/3 is man-made cuttings and the remainder is formed by the waters of Lochs Lochy, Oich, Dochfour and Ness. The highest point is 32.3m above sea level and it has three flights of locks, the largest of which has eight locks and is known as ‘Neptune’s Staircase’ - which we negotiated today. In total, there are 29 locks and 10 swing bridges.

The Caledonian Canal is twinned with both the Gota Canal in Sweden, which was also designed by Thomas Telford, and the Rideau Canal in Canada.

On The Move Again

The weather forecast last night had promised an improvement, with less wind. We have been trapped here for a week by very poor weather. I awoke at 5:00 am to the unusual sound of nothing. No wind, no rain and no waves splashing against the hull. It was dawn and I took the above photograph, from the window, without actually getting out of bed. I went to sleep again hoping that by the time the tide turned south (essential for passage through the narrow strip of water called Kyle Rhea) the wind would still be resting.

We left at 8:00 am, fuelled up at the fish quay in Kyle of Lochalsh, and headed south again. I had plotted about six places that we could shelter if the weather decided to do its worst again. In the mean time, we kept going as fast as the conditions would allow – which was a maximum of 16 knots with periods at 8-9 knots. We passed four of my planned stopping places and headed for Ardnamurchan Point. The wind was rising but the tide was with us so we kept going. We arrived near Tobermory and the weather report from the Coast Guards suggested that the wind would get up soon and tomorrow would continue windy again, so we kept going.

As we crossed the Firth of Lorne to Oban, shortly after passing the glowering form of Castle Duart, the wind increased and the sea began to make life uncomfortable for us. By the time we reached Oban Marina, after a journey of nearly 80 nautical miles, we were in a sudden squall. We were directed to moor on our port side in a vacant double berth. Ann jumped onto the pontoon and started to moor the front of Jomima. The wind caught the back of the boat and spun us diagonally across the mooring. With difficulty, I began to get her back to the mooring but then decided that it would be easier to moor down wind on the starboard side to mooring. Ann changed sides and then, with the help of a yachtsman from Newcastle (he called Ann ‘pet’) we managed to tie Jomima to the pontoon with double the usual number of warps. Civilisation at last. Next stop Tesco, to rebuild the larder.

Plockton

One of the places that we intended to visit while in Skye was Plockton – which is actually on the mainland just north of the Skye Bridge. Unfortunately, the wind is still blowing a force 5 to 7 and this would have made for a most uncomfortable journey. We therefore decided to let the train take the strain and we caught the small diesel train from Kyle of Lochalsh. It is a single-track line, cut out of solid rock, and runs along the coast. We were treated to splendid views of Loch Carron on the way. Then, after a 15-minute walk, we arrived at Plockton in time for lunch. The sun managed to shine briefly and the village was sheltered from the wind so the day proved pleasurable.