We picked up our guests at Corpach Basin, just inside the sea lock, with 5 days to get into Loch Ness and back. The mass of Ben Nevis dominates the view.
After a short section of canal the first serious ascent is the nine consecutive locks of Neptune's Staircase.
The canal is full of variety, but one of our favourite bits is the picturesque Laggan Avenue.
leading to the shallow Loch Oich, where red and green marks indicate the channel.
From there it is downhill all the way through Cullochy and Kytra locks. Locking down is much easier than locking up, but you still need to keep a careful eye on the warps to control the boat.
The descent to Loch Ness is the flight of 6 locks at Fort Augustus, which doubles as the main street of the town. A little shower didn't put off the spectators.
One night at Foyers in Loch Ness and then it was time to head back. As with Crinan Canal, the friendly efficiency of all the lock-keepers made the passage easy, and all went smoothly thanks to the first mate's directions from the foredeck.
