Day 89 - Fort Augustus to Allt-Sigh, Invermoriston

Up and out to make sure that we arrived at Invermoriston in time for the 1.30 bus, so that I could catch it back to Fort Augustus to collect the van and pick The Walker up a few more miles along the road. All was going well until we came to a path diversion as fallen trees blocked the way - about 2 miles it said! It certainly was a good 2 miles and made the short walk into 10 miles, easily.

I could moan about being blocked in by the numerous foreign coaches in the Fort Augustus car park (once again, a seething mass of tourists!)  but I would much rather write about the amazing view from our bedroom window - mountains, trees and rippling water. We are right by the side of Loch Ness, so we need to take care the Monster doesn't come for us in the night!

This evening's view from the Van!

One other point to note - I was gazing at the loch and casually mentioned to The Walker that we hadn't been swimming this holiday. He replied, " This isn't a holiday; this is Lejog. You can have a holiday when we've finished!" I may well hold him to that!

From Bernie:
Today's walk  13.3 miles     :     Cumulative  1116.8 miles

A day for each of the lochs & one for the canal on the first 3 days of the Great Glen Way but there was to be no rattling past lochs today! Loch Ness is nearly 23 miles long & covers over a third of the Glen's length: it's deeper than the North Sea, holds 3 times as much water as Loch Lomond &, in fact, holds more water than all the lakes & reservoirs of England & Wales put together! It's so big it even has a 'tide' that can be measured from one end to the other! A magnificent beast.....!

Entrance to Loch Ness at Fort Augustus

We were also blessed with good weather when we walked this in 2003 & that's quite important. Much of the route along Loch Ness follows high-level forestry tracks & the highlights are the extensive & spectacular views when there is a break in the woodland. Poor conditions could make this a bit of a dreary trudge.

Southern end of Loch Ness

The River Moriston crashes spectacularly into the Loch at Invermoriston, the only community before Drumnadrochit, Nessie City! I paused here en route, we came back here for a beer at the end, I waved to the young couple who, I suspect, were headed for the Youth Hostel where I finished &, as the manager has noted, we're camped here by the loch - a lovely spot!

Invermoriston Falls, beneath Telford's old bridge - spectacular spot!

Highlight of the Day: Glenmoriston Village Stores & Post Office - I'm a man of simple pleasures! For some bizarre reason the 'Glenmoriston Arms Hotel' doesn't open until 2.00 pm, despite it 'welcoming' non-residents to its bar & restaurant. The tiny shop over the road was doing a roaring trade - this is, after all, the major junction between routes to Fort William, Inverness, Skye & the north-west Highlands! They sold me a chilled ale, removed the bottle top & had opened their own garden for customers to use - we sat in the very warm sunshine, surrounded by dozing cats & more of those fascinating sculptures that are so popular here!

Post Office 'pub' Garden!

Beer of the Day: the bottle of 'Hopping Hare' I bought at the Post Office! A 'Badger' ale; one of my favourite breweries even if it is rather distant from LeJog! Light, fruity & hoppy - it's excellent. Much better than the rather insipid pint of 'Red Cuillin' I had at the Hotel at the end of the day!

Kate, Tristan & the Davis household: Congratulations & glad to hear that Harrison's doing fine!

Pam: never thought I'd hear you say you fancied a bit of this Scottish weather!

Portclair peninsula on Loch Ness

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