Tour 2

Tour 2 : Boat of Garten – Inverness – Loch Ness – Fort Augustus – Fort William – Laggan – Newtonmore – Boat of Garten

If you have not visited Inverness now is your chance. Then drive down over the Caledonian Canal (you will see it many times on this trip) onto the A82 Fort William road. After but a few minutes Loch Ness creeps up on you and so will hopefully Nessie. If you want to learn more the Official Loch Ness Monster Exhibition can be visited or if you like castles try Castle Urquhart - perhaps one of the most imposing ruins in Scotland and a great photo. At the end of Loch Ness there is Fort Augustus – where the storyboard in the Car Park will tell you a bit about St Columba and how the village got its name. Now you are deep in the Great Glen and pass along Loch Oich and Loch Lochy with its sheer sides.

Rising out of the Glen you will reach the Commando War Memorial – in memory of the Commandos who trained here at Achnacarry during the last War. Drive onto Fort William in the shadow of the mighty Ben Nevis and pause for a while to walk down its busy main street.

On your return journey, turn left at the ‘Road to the Isles’ (A 830). About 1½ miles from the lights you cross the Canal again – stop and look at Neptune’s staircase – Telford’s masterly piece of engineering where the canal rises through 8 locks in 500 metres.

Return back onto the A82 once more and drive back to Spean Bridge, turn off for Newtonmore. Loch Laggan beckons as you return once more into Badenoch and Strathspey. The wild but imposing beauty of the Craig Meagaidh (pronounced “Crag Meggie”) National Nature Reserve is on your left. A little further down the Loch, look out for the “Laird of Glenbogle’s” residence as seen on BBC1’s series “Monarch of the Glen”, which in reality is “Ardverikie House” - on the opposite side of the Loch from the road. A few miles from the end of the Loch you reach Newtonmore where, if you have time, you can take in a visit to the spectacular light and water show at Waltzing Waters, or visit the re-created 17th century Highland township at the Highland Folk Museum. Then head for Kingussie and stay on what used to be the old A9, through Kincraig and Aviemore to make your way back to the A95 for Boat of Garten, rather than re-joining the A9 - it’s more picturesque and devoid of heavy lorries - so the drive is easier and often actually quicker too.