Our journey down the Caledonian Canal continued as we set off at breakfast time, departing from the small town of Fort Augustus under skies holding hopeful patches of blue. The Lord of the Glens carried us southwest through a series of locks that lifted the boat through a system of gates and rising/lowering water to reach the canal’s high point at Loch Oich at 106 ft (32m) above sea level. Above the banks of Loch Oich, the ruins of Glengarry Castle provided another glimpse of Scotland’s deep history.
From Loch Oich, the ship gradually descended through other locks and passed through Moy Bridge, constructed in 1828. Moy Bridge is the last bridge of the canal operated by hand – although modern times have come, as the bridge operator now uses a motor-driven boat to get from one side of the canal to the other in order to open the bridge for boats to pass.
During the trip down the canal, I presented an overview of Scotland’s natural environment, providing a survey of the country’s diverse geology, flora, and fauna. The presentation included a bit of Scottish poetry and lore, and of course a description of one of the country’s most charismatic species: the wild haggis. Even as we learned about Scotland’s rich landscape, the scenery passed by, with sightings of gray herons, hooded crows, and oyster catchers. As we approached Fort Williams, Ben Nevis came into sight, the highest mountain in Great Britain at 4406 ft. The mild and dry afternoon allowed us to stand outside and enjoy the impressive scenery of this rugged part of Scotland, including a view of the summit of Ben Nevis, often lost in clouds.
In the afternoon we had the chance to explore a mix of history, nature, and photography at Glenfinnan, where in 1845, Prince Charles landed to begin his attempt to regain the crown. I took part of the group off on a short nature walk through a pleasant woodland of birch, alder and Scots pine, with a bit of heather just starting to bloom. Others joined Ian or Catherine to work on photography skills in this photogenic place, or stayed with David to discuss the significant history of Glenfinnan. Some adventuresome folks climbed to the top of the 60-foot high Glenfinnan Monument. We returned to our mooring at Corpach (near Fort Williams) by train, crossing over the viaduct made famous by the Harry Potter movies.
The day wound down with a presentation by Catherine on one of Scotland’s delights: whiskey! A sunny, relatively warm evening allowed for walks along the canal bank or tea on the deck, before retiring in anticipation of tomorrow’s journey to Oban.
