Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
particular boasting narrow, winding roads, gushing streams and hillsides dotted with
ancient Caledonian pine forests. he busiest of these glens to the north is the often
bleak high country of Glen Moriston, a little to the southeast of Glen Affric, through
which the main road between Inverness and Skye passes.
GETTING AROUND
LOCH NESS AND AROUND
By bus
Using the A82, buses can travel the entire length of
Loch Ness, from Inverness to Fort Augustus. On the eastern
side of the loch, however, regular bus services are limited to
the stretch between Inverness and Foyers.
By car
Although most visitors drive along the tree-lined
A82 road, which runs along the western shore of Loch
Ness, the sinuous, single-track B862/B852 (originally a
military road built to link Fort Augustus and Fort George)
that skirts the eastern shore is quieter and affords far
more spectacular views.
Fort Augustus
FORT AUGUSTUS
, a tiny, busy village at the scenic southwestern tip of Loch Ness, was
named after George II's son, the chubby lad who later became the “Butcher” duke of
Cumberland of Culloden fame; it was built as a barracks after the 1715 Jacobite
rebellion. Today, it's dominated by comings and goings along the
Caledonian Canal
,
which leaves Loch Ness here, and by its large former
Benedictine abbey
, a campus of
grey Victorian buildings founded on the site of the original fort in 1876. Until
relatively recently this was home to a small but active community of monks, but it has
now been converted into luxury flats. here are some good cycling routes locally,
notably along the Great Glen cycle route.
11
ARRIVAL AND DEPARTURE
FORT AUGUSTUS
By bus
Frequent buses ply the A82, linking Fort Augustus
with Inverness and Drumnadrochit to the north, and Fort
William, 30 miles south.
Destinations
Drumnadrochit (up to 10 daily;
35min); Inverness (up to 9 daily; 1hr); Fort William (up to
9 daily; 1hr).
INFORMATION
Tourist o
ce
The Car Park, north of the canal (April &
May Mon-Sat 9.30am-5pm, Sun 10am-4pm; June Mon-
Sat 9am-5pm, Sun 10am-4pm; July & Aug Mon-Sat
9am-6pm, Sun 10am-4pm; Sept & Oct Mon-Sat
9.30am-5pm, Sun 10am-3pm; Nov-March daily
10am-3pm;
T
01320 366779). Fort Augustus's very
helpful tourist o
ce hands out useful free walking leaflets
and stocks maps of the Great Glen Way (see box, p.397).
Caledonian Canal Visitor Centre
Ardchattan House,
Canalside, by the locks (Easter-Oct daily 10am-1.30pm &
2-5.30pm;
T
01320 366493). Houses a small exhibition
showing why, when and how the Caledonian Canal was
built. Black and white pictures reveal how the canal looked
in the nineteenth century, but aside from these (and a
dusty old telescope) there's little in the way of proper
exhibits.
TOURS AND ACTIVITIES
Boat tours
From its berth by the Clansman Centre, near
the swing bridge, Cruise Loch Ness sails five miles up Loch
Ness
(daily; 1hr; £13;
T
01320 366277,
W
cruiselochness
.com), using sonar technology to provide passengers with
impressive live 3D imagery of the deep where underwater
cave systems, salmon, cannibalistic trout (and, some would
speculate, Nessie) are to be found.
Fishing
The tourist o
ce can advise you on how to obtain
permits to fish the loch or nearby river.
ACCOMMODATION
Corrie Liath
Market Hill, half a mile south of the centre
along A82
T
01320 366409,
W
corrieliath.co.uk.
Small,
thoughtfully managed B&B whose comfortable rooms
have books and DVDs for guests to e
njoy
. The garden has a
BBQ hut for use in the summertime.
£65
Cumberlands Campsite
Glendoe Road, by Stravaigers
Lodge
T
01320 366257,
W
cumberlands-campsite
.com.
Spacious campsite with good facilities, a five-minute
walk from the loch an
d a s
hort stroll from the shops and
pubs of Fort Augustus.
£16/
pitch
Lovat Arms Hotel
On the A82 in the centre of Fort
Augustus
T
01456 490000,
W
thelovat.com.
Expensive
FROM TOP
MOUNTAIN BIKER, LAGGAN WOLFTRAX
P.429
; GLEN AFFRIC
P.412
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