The Great Glen Canoe Trail

Day 0 - Home to Inverness.

Most people choose to paddle the Great Glen Canoe Trail northward from Fort William to Inverness, and we are no different. It was a choice based on logistics, as we preferred the idea of paddling towards the car and not away from it! This also avoided having a two-hour journey back to Fort William on public transport with our kit in the evening, when we expected to be tired and wet.

We planned to drive up to Inverness the day before we were due to start paddling. This way we would give ourselves time in Inverness to ‘scout out’ where we planned to leave the car and check where we were getting picked up the following morning, by the canoe hire company. 

We had booked a shuttle service, to take us from Inverness to the start of the Great Glen Canoe Trail at Fort William by the company we hired the canoes from. We also wanted to give ourselves some time to relax in tie hotelthe night before starting, as nothing could be worse than begining a new trail tired and stressed!

We arrived in Inverness at 3 p.m., giving us plenty of time. We checked into the Premier Inn hotel, dropped off our stuff for the night, and headed out again almost immediately to get dinner. 

Dinner this evening was simple pub grub from the Brewers Fayre on the other side of Inverness. We went to bed that night with full bellies and an equal amount of excitement and nervousness for the next day. We all slept well!

Day 1 - Inverness to Fort William / Fort William to Clunes - 10 miles

We were up early today, not because the alarms went off but because the excitement was churning in our stomachs waking for the day ahead. We had packed breakfast to eat on the journey to Fort William: Pan Chocolates and Brioch Buns. This was going to be our breakfast every day while on the trail. 

Parking the car, I went through my usual checks of ‘handbrake engaged, in gear, windows closed, and all doors locked’. Although this routine is standard for most, it only confirms my borderline OCD. It’s a frustrating part of my neurodiversity that, at times, leaves me feeling frustrated and angry with myself for having to check and recheck something I have already done five times.

Our transport arrived on time: a new Renault Van with canoes strapped to roof racks. We threw our dry bags into the rear of the van and were on our way. The drive took just over two hours to reach Fort William just after 11 a.m. 

The Great Glen Canoe Trail starts from a rather unglamorous car park above Neptune's Staircase.

Neptune's Staircase is a set of locks of several hundred meters in length that, if we had started below, would have meant a portage of several hundred meters. We would gain nothing from trying to begin below here except to exhaust ourselves physically and only a few hundred meters of paddling from the sea loch. You would be as well to walk down it and back up, as you can’t take canoes through lochs in any case!

When we arrived, the car park was busy. Several other groups were setting off on day trips along the Caledonian Canal, and others like us were attempting to complete the entire Great Glen Canoe Trail. We felt excited and wanted to get on the water, but we still had over an hour to wait!

We helped them get the canoes down from the top of the van before being guided in using Canoe Portage Wheels and given tips for the trail, such as portage locations and camp spots. It wasn’t anything we didn’t already know, but it might be helpful if this information could be emailed before starting to help with people’s planning.

Getting the canoes packed with our stuff was relatively easy. We have experience packing canoes, but in general, make sure everything is secure, will not be lost in case of falling out, and, most importantly, can't trap you or get tangled in should the canoe turn over in the water!

As several other groups used it, we had to wait our turn to get onto the ponton to put the canoes in the canal. It was early afternoon when the pontoon had become available, and we were in the canoes setting off. Our stomachs were rumbling, and the feeling of starting the final trail of Scotland’s Great Trails was subsiding, with the focus on having to paddle into solid winds with rain on the horizon.

The start of the Great Glen Canue Trail lulled us into a false sense of security. Although the wind was blowing in our faces, it was nothing compared to what was coming later that day or over the coming days!

We paddled confidently down the canal for the first mile or two as Sarah shouted hints and tips at me on improving my technique. I was paddling a solo canoe and Sarah a two-person canoe, but she still had to wait for me to catch up with her every hundred meters. Eve was obviously in Sarah’s canoe and loving the show as I struggled to match Sarah’s speed effeminately.

In case you are wondering about safety. Sarah is a qualified canoe and kayak coach with years of experience and knowledge, including leading expeditions and rescues. It's just as well that I needed all the help I could get, as this trail turned out to be anything but a “novice” trail!

Reaching Gairlochy after a few hours on the water was our first milestone. It was a milestone because this was our first planned wild camping location!

However, we also reached Gairlochy sooner than we anticipated, and with the weather forecast for the next few days looking anything but ideal, we had a choice to make!

