Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
Fort Augustus
POP 510
Fort Augustus, at the junction of four old military roads, was originally a government gar-
rison and the headquarters of General George Wade's road-building operations in the 18th
century. Today it's a picturesque place, often overrun by tourists in summer.
Sights & Activities
CALEDONIAN CANAL
At Fort Augustus, boats using the Caledonian Canal are raised and lowered 13m by a 'lad-
der' of five consecutive locks. It's fun to watch, and the neatly landscaped canal banks are
a great place to soak up the sun or compare accents with fellow tourists. The Caledonian
Canal Heritage Centre (
| Canal
10am-5pm Apr-Oct) , beside the
01320-366493; admission free;
lowest lock, showcases the history of the canal.
ROYAL SCOT
( 01320-366277; www.cruiselochness.com ; adult/child £12.50/8; hourly 10am-4pm Apr-Oct, 1 &
2pm only Nov-Mar) One-hour cruises on Loch Ness accompanied by the latest high-tech son-
ar equipment so you can keep an underwater eye open for Nessie.
| Boat Trips
Strange Spectacle on Loch Ness
Highland folklore is filled with tales of strange creatures living in lochs and rivers, notably the kelpie (water horse)
that lures unwary travellers to their doom. The use of the term ʻmonster', however, is a relatively recent phenomen-
on, the origins of which lie in an article published in the Inverness Courier on 2 May 1933, entitled ʻStrange Spec-
tacle on Loch Ness'.
The article recounted the sighting of a disturbance in the loch by Mrs Aldie Mackay and her husband: ʻThere the
creature disported itself, rolling and plunging for fully a minute, its body resembling that of a whale, and the water
cascading and churning like a simmering cauldron.'
The story was taken up by the London press and sparked off a rash of sightings that year, including a notorious
on-land encounter with London tourists Mr and Mrs Spicer on 22 July 1933, again reported in the Inverness Couri-
er:
ʻIt was horrible, an abomination. About 50 yards ahead, we saw an undulating sort of neck, and quickly followed
by a large, ponderous body. I estimated the length to be 25 to 30 feet, its colour was dark elephant grey. It crossed
the road in a series of jerks, but because of the slope we could not see its limbs. Although I accelerated quickly to-
wards it, it had disappeared into the loch by the time I reached the spot. There was no sign of it in the water. I am a
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