Today the changeable weather provided some spectacular skies with sunshine and showers.
Our journey took us through the locks of Kytra and Cullochy and on to Loch Oich, where Steve Blamires gave a splendid talk about the Jacobites, with many insights from his research not to be found in history books.
This was followed by one of the highlights of the canal, the passage through the spectacular Laggan Avenue. Here the trees reach right down to the canal giving you the impression of the ship gliding through a forest.
On Loch Lochy Jim Richardson presented the amazing photographs that he took for this month’s edition of National Geographic Magazine.
During lunch we sailed on to Neptune’s Staircase, a series of eight locks, lowering the water level by 64 feet.
After a short coach ride to Glenfinnan we enjoyed the sight of the Jacobite steam train – yes the famous Harry Potter train from the films – going across the equally famous Glenfinnan Viaduct. This was the first large structure to be built of concrete in Britain – at the turn of the 19th century!
We had a good look around the exhibition on the Jacobites at the visitor centre as it was here that Bonnie Prince Charlie gathered the clan chiefs in August 1745. Some of us took a wander to beautiful Loch Shiel to take a peek at the Glenfinnan monument depicting one of Charlie’s followers. We then had a choice of either going on a hike up to the train station, with views of the glen or for a stroll to the river with a view of some lovely native Scots pine.
We were re-united at the train station for our return journey to Lord of the Glens at Corpach – with a few of us joining Konia for a walk along the canal.
After dinner and fantastic views of Britain’s highest mountain, Ben Nevis, the musical group Peat Reek (meaning peat smoke) entertained us with a variety of instruments and songs in English and Gaelic.
This was the perfect ending to a lovely day.