Camp at Gairlochy or push on and wild camp on the banks of Loch Lochy. We chose to push on. In hindsight, I’m not sure if this was a good idea or just foolhardy. I’m still not sure, as I write this, in the comfort of our home, if we made the right decision at the time, but a decision needed to be made, and we decided to go for it!

Although we were progressing, the wind and rain we had been watching on the horizon finally started closing in on us.

On the expanse of Loch Lochy, I made my first error! Hugging the shore of any Loch is always the best idea. Although longer than paddling ’as the crow flies’ can appear quicker, it usually isn’t. Why? Wind!

Entering Loch Lochy and leaving the relative protection of the canal, we had discussed the idea of wild camping in the forest just past Clunes. Clunes is just past an inlet that is also the widest part of Loch Lochy. I was looking at the worsening weather and thought we could beat the worst of it. It was already raining, and the wind was picking up. 

I was wrong! As we paddled out into Loch Lochy, the wind and rain descended over us like a blanket thrown over us. The mile or two of open water that lay between us and the shore opposite made my struggles in the canal pale into insignificance. This was a whole new set of challenges!

Due to the difficulties of keeping the canoe moving forward in the right direction with the wind blowing hard in the middle of the Loch, Sarah told me, tongue in cheek, “I don’t think I’ll be letting you make the decision again,” which is just as well. Loch Ness was yet to come, and that would prove an even bigger challenge!

The weather made photography with our iPhones impossible, even in waterproof cases. The touch screens were just not working, and if we stopped paddling for even a moment, we were getting blown sideways and back towards Gairlochy.

Getting to the wooded banks didn’t come quick enough. As soon as we were close enough to see into the trees, we started looking for a good place to land the canoes and find a camp spot in the forest. It wasn’t long until we saw what looked like the ideal place.

We grounded the boats and clambered ashore, nearly falling over as the blood surged back into our numb legs from sitting in the canoe for the last couple of hours. If you had seen us, you would have thought it was an invasion of the living dead as we stumbled up the shore.

We found a flat spot to pitch the tent, so while I got on with pitching, Sarah and Eve secured the boats and started filtering some water for a much-needed brew.

We didn’t loiter this evening. Feeling tired and physically exhausted but still relieved to have crossed the loch, we ate dinner, had some biscuits, and put our heads down for the night, falling asleep almost immediately.

Day 2 - Clunes to the Great Glen Youth Hostel - 8.8 miles

It rained all night long. We woke to the noise of rain landing on the tent and a drum beat as it dripped from the forest canopy high above us. Today, the weather forecast was more rain and mist, but with the hope of a slow improvement as the day went on.

We sat in the tent, eating some of our breakfast and brewing a steaming pot of tea. The prospect of pouting on soaking wet clothes on only the second day wasn't filling us with excitement. What we were excited about, however, was getting back on the water as Loch Lochy was, to our surprise, a millpool as flat and still as you could ever imagine. It reflected the hills and forests with such clarity it was breathtaking in beauty and awe-inspiring. Instead of a loch, it looked as if we were staring down into a glen from a mountain summit. With the mist and clinging and the air cool, we couldn’t have wished for a more perfect start. We soon forgot about the cold feeling as our bodies slowly warmed the wet clothes we had just put back on!

We started paddling slowly, hugging the north shore as light rain showers swept in and out, and the mist and fog swirled around. The calm of the loch gave way to the ripples of the canoes, and the silence was broken with a discussion of where we would be stopping for another hot drink! This morning, we felt cosy and content in our surroundings and with each other! It was what this trip was meant to be all about. Today was shaping up to be a fantastic day!

As we paddled along, dodging overhanging trees and using them as a slalom when they touched the loch water, it gave us all an element of excitement and a challenge for me to manoeuvre the canoe into and around some very tight spaces. It was fun.

With no small degree of shock, we arrived at the location of the wild new wild camping site at Glas-dhoire. The campsite here is free to use and comes with a composting toilet, a shelter that looks more like it's been flown in from the Appalachian Trail in America, custom-made flat camping pitches and some giant wooden carved bears. It’s a little oasis in a wild and remote location. We used the campsite or, more specifically, the shelter to brew up our second mug of tea.

Moving on from the campsite, we approached the end of Loch Lochy and entered Lagan Locks—our first portage location of the day. As canoes are not allowed through the canal lochs, we had to find somewhere to land and get the canoes set up on the portage wheels. The location to do this isn’t easy to find and is not signposted either. You do have to know where it is, as it is not obvious. Luckily, walking the Great Glen Way made me know where it was!

