Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
century BC double-walled vitrified fort that was the stronghold of the Pict King Brude. The
172m high hill commands wide views of the Moray Firth and Beauly Firth. The heart of In-
verness, the Highland Capital, lies only 2km from this ancient fort.
Muirtown Locks form a four-chamber staircase, the steps being hidden on the right in front
of the Whitecross Restaurant. The 9.8m drop gives a view across Inverness to the Kessock
Bridge, which crosses the mouth of the Beauly Firth directly ahead, carrying the A9.
The lock flight is the central feature of Fort Augustus
.
The A862, the former route of the A9, crosses on Turn Bridge. Muirtown Basin follows,
a wide basin with commercial wharves. Despite the commercial nature of the basin, the west
side consists of neatly mown lawns and forms a pleasant environment.
Clachnaharry Lock has a variety of interesting features, a derrick crane, decorated cast-iron
lamp standards and a delicate belltower. Directly beyond it is Clachnaharry swing railway
bridge, carrying the main Inverness to Wick line, painted white to reduce temperature effects.
It was built to carry the Highland Railway across at 65˚ to the canal. Mounted on the east
bank, its 38m hogbacked wrought-iron girders span 24m over the canal. There is a monument
to the 1454 battle between the Mackintoshes and the Munroes.
The gently shelving shoreline would have given access to Clachnaharry only at high tide
and the muddy bed of the loch was too soft to support structures. Telford solved the problem
by running out twin 400m clay embankments that he surcharged with rocks to displace the
mud over the following six months, during which time it sank 3.4m. He then excavated the
navigation channel between them, building Sea Lock at the far end.
