A second group hiked on the trail in the direction of Plockton for spectacular views of the Cuillin Mountains. One group visited the much-photographed Eilean Donan Castle, the ancestral home of the McCrae clan, that was attacked from the sea during the short-lived Jacobite rebellion of 1719. At Kyle, we had two afternoon options for activities. In 1897 a railway was constructed from Inverness to Lochalsh-quite an engineering feat, particularly in its latter stages, when the railway had to be chiseled through hard rock to enter the town.
Over lunch we sailed between Skye and the mainland, navigating the treacherous tidal race of the Kyle of Lochalsh, the narrowest point between Skye and the mainland where, before the Skye bridge was opened in 1992, a short ferry ride connected Skye with the mainland. There was time to enjoy the gardens, containing many specimens brought back to Scotland by the Scottish plant hunters of the early nineteenth century. From our mooring, we could walk to the Clan Donald Centre, an excellent museum that offered a revision course in some of the major themes in Scottish history covered on our voyage: the arrival of the Gaels from northern Ireland in the middle of the first millennium the coming of Christianity, also from Ireland the establishment of the medieval thassalocracy, known as the Lordship of the Isles. An hour’s sailing brought us to the pierhead at Armadale on the Isle of Skye, the largest of the Hebridean islands, rich in history and with a varied landscape that has made it a mecca for hillwalkers. As we sailed “over the sea to Skye” during breakfast, out of Loch Nevis, with the town of Mallaig on the mainland and the Isle of Eigg on our port quarter, we experienced exceptional visibility. We awoke to clear skies and light air with the sure prospect of a fine day ahead. In Fort Augustus we have the options of shopping, visiting the Canal Museum, watching vessels going through the five locks and/or kayaking.Īfter an interesting recap touching on a variety of subjects and dinner many of us head to one of the local pubs to meet some of the locals in this pretty village.
Once on Loch Lochy, Konia gives us an informative (if I may say so myself) talk on Highland life and clothing, including the patterns-the TARTAN.ĭuring lunch we feel like gliding through the woods at Laggan Avenue where the trees come right down to the canal’s banks, whilst on Loch Oich we get a glimpse of the ruin of Invergarry Castle.Īfter lunch, as we sail through the lands of the Picts, Steve presents us with the facts about these people-a lot of mystery still surrounds their way of life-fascinating!Īt Kytra, the second lock down our way to the North Sea, some of us stay on to sail to Fort Augustus whilst many of us use the Lindblad bikes or walk to Fort Augustus, enjoying the wildflowers along the way. This takes us to the last of the hand-operated bridges, Moy Bridge, and then onto Gairlochy Locks. With the occasional spit of rain and sunny spells we enjoy Lord of theGlen’s journey along the winding course of the Caledonian Canal. These eight locks raise the water level by 64 feet and we have time to have breakfast and also enjoy the views from the balcony of the ship. This morning, after travelling through the double lock at Corpach, we ascend Neptune’s Staircase at Banavie.
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