Paddling around the marina on the left and not going towards the locks themselves, we found a small area of concrete used to launch boats. We landed here briefly for two reasons before going to the portage beach. Firstly, we wanted to check the beach to ensure it was clear and safe because Eve would paddle the solo canoe around the rest of the marina to the portage beach. Sarah was confident but in daddy style i was more nervous as the solo canoe is, by it’s nature easier to unballance. Eve paddled the canoe brilliantly, doing better than me! Even so, I was relieved when she landed and we dragged the boat ashore. Although not a big issue, having a soaking-wet child was something we were not particularly keen on dealing with.

The portage locations are a total and utter pain in the arse. The Great Glen Canoe Trail is great, but I have to be honest; the portages are enough to put me off ever returning. It’s not for the fact that we have to get the canoes out and strap them to wheels that are one thousand times harder to use than they look. It just breaks the rhythm and flow, and the portage locations for canoes are not designed for them. They are more like wooden platforms covered in shards of glass that are great for grip but terrible for pulling a canoe onto or moving around whilst on our knees. But this isn’t the worst thing about portaging on the Great Glen Canoe Trail, it’s that it reminds us this isn’t a wild and untamed area of Scottish wilderness, but a massive feat of engineering. The Caledonian Canal, after all, was built in its day to serve as the M6 motorways do for us today, with all the infrastructure that goes with it!

We transported the canoes around the locks and got them back into the canal to continue. This whole process took us over an hour and sapped more energy out of us than the miles we had paddled along the banks of Loch Lochy. 

The canals are easy to paddle but, dare I say… slightly dull. We were hemmed in with boulders and foliage restricting the views and limiting the wildlife that can live along the shore. And as we were about to find out, there was nowhere to stop and get out of the canoe for a break or a brew.

The last couple of passages read unnecessarily negatively toward the Great Glen Canoe Trail, and that's not really fair.

The canals have a unique beauty and elegance that you don't get on wild rivers such as the Spay or even the Wye in Wales. What the canals do really well is heighten the drama and dramatic landscapes of the lochs as you enter and then form the calm, enclosed safety of the waters on the Caledonian Canal.

After paddling for a short while, the rain started to swirl around again, dumping huge rain showers on us, more akin to being on the coast. We paddled along together, talking of wild camping spots and the challenges that we knew we would face tomorrow—the mighty Loch Ness!

What did come up in conversation was the Great Glen Youth Hostel that Eve and I stayed in when we walked JOGLE (End to End) and met a lovely couple of ladies who were also walking JOGLE to raise money in memory of their son (nephew). It’s a hostel that we have great memories of despite Eve cutting her toe there and still having the scar to show for it!

As the prospect of pitching a wet tent in wet clothes wasn’t filling us with joy, we decided to see if we could stay at the youth hostel this evening. The only problem with this plan was that it would put us several miles behind schedule. Our original plan for today was to wild camp at the trailblazer site at Leitirfearn.

Sarah called the youth hostel, reassured the staff that we could easily get there by canoe, and booked us a room. The plan now was to get there, have a good night's sleep, and dry our stuff off before setting off again, knowing we were going to have a longer day tomorrow.

We paddled the last section down the canal, which was, in all fairness to the canal, stunningly beautiful, notwithstanding my previous comments. Tall oak trees overhung the canal, making it look and feel more like a wild, remote river than a man-made canal. 

The issue we had, or several issues really, when we got close to the youth hostel was that there was absolutely nowhere to stop and secure the canoes. 

In the end… what we did was we had to scramble up an earth bank hanging onto trees to drag the canoes out by their painters (the ropes at the front/rear of the canoes) to then drag them up a sheer 30-meter bank in stages using trees to ‘catch’ the canoes before attempting the next section. It was not the safest thing we had ever done, nor the most dangerous thing we were about to do.  Getting the canoes onto the Great Glen Way hiking trail, we strapped the portage wheels onto the canoes and headed off down the trail.

The next challenge, however, proved to be the most dangerous on the entire Great Glen Canoe Trail… portaging two canoes up a busy road with a blind bend! In hindsight, we should have just camped!

I went first, and Eve went between us and Sarah behind. I would shout at Sarah when I saw a vehicle, and Sarah would do the same to me when a car approached us from behind. I would do my best to make myself known to oncoming vehicles and stand still, letting them pass by as safely as possible. I would never advise anybody to do this, and it’s something that I still regret sitting in the safety of our home and writing this. We only hoped the following day would be quite as we portaged the canoes back down the road toward the canal.

