LIFETIME of WALKS by DEREK HARWOOD

I parked in the car park at Laggan Locks and started walking immediately. There was no early Sunday bus, so I had to catch the bus back to the car. I normally prefer to bus first and walk back to the car, so I'm not clock watching during the walk. It was lovely not to start the walk in the rain. There was lots of boat activity around the locks as usual. I think the boats wait for a few to use the lock all at once, probably to share the expense. I was surprised to find the footpath north from Laggan Locks wasn't a towpath but a typical path through a wood. That is, the path wasn't directly alongside the canal but within the wood between the huge trees. I noticed the path was also narrower than the usual towpath. There were better views of Loch Lochy than the previous walk in the rain. The canal finished at the A82 road swing bridge and the southern end of Loch Oich. There the Great Glen Way followed the old bed of the railway and General Wade's Military Road, on the east side of the loch. The Way followed a road into a holiday home log cabin complex, so I merrily strode out and walked to the end of the complex and barbed wire fences. I looked around and saw the Way on a low embankment. I had obviously missed a turn but I didn't fancy back-tracking for the turn so I stretched to my tiptoes and very carefully climbed over the fence and onto the embankment. I was surprised to find the makings of the railway restoration, a platform and a few yards of track. I wished good luck to the restorers. The Way was now straight and level with a smooth surface. Ideal, so I had an opportunity to make up some time and to hopefully ensure I didn't miss the bus at Fort Augustus. The trees on the left of the lock side of the path were, and probably still are, quite dense, so the views were very restricted. I saw very few people but plenty of small waterfalls after the very recent heavy and persistent showers. I passed a chimney in a field, with the house long gone, just the chimney brickwork left standing. I imagined someone browning their toast on a living fire in the rain. As I walked along the Military road I noticed a motorbike helmet on the top of a post, on the Loch Oich side, see photo of the way before the tunnel. Just before the end of Loch I reached a very grand tunnel, excellently built for the railway many years previously. Notice the face carved into the rock on the righthand side of the tunnel, as visible in my photo of the tunnel entrance. The tunnel was approximately 100 metres (yards) long, but long enough to produce a good echo effect. When I was very young and my parents took me through a couple of local tunnels, I obviously shouted and enjoyed the echo effect. For some unknown reason I shouted “Uncle Arthur” and to this day if a member of the family is in a tunnel, they shout “Uncle Arthur”. I couldn't resist, so I apologised for my intended action to a couple of foreign tourists, then recorded myself while I let rip. I sent the resulting noise to the family via WhatsApp to give them a smile. At the northern end of the lock the Way crossed the A82 main road again by the canal swing bridge. The 'Oich' bridges over the river are impressive and deserve inspection if time allows. The bridges reminded me of the bridge by Conwy Castle in North Wales. The canal continued from the swing bridge and immediately I was confronted by a sign which said that I couldn't continued across the weir if it was flowing. Luckily there was only a dribble of water flowing over the weir, so I continued. I didn't fancy the possibility of a long diversion. The weir is designed to take the excess water from the canal and deposit it into the River Oich. Because the weir is so wide it is very unlikely too be too deep to cross. I passed the Culloch Lock with a few boats moored nearby. I strode on, along the Caledonian Canal to ensure I wouldn't miss the 919 bus back to Laggan Locks. The cliffs of Coille Torr Dhuin were very impressive to the north west. There were lots of lines of buoys in the water to show the boats where the water is shallow and deep. There I met a young related pair of students walking the length of Scotland. We put the world to rights with interesting conversation to such an extent that the miles flew by. We were at Fort Augustus locks in no time and with plenty of time for the 919 bus service to Fort William. We spoke about this website, as I often do, so I asked them to put a comment on the website. Have a look at 'My Guestbook' number 35. I had sufficient time to investigate the southern end of Loch Ness. I found the plaque 'Loch Ness Fort Augustus' opposite the Inveroich House at the exit of the canal to Loch Ness. I had a little confusion as the bus arrived, only one bus stop for two buses, once in each direction. I had to be careful as the buses arrived together, with my bus stopping on the opposite side of the road. The bus took me back to Laggan Locks and the car. It had been the best weather of the walking holiday, so a great day. I hope the weather will be as good when you venture along the Caledonian towpath.

Location Map: - www.streetmap.co.uk, - Start: at End of West Highland Way at A82 & Glen Nevis Road.
Finish: at Gairlochy Lochs - Caledonian Canal at B8004 .