The Great Glen Way - A Walking Guidebook

The Great Glen Way is a 117km (73 mile) low-level route from coast to coast, between Fort William and Inverness. The route includes easy, level stretches alongside the Caledonian Canal, as well as stretches over rougher terrain. The route is an ideal introduction to long-distance walking.

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Day 3

North Laggan to Fort Augustus

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Start: North Laggan – grid ref 300982
Finish: Fort Augustus Swing Bridge – grid ref 379092
Distance: 14km (9 miles)
Total Ascent: 30m (100ft)
Maps: OS Landranger 34, OS Explorer 400, Harvey Great Glen Way
Terrain: Tracks and paths beside Loch Oich can be wet and muddy. A clear and firm canal-side track leads onwards to Fort Augustus.
Refreshments: A restaurant and bar is located at the Great Glen Water Park. A couple of tearooms lie off-route at Aberchalder. There are plenty of restaurants, cafés, take-aways and bars around Fort Augustus.
Public Transport: Regular daily Scottish Citylink buses link Laggan and Fort Augustus with Fort William and Inverness. The Loch Ness Express ferry links Fort Augustus with Dochgarroch, near Inverness.

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This is a splendid day’s walk, where the walls of the Great Glen rise closer to hand and there are often views of high mountains further beyond. The Great Glen Way leaves North Laggan and continues along the southern shore of Loch Oich, where the richly wooded slopes are protected as a nature reserve. The course of an old railway line, as well as a stretch of General Wade’s military road, are followed along the shore. At Aberchalder, there is an opportunity to admire the cunningly designed Bridge of Oich. Another lovely stretch of the Caledonian Canal leads onwards, gradually locking down until a steep flight of five locks drops down through Fort Augustus into Loch Ness. The bustling village of Fort Augustus has several points of interest and it is well worth discovering some of them during the evening. As this is a short day’s walk, some walkers choose to pass straight through Fort Augustus and continue along the Great Glen Way to Invermoriston.

A quiet road leads from the busy A82 road near the Laggan Swing Bridge to the Great Glen Water Park, on the shores of Loch Oich, where there is a bar and restaurant surrounded by wooden holiday chalets. There is no need to follow the access road as directed to reach the bar and restaurant; simply stay on the road marked as the Great Glen Way and the building is quite close to hand just as the route leaves the road.

Head right up a track into woods where there are clumps of rhododendron. The track becomes aligned to an old railway trackbed, which features some cuttings where the ground can be wet and muddy. The surroundings are vividly green and are managed as a nature reserve. Step down from the old railway trackbed later and go through a gate to follow the course of an old military road along the shore of Loch Oich. Keep dogs under control as sheep graze around here.

Leiterfearn Forest Nature Reserve
Leiterfearn features a lush, damp, vibrantly green woodland that is a mixture of ash, birch, elm and hazel. The steep slopes support cushions of moss and delicate ferns, as well as flowers in spring and fungi in autumn. It has the appearance of a jungle, yet it has been cut back twice to accommodate a road and railway. General Wade pushed a road through the woods around 1725, while the Invergarry and Fort Augustus Railway Company pushed a railway through, which opened in 1903. Both routes fell from favour, the road switching to the other side of the loch and the railway being abandoned in 1946.

Loch Oich
This is the smallest of the three lochs linked by the Caledonian Canal (not counting the much smaller Kytra Loch). It measures 6.5km (4 miles) in length and is only 0.5km (0.3 miles) across at its widest point. Loch Oich’s greatest depth is 40.5m (133ft), but it had to be deepened at both ends to accommodate traffic using the Caledonian Canal. The surface level of the loch is 32m (105ft), which is also the summit level for the canal.

There are views across the loch from time to time when the trees thin out, and the ruins of Invergarry Castle might be seen on the far shore. Watch out for a crenelated concrete arch on the right, which supports the old railway trackbed. Pass the old whitewashed Leiterfearn Cottage and follow a grassy track through a small meadow. The track runs through woods and briefly touches the shore again, before rising steeply to avoid a cliff. Climb through a rocky, mossy cutting, crossing over an old railway tunnel. When the track runs gently downhill, watch out for a miniature iron aqueduct on the left, carrying water across the old line. Cross a bridge at a small waterfall and reach a couple of gates.