Getting to the Youth Hostel was such a relief. We secured the canoes on the front lawn, locking them to the main signpost before retreating inside. We used all the facilities, the drying room, the lounge and the kitchen (when it was open!). We also purchased fish and chips at a price that made me sob inside. After the effort needed and the dangers we have navigated to get here, we felt we needed more than instant pasta and spam for dinner. We retired for the night, falling asleep almost instantly.

Day 3 - Great Glen Youth Hostel to Fort Augustus - 11.6 miles

Waking to the alarm going off at 6 a.m. came as a shock to the system. We had all slept too heavy and deep. Rising from our slumber took effort, and the thought of a cup of coffee was at the forefront of our thoughts. 

Leaving Sarah and Eve to pack up, I went to the kitchen to make us all a drink, only to find the kitchen locked and with a sign saying it wouldn’t be open for another one and a half hours. My heart sank! I went back to the room to tell Sarah and Eve, who were supposed to see me, had obviously read my mind and knew exactly the problem! We packed up, gathered all our belongings together, and headed out into the cool air. 

Luckily, the road was quiet, with only one lorry passing us as we wheeled the canoes back dowen the road and lowered them onto the canal banks and into the water. By now, we hadn’t eaten or drank anything, and our need for caffeine had become hard to ignore. It was only 7 am, so we got the stove out and sat under a tree to make a cup of coffee and tea for Eve. We were also relieved to go back, having safely navigated the road and lowered the boats back down the embankment. 

As soon as we had our hot drinks secured in our Nalgene bottles, we got back in the canoes and paddled off. This morning, the canal looked particularly beautiful in the cool, crisp, damp morning air, and with dry cloths on, we felt ready for whatever the day might throw at us… This would be tested in ways we hadn’t expected or anticipated!

Today, we knew, would be a long day. We had to catch up on what we didn’t do yesterday, complete several portages paddle the length of Loch Oich a long section of canal as well as start Loch Ness to complete to keep to our schedule. 

We set off feeling strong and motivated.

Loch Oich was amazing. With countless inlets and tributaries to keep us entertained as we paddled, we made good progress fueled by coffee, brioche and pan chcolate! It was shaping up to be a great morning. Even the weather was being kind. We could see some blue sky, the air was warming, and the wind, although ever present, wasn’t presenting too much of an obstacle. We even found a picnic bench at Bridge of Oich for a break and to get the kettle on. Our confidence was misplaced… we sat happy, not knowing what we were slowly coming up to!

Once off Loch Oich, the canal section was slow going. We could feel our progress slowing, even if that was only in our heads, as we watched the miles slowly increase on the Garmin Inreach that I always carry. Kytra Lock was reached, another portage location that took longer than expected but was relatively easy. The only small issue was a huge ship that blocked us as we were about to put the canoes back into the canal.

The next mile or two of the canal felt like the longest day simply because we had already agreed to get some food in Fort Augustus before starting Loch Ness. It was also the biggest of all the portage locations. 

The closer we got to Fort Augustus, the busier the canal got. Daywalkers, cyclists, and hikers were all around, and smaller motorboats were moving around in no apparent direction. The best thing about this section of the canal was the abundance of blackberrys growing on the banks. Being out of reach of passing walkers, the blackberrys on the water's edge were fat, juicy and sweet. This slowed our progress dramatically as we all, Eve in particular, feasted on them as we paddled onwards.

Reaching Fort Augustus was later in the afternoon than we had hoped for. The portaging, blackberrys, and many other breaks had taken their toll on our progress. We got the canoes out of the water for the third time today, strapping the wheels onto them and rolling them down the side of the canal and into Fort Augustus.

Fort Agustus is a hive of activity, with tourists, boats, canal staff, and a busy road running through the middle of it and over the bridge that dominates the small but busy town.

Finding a small patch of grass next to the canal locks, we left the canoes and our kit to go and find some food. After studying all the options, we opted for a bag of chips and a can of sugary pop. It went down really well, too well for Sarah, making her feel unwell for a short period as the food and sugar hit her belly and bloodstream and shocked her system.

Sarah felt the stress and anxiety on this trail, being the ‘lead’ due to her qualifications and experience. Not because she was nervous but because things were not going to plan. The portage being harder than expected, being behind schedule, the weather or, more specifically, the wind always being in our faces and still having to manage her physical limitations caused by the countless surgeries when she had cancer and historic knee injuries. For a few moments, she sat on the grass. It caught up on her!

