Great Glen Canoe Trail

The second part of our Scottish Staycation was on the Great Glen Canoe Trail: over 90km from Fort William to Inverness…

We’d opted as is the norm to go from Fort William towards Inverness to take advantage of the typical south westerly air flow that the whole of the UK enjoys from the Atlantic Ocean. Little did we know that even a gentle breeze from the north would cause us so much trouble in a laden Canadian canoe complete with a lively poodle aboard!

Day 1 – Banavie to Gairlochy

Loading the canoe at Banavie at the start of our Great Glen Canoe Trail adventure

After unloading the canoe at Upper Banavie Lock we parked the van at Lower Banavie (where it’s free to leave vehicles for extended periods to allow for the great adventures that people set off on from hereabouts!) and we started our multi-day trip north east across Scotland.

Because of the drive south from Ullapool, the time consuming logistics of buying expedition/camp food from Morrisons in Fort William to last up to 5 nights camping wild along the trail without refrigeration etc., and then the protracted process of setting up the canoe for a long adventure, we’d only planned on being able to get to Gairlochy, some 11 or 12 kms from Banavie, on our first day…

Our first canoe portage on the Great Glen Canoe Trail at Gairlochy

Camping in style at Gairlochy…

Camping in style at Gairloch (shame the canoe is just out of shot on its portage trolley just to the left)

Day 2 – Gairlochy to Loch Lochy

During the night I’d heard the wind in the trees and the waves starting to build! It was a wee bit windy as we departed on the short 1km stretch of Caledonian Canal from Gairlochy to the start of Loch Lochy.

As we entered the loch the shingle beach of the northern shore protected us for another kilometre or so, but as we rounded that the full length of Loch Lochy (16km) – that had been exposed to the building wind all the previous night – hit us square in the face! Instantly there were big white tops on waves up to 60cm tall!

Zac was not happy with the boat bobbing around. Laetitia had to stop paddling at the front of the boat for just a few seconds to look after him. A poodle overboard in that water would not have been good! In just those few seconds, at the rear of the boat, I couldn’t keep the bow into the wind and we started to turn sideways. As soon as that happened, with so much boat side on to the wind we were inexorably heading towards the beach. Which thankfully was only a few dozen metres away, as the waves were also big enough to break over the gunwales! If we’d been some way off shore this scenario could have been deadly.

There was no way, with a loaded boat, a lively poodle on board, and a fierce (by canoeing standards) headwind, that we were going to get back off the beach … let alone paddle any distance in to the wind. We were beached!

A debate took place … we faced loosing a full day just one day in to a long trip, and with little time to play with thanks to the dreaded return to work the following week … do we give up, or do we see what happens tomorrow?

Looking down Loch Lochy into the northerly wind whipping up waves taller than the side of our canoe!

We decided to enjoy the sunshine and location … and build a bonfire ready to fend off the midges in the evening (and of course ‘cos fires are great fun when responsibly managed 😉 ).

Not a bad way to sit out the northerly wind … sunshine, coffee, and playing with Zac

Beached by the northerly wind on the shores of Loch Lochy, what else does one do but build a bonfire to keep the midges away?

When the midges came out and the bonfire was crackling, Zac decided it was time to retire to the tent!

Sunset over Loch Lochy lighting up the western slopes of Ben Nevis and the Nevis Range ski area

Day 3 – Loch Lochy to Fort Augustus

The next morning dawned still, the loch was like a mirror. The sun had hidden behind clouds down to just a hundred metres or so above the lake surface. But the forecast for that day was that that would burn off and it was going to be glorious.

After our day beached on Loch Lochy we had a day of ultra calm conditions … we paddled 32kms to catch up on our schedule!

And so it was, with perfect conditions we made a massive effort to try and get back lost time. We paddled 32kms. In a loaded Canadian canoe that is quite a way … and our shoulders knew it!

The stretch between Laggan and Kytra locks, which includes Loch Oich (6km), was without doubt the most beautiful section of the trail that we experienced.

Laetitia and Zac on the Kytra Lock portage

We’d arrived in Fort Augustus. But as forecast the wind was back. As we looked north across the expanse of Loch Ness (36km) the waves were getting up and we knew from our Loch Lochy experience that we wouldn’t even get off the beach. They weren’t as big – yet – as they had been on Loch Lochy. But the great expanse of Loch Ness is notorious and dangerous for paddlers in less than perfect conditions. We are tough, but not so much with a poodle on board. 😉

The forecast for the next day was to start calm. However, by lunch it was supposed to get even windier than it had been the day before. At that point we’d be maybe half way on Loch Ness.

Reluctantly we agreed our canoe trip was over at Fort Augustus. Although there was a silver lining … take-away Chinese food and a cold beer!

The waves haven yet started to build, but the wind was stronger than it had been a day earlier on Loch Lochy! That wind had beached us. On Loch Ness things are more serious – and it’s longer so the waves would likely get bigger.

Day 4 – Inverness … sort of!

We’d arrived in Fort Augustus, but our canoe trip was over. So there was just one thing to do, go and retrieve the van…

Pete catching the bus from Fort Augustus to fetch the van back in Fort William

Then we drove to Inverness, looked around a bit, and then started the long drag back home. Good-bye Scotland, you have been amazing to us this year, we can’t wait to get back. A trip is already booked… 😉

Series - Scottish West Coast 2021