Ahead lies the Aberchalder Estate Road, which may be of interest to those who wish to reach a couple of bed and breakfast places, and a couple of cafés. These are listed on a sign and are all within easy reach of Aberchalder Lodge. The Great Glen Way, however, turns left at the gates, then crosses an old railway bridge over the Calder Burn. Turn left at a kissing gate to follow a path beside Loch Oich, then cross a ladder stile and continue along a canal-side path to reach the Aberchalder Swing Bridge. Cross over the busy A82 road with care.

Bridge of Oich
It is worth leaving the Great Glen Way for a few minutes and crossing the Aberchalder Swing Bridge to reach the Bridge of Oich. An older bridge was swept away in devastating floods during 1849, when the embankment of the Caledonian Canal was also breached. Five years elapsed before a new bridge was built, by a brewer-turned-engineer called James Dredge, from Bath. The Bridge of Oich looks like a slender suspension bridge, but was actually patented as a ‘double cantilever’, built on the ‘taper principle’. The supporting chains gradually diminish as they spread outwards from the stout granite pillars that support them, and hold very little weight in the middle of the bridge. Apparently, if the bridge was ever severed in the middle, it would remain standing. The Bridge of Oich carried traffic up to 1932, but the busy A82 road now crosses a more solid-looking stone bridge nearby.

After crossing the A82 road, pass a cottage and follow a clear track beside the Caledonian Canal. Look across the water to spot a large overspill weir feeding excess water into the River Oich. When Cullochy Lock is reached, cross over the lock gates to pick up and follow a track on the other side of the canal. A variety of trees flank the canal, but there are several particularly tall and graceful birch trees. The canal broadens considerably where Kytra Loch was incorporated into its course. An overspill weir has to be crossed later, and this could mean wet feet if there is excess water in the canal, though this would be a very rare occurrence.

Pass Kytra Lock, where tall pine trees flank the canal on both sides. The pines soon give way to more mixed woodland cover, and there are glimpses of the River Oich from time to time, as both the canal and the river pursue parallel courses. Hazel trees are abundant beside the track, while later a fine row of pine trees grows along the opposite bank, after the canal bends gradually to the left and passes a power line. A covered overspill weir allows more excess water to fall into the River Oich, then the canal bends to the right and the buildings of Fort Augustus can be seen ahead. The village sits on either side of a fine flight of five locks stepping down towards Loch Ness.

Fort Augustus
The earliest settlement at Fort Augustus (Gaelic – Cill Chuimein) was founded in the 6th century by monks from Iona, led by St Cumin. Precious little else is recorded about the place until, in the aftermath of the Jacobite Rising of 1715, a fort was constructed on the site now occupied by the Lovat Hotel. When General Wade built a military road through the area in 1726, the fort was moved to where the Abbey now stands. Fort Augustus was named after William Augustus, Duke of Cumberland, and was destroyed at the beginning of the Jacobite Rising of 1745. ‘Butcher’ Cumberland had it rebuilt while engaged in a brutal campaign to suppress the Highland clans. The site was given to the Benedictines in 1876, who built the Abbey, vacating it in 1997. The Abbey has since been redeveloped and there is no longer any public access to it.

The bustling tourist village of Fort Augustus is halfway along the Great Glen Way. It offers plenty of accommodation, from a campsite and humble bed and breakfast places to fine hotels. There is a bank, but if an ATM is needed, then go to the Spar shop. There is a post office and a choice of food and gift shops. There are several bars, restaurants, cafés and take-aways. Toilets are located beside the Tourist Information Centre ((01320-366367). There are regular daily bus services to Fort William and Inverness. Cruises on Loch Ness are also available, as well as the Loch Ness Express ferry to Inverness. An interesting rural attraction lying close to the village is the Highland and Rare Breeds Croft, signposted from the bridge, open 10.00 to 18.00 except Saturday, March to October. There is an entrance charge ((01320-366433).

Caledonian Canal Visitor Centre
As walkers descend the flight of five locks through Fort Augustus, metal disks along the way pose all sorts of questions about the Caledonian Canal, its history, construction and use. Visitors who want to find the answers are directed to the Caledonian Canal Visitor Centre, just across the road. A small exhibition space can be explored, there are books on sale about the canal, while British Waterways Scotland staff are on hand to deal with any queries. The centre is open 09.30 to 17.30, April to October, and entry is free ((01320-366493).

Great Glen Way Rangers
The Great Glen Way Rangers, who maintain the route you are following, have an office in the forest at Auchterawe, not far from Fort Augustus. They welcome feedback from walkers and are keen to hear about problems experienced along the route so that they can address them. Contact: Great Glen Way Rangers, Auchterawe, Fort Augustus, PH32 4BT; (01320-366633.