Pushing on (quite literally), we wheeled the canoes slowly across the road, down a rocky footpath to try and find somewhere to get back on the water. We didn’t see anywhere until we reached the head of Loch Ness between the canal and the river. 

Then we saw it… Loch Ness, or more precisely, we felt it.

The wind hit our faces, and spray came off the surface of the churning loch water. Waves over two feet in height where the river entered the loch and a swell double that rolled down made us feel seasick just looking at it. Sarah and I looked at each other, and without saying a word, we both knew there was no way we were going to be able to safely start to paddle up Loch Ness today.

Another plan was needed, and we needed to make it fast. Eve, meanwhile, looked at us both, asking, " What are we waiting for?” I couldn’t help but smile, and Sarah laughed. Eve has a way of lighting the mood, no matter how dull it might appear. We explained to her the issues and why we would have to stop at Fort Agustus for the day. The only issue was that we had nowhere to stop!

We knew of a wild camping area just past the canal. However, even getting that short distance would have been dangerous. I would have had to paddle sideways, and with the wind, swell, and waves hitting the canoe, Sarah’s challenge was even greater. Her canoe was over 16 feet. In the conditions, it would have been a foolhardy challenge that bordered on the reckless.

Accommodation would have to be found, and that would prove harder to find than we expected.

The first thing we did was start looking for an alternative wild camping spot or even a campsite. We found none. I booked an Airbnb that never got back to us. After waiting an hour, I walked around to the B&B, only to be told they were fully booked. Sarah then phoned the hostel that on the website was fully booked, although they managed to find us a bed in a shared dorm! Sarah reluctantly booked it.

This was a double-edged sword that would present the biggest challenge of all…

The hostel was up a steep hill, so we decided to leave the canoes on the lochside locked to a tree and walk us, with all our kit, to the hostel. We arrived exhausted, sweating, and physically nearly broken. Sarah was hurting! Booking in, we got a key and a room. Going to find our bed space, the room was filled, as we had expected. 

Now… this is where everything went upside down. I haven’t stayed in shared accommodation since I was in the Army. Eve and I would rather sleep in a bus stop than a campsite, let alone in a shared dorm room, but we had no choice. This was our only option, and Sarah and I wanted to try it anyway in preparation for future travelling.

Eve didn’t take it well and had a mini autistic meltdown. We could not stay in a shared dorm room, and I didn’t have the mental reserves to manage it to the degree that we could stay in the room. I took Eve out and calmed her down as Sarah returned to the reception to ask for other options. 

At the reception, Sarah asked if we could pitch the tent on their lawn, but the hostel owner, a lovely lady, said that, unfortunately, we couldn’t due to insurance and other restrictions but that they would try and sort something else out! The hostel owner managed to find another room, and at a reduced rate, Sarah booked all the beds in the room. Our credit card was now bruised, bleeding and sobbing… This trail was the most expensive we have ever done… by a long way.

Eve, who had settled down in our 6-person dorm room, was happy. We were just relieved to have a place to spend the night. We could feel the stress subsite, and it caused us to hit a wall and become exhausted. 

Today was also our wedding anniversary. Being in a hostel, we hadn’t planned for; we thought it would be nice to have a non-alcoholic beverage to celebrate. The hostel has a small bar, so we popped down, but unfortunately, all the drinks were alcoholic. We opted for a warm cup of tea and a hot chocolate, sitting on one of the many leather sofas spread around the hostel. It had become a tough day, but it was a great evening together. We were all in bed by 8 pm and asleep by 8.05 pm. We all slept well.

Day 4 - Fort Augustus to Foyers - 12.3 miles

We woke to good weather feeling refreshed, and the stress of the previous afternoon was a distant memory. Today, we were all focused on one thing and one thing alone. Loch Ness. 

Leaving the hostel after drinking copious amounts of tea, coffee and hot chocolate, we walked out into the cool air with a few wisps of blue sky behind some moody clouds. It felt like an atmospheric day, primarily due to our mood and the fire in our belly. This trail was turning out to be a lot harder than we ever anticipated, but we were damned if it was going to beat us! No trial has ever beaten us; we were not about to break our 100% success rate! The fight was officially on. Loch Ness, bring it on!!!

We returned to the boats, slightly nervous about what might greet us. Happily, the canoes were still there. Loch Ness, although choppy, looked very different from the previous day. The only issue we foresaw was the wind and the gusts. The wind was still blowing strong.

The area where we had secured the boats was relatively sheltered. We knew the full force of the wind would not be felt until we were on the water and around the loch a little further. We kitted up, packed the canoes, and pushed in, having first to convince Eve to stop feeding the local ducks her breakfast! We were on our way…

As we set off, we knew we were a full 10 miles behind schedule, and the hardest was still to come. We decided to hug the shore as closely as we could and not be tempted by crossing bays where the wind would be at its strongest and the swells at their peak. This would mean more miles to be paddled, but it would be easier and quicker in the long run!

The first thing we had to contend with was crossing the front of the canal, which acts like a bottleneck for the wind, currents, and swells. Sarah managed to paddle with control, aiming the canoe appropriately, whilst I struggled a lot more, being at the mercy of the currents and wind. I was slowly getting blown into the centre of the loch. I had to dig deep and paddle hard, relying more on strength than technique. It was hard, and I struggled. We passed the canal, landing on the beach where we could have camped last night if we could have reached it. I am relieved we didn’t try… my canoe experience and technique would have been no match for the Loch, and I dread to think what would have happened. We walked the canoes as far as we could, pulling them behind us. When we set off again, the wind blew directly into our faces.

Having the wind blow into our faces isn’t great, but it's better than being on our sides, where we can get blown like a sailing boat in the wrong direction, usually into peril!

The plan for today was simple… keep the canoe pointing in the wind, don’t let it deviate left or right too much and hug the shoreline as close as we could safely do. This had two main reasons: the wind, waves and swell were less, and if my canoe went over, I could swim to the shore. Sarah was confident she would not roll the canoe, if she wasn’t confident we not have left Fort Augustus, after all in her canoe was Eve!

As we hugged Loch Ness's shoreline, it became apparent very quickly that there was nowhere to safely stop to rest or get a brew. The shore is predominantly made up of rocks and boulders, with steep sides and many overhanging trees that could easily entangle a canoe or pull it under.

This was going to be a very long, hard day paddling. Ironically, some companies we contacted to hire canoes wanted to put Eve in a Kayak alone. With all of Sarah's love, devotion, skills, and experiences as a qualified canoe and kayak coach, Eve (or any child) trying to paddle in these conditions on their own could be fatal. I can't begin to express my concern and alarm that professional companies are encouraging this. It’s ludicrous, ridiculous and dangerous. It offers some insight into why the RNLI has a permanent lifeboat station for Loch Ness and is one of only three lifeboats not on the coast!

Loch Ness is stunningly beautiful, flanked by hills and mountains, forests and moors, and has so much more to it than its famed resident, the Loch Ness Monster. I have to confess that while paddling along, watching the tip of my paddle disappear into the black void, I hoped that my long-held disbelief in anything supernatural was the correct one!

Paddling on and on… for hours, feeling like we were not moving. Landmarks never moved behind as we travelled forward, nor did distant sights come into focus; this was a mental challenge as much as a physical one! Any hillwalker will tell you about the emotional and psychological difficulties of ‘false summits’. Paddling Loch Ness put that into perspective, with hundreds of bays to paddle around, one after another, with no place to stop or rest, and it was a challenge to keep going and stay mentally engaged. I found myself singing and talking to myself, but in the end, I was silent in my head, with Sarah and Eve doing the same thing as they worked together, trying to push forward and control 16 feet of canoe. I decided to stop looking behind me. I would stop looking over to the opposite side of the loch or the shoreline, except if required, to avoid grounding on a boulder and tipping over! 

I quickly learned the effects of the swells that Loch Ness is famous for on canoes and the wakes created by boats on the opposite side of the loch that would move across the water like a tsunami. One of the things that kept Eve entertained was the wakes, as they lifted the front and backs of the canoes out of the water, bringing them crashing back down with a thud that sent a wave over the bow. We estimate that the wakes were over 4 feet. This is based on the height of the bow of the canoe. My strategy was to look out for them as they were created by fast-moving boats that we would hear roaring by. When they arrived after tracing across the loch, I would angle the canoe into them, letting it ride over without paddling. I occasionally put my paddle into keep to bow in the correct direction as I battled against the wind that was trying to push the canoe sideways into the movement of the swells and wakes.

I paddled the entire length of Loch Ness, mentally prepared to swim as the canoe tipped over; how that didn’t happen is a mystery, but one I will always be grateful for!

If I could offer you just one tip, one piece of advice above all else… do not underestimate Loch Ness. I know we had it particularly hard with the wind, but even so… this is not a loch to mess around on or treat with any disrespect. Loch Ness is more akin to a mini ocean, with all the dangers and challenges you can associate with it! After paddling the length of Loch Ness, I can understand how people could start seeing mythical creatures as their minds wander into the dark void of the waters below!

All day, we paddled like this… only pausing briefly, letting out canoes get blown into small eddies and landing twice once, beside a very posh boathouse (that had a sign saying no landing that we didn’t see until after we set off again) and a small gravel beach known locally as the Joshua Tree. This is also a place where some people choose to camp. The Joshua Tree was one of the best sights along the entire length of Loch Ness and an Osprey nest that Sarah spotted!

After hours of battling the wind and trying to stay in the canoe, we arrived at Foyers. The relief was immense. Our muscles were burning, and our mental strength was exhausted. We were spent!

We had booked a pod at the Camping and Caravanning site at Foyers for the night before, expecting to be here last night. The campsite was lovely enough to move our booking to the next night without any additional cost. This was where we were going to spend the night. 

Securing the canoes on the beach, we retired to our pod, cooking our pasta meal and settling dowen for the evening, but only after having a family discussion on logistics.

Discussing the plan, we knew that by now, we were a full day behind schedule, and not only that, but we also had the canoes booked for one more day.

We knew we had the second half of Loch Ness to complete, a dangerous section to navigate where the River Ness deviates from the canal, several miles of canal, including a section used by some of the largest ships that operate on Loch Ness.

The plan that we came up with was to, at a minimum, complete Loch Ness and get onto the canal where the water was calmer and we would be protected from the wind. At that point, we could decide whether to camp in one of the designated wild camping spots or push on to the end at over 20 miles. We knew we might have to decide before we left Loch Ness to arrange pick up of the canoes late into the evening or extend our hire for another 24 hours.

Going to bed, we had settled on a plan to reach the end of the Great Glen Canoe Trail in Inverness, over 20 miles away!

Day 5 - Foyers to Inverness - 21.4 miles

WOW… today was epic!

The alarm set for 6 am went off loudly, and within minutes, we were all up, packing away our sleeping bags and heading down to the canoes with a Nalgene bottle full of tea and coffee. Today would be the most challenging yet on the Great Glen Canoe Trail.

We set off on a relatively calm Loch Ness, which looked much safer than yesterday. Sarah and I looked at each other and said in unison, “Why couldn’t it have been like this yesterday?”

The second half of Loch Ness on the south shore felt very different from yesterday. It was a lot more urban and built up, with more evidence of human impact. We passed by a power station, numerous car parks with groups of people, and countless trail cameras. We even found a few places to stop for a break and to stretch our legs and arms.

Being able to stop for a break made a big difference to all of us. After yesterday, our muscles were sore and ached. Getting them moving first thing in the morning was hard and hurt, but it eased off the more we moved. Sarah’s knees, however, were throbbing and swelling, as was her scar tissue, which was becoming increasingly painful. We were all motivated to reach Inverness today and even planned to paddle into the dark.

It wasn’t that we were not enjoying it or feeling in danger; it was just that so many things conspired against us, from the weather to logistics, but at the last moment, it all seemed to work out together. It was a journey of incredible highs and lows, but we needed a rest and a day to reset before our next adventure.

As we paddled, we were able to stay closer and talk. Eve and I even exchanged breakfast items! It felt good, and we felt like we were making progress. We paused regularly as we finally started to get into our rhythm, finding our second wind. 

We passed Drumnadrochit and the Urquhart Castle, which seemed to stay beside us for the whole day before the beach and buildings of Dores came into view.

The further we paddled up Loch Ness, the calmer it seemed to get. For the last mile before Dores, the loch was millpool, absolutely motionless except for the wake of passing boats. If it had been like this from Fort Augustus, we could have paddled the length of Loch Ness in one day!

Near Dores, there was a fish farm we had to go around by paddling into the middle of Loch Ness. It was the furthest into Loch we had gone over the past two days, and it felt like we were paddling into the abyss. The water below was pitch black below a few inches, and we could hear the electricity surging through the power cables that connected the fish pens. It was an otherworldly place that felt spooky. It would be here if there were ever a place to see the Loch Ness monster!

Once we passed the fish farm, we hugged the shore again and made our way slowly to the beach beside the pub. Reaching this spot was a huge milestone and represented to us the start of the end of Loch. We were relieved!

We celebrated by going into the pub, getting a can of Coke and two bags of crisps each. We had a craving for sugar and salt. We suspected our muscles were desperately trying to heal and reaper after yesterday and to prepare for today's marathon push into Inverness.

We didn’t stop for long, knowing that time was not on our side. After eating and drinking, we got back into the canoes and pushed on around Tor Point and into Loch Dochfour.

Loch Dochfour is technically not Loch Ness (obviously), but it didn’t feel like it, although it looked completely different. It was noisy, with the busy A82 running parallel, and the sides were covered with ancient deciduous trees that overhung. We could see the bottom in places, and the water looked calm and serene. To us, the end of Loch Ness wasn't until we reached the first set of Locks.

But before that, we had some considerable hazards to navigate. The weir from the canal into the River Ness is large and powerful. It sucks anything passing down it, including us in our little canoes. However, this is also where the big ships come in and dock for the night. Being in a canoe, we were meant to paddle on the right, but the weir was also on the right, so we opted for the left. This needed care and timing to cross the shipping channel to the safety of the shore and to navigate high into the canal where the pontoon is to portage around the loch.

The loch is also the designated wild camping spot and the final chance to stop for the night before continuing on the Great Glen Way to Inverness.

Reaching the lock, there was no way we were going to stop now. It wasn’t even a point of discussion; all three of us knew we were going to keep going. Surprisingly, we didn’t feel too fatigued, but I also put that down to the weather being kinder and not fighting against the wind and water.

Portaging the canoes was becoming more manageable, and we had worked out a system and our respective roles between us so we could just get on with it with little fuss. It didn’t make it any less frustrating or time-consuming, but it did help with our efficiency.

Once we passed the locks and returned to the canal, the trail felt different. More specifically, we felt different. Our mood increased, and our energy felt renewed. We paddled along next to each other, smiling and happy, seemingly oblivious to the time and the fading light.

We didn’t stop on the last section except to phone the hire company to give them an ETA. We predicted 8 p.m., just as the last of the day's light would fade to darkness.

Paddling along the canal got busier, with rowing boats of people oblivious to anybody around them, walkers and runners on the towpath, and even the occasional jumping fish! It also started to smell and sound urban… which is typically something we strive to avoid, but today, it was somehow settling, knowing we were coming to the end.

Just as the light was changing to darkness and a fog descended, we saw the final pontoon slowly come into view. After such a hard few days, it's an odd feeling to see it, the final place we would get out of the canoes.

The end of the Great Glen Canoe Trail was unfortunately a big anticlimax.

The towpath was busy, with groups of people walking and shouting, carrying cans or larger, and the noise of the traffic. It felt threatening, and we all felt uncomfortable. We wanted to get out and get back to the car. We had hoped to revel in the knowledge of what we had just done and what we had achieved as a family. For now, our celebrations would have to wait. 

Together, we pulled the canoes out, strapped the wheels on for the last time, and headed towards the car park, where the car was parked and we were due to be picked up. Also, immediately as we arrived in the car park, a van drove in to collect the canoes. It was a relief.

Before we left, we helped load the canoes onto the trailer, put stuff in the car, and then drove off without even taking our waterproof clothing off. We wanted to get away from the area, the shouting, and the smell of alcohol. We all felt this was not a place to linger for long.

We stopped briefly later in a layby. We stood in a group hug for over 15 minutes on the side of the road. If you had passed by and seen us, you would have wondered what was happening! We may have looked ridiculous, but we didn’t care. We were together and had just finished the hardest day on the trail. We had completed it together as a family, and we were so much stronger for it.

For those few moments, in the layby on the side of the road, I felt like the luckiest man alive and privileged to have the most incredible family around me. I hope they could feel just a little bit of my pride at that moment. We didn’t speak or utter a word; we didn’t need to. This was it. We had done it, and we were delighted!

The drive home took several hours. I had to concentrate hard because the fog was thick, and I was struggling to adjust to the car's speed relative to the canoe that I had been in for the last few days. We stopped in Perth to grab some food from McDonald's, as the hunger pangs had finally caught up with us. We got home just after midnight and collapsed in bed, not bothering to unpack the car until later that day.

The Great Glen Canoe Trail is an amazing and epic trail, but it is not one to undertake lightly or unprepared. It has taught us a lot about ourselves and our family. After this, we know we are capable of so much more than we ever thought possible.

This is the start of something much bigger and much greater...

Watch. This. Space!