The Caledonian Canal

 

Mist and fog in Loch Linnhe

The next day we motored out of Loch a Choire in mist and fog, which lifted as the day warmed up and lay in streaks along the mountains. It was very beautiful. I had a phone call from the Caledonian Canal soon after 0800. I’d left a message the previous day. Did we know we had to book online at the scottishcanals website? We didn’t. We learned the canal was open but the sea lock would close at 1430. Jeremy found the form on the website, booked a transit of seven days and paid £270.

 

Corpach basin

Corpach sea lock opened at 1100. We entered and tied up. A yacht called Ibis tied up behind us. After lunch, we went up Neptune’s Staircase, a flight of 8 locks. Many tourists lined both sides of the locks. We tied up at Banavie for the night. Ibis tied up behind us. We had supper at The Lochy pub and bought a few groceries at the local Co-op.

Day 2. We had to telephone ahead to the lock keeper at Gairlochy and check the opening times for the swing bridges at Moy and Gairloch. Just before Moy bridge we came across the hotel barge, Scottish Highlander, which had stopped in the middle of the canal waiting for the bridge to open. We asked permission to go past and tie up to a waiting pontoon. Two yachts were tied up on the opposite side. The lock keeper said Scottish Highlander and three yachts could proceed through the open swing bridge and into the lock. We were the last yacht. Ibis had to wait until later. We spent the night tied up above the loch and used the excellent toilet and showering facilities provided. Ibis tied up behind us and we enjoyed chatting to Ian and Jan.

Kathy steering along the Caledonian Canal

Day 3. We passed through Laggan locks and entered Loch Oich. There was a pontoon near a picnic area. We tied up, went ashore and had a barbecue in sunny weather. In the afternoon, we continued to Cullochy lock and had to wait for Scottish Highlander to enter first. Next, we passed through Kytra lock and tied up for the night above the Fort Augustus flight of 5 locks.

 

Scenic reach on the Caledonian Canal

Day 4. Two barges had to take the first locking. We were next with one other yacht. We tied up below the locks. Jeremy went to the nearby Spar for groceries. We had lunch at the Lock Inn. When we returned, Ibis was tied up behind us. After chatting to Ian and Jan, we set off into Loch Ness, unfurled the genoa and sailed gently towards Urquart Castle, where we anchored for the night. We launched the dinghy and explored a woodland area ashore. Nessie came to visit on our return.

 

Look who popped up!

Day 5. We continued through Loch Ness to Dochgarroch lock, passed through and tied up about half a mile below the lock. We had a barbecue on the side of the canal. Later on, Jan and Ian came on board for sundowners and a long chat. 

 

Sharing a lock

Day 6. It rained as we motored towards Torvean and Tomnahurch swing bridges. We had to tie up and wait for Scottish Highlander and another barge to pass through first. We followed to the Muirtown flight of 5 locks. As before, the two barges filled the first lock. We waited at a stone wharf. Four yachts shared the next locking. One was Ibis. Opposite us was a Feeling yacht from the River Deben in Suffolk, which is our home river. Small world! After the locks and a swing bridge, we tied up to a previously booked finger berth at Seaport Marina. The first night was free and the second night cost £10. Ibis was tying up behind us on a different pontoon. Someone shouted, “Person in the water!” It was Jan. She’d slipped on the finger berth and fallen in. Unfortunately, she hurt her shoulder and a visit to A&E confirmed she had broken her arm.

 

Urquart Castle, Loch Ness

Day 7. We shopped at the nearby Co-op in the morning. In the evening we had drinks on Ibis. Later, Mirek and Jasper, two crew who are helping Ian take Ibis down the east coast, slept the night on Sal Darago. Jan went home by bus and has been advised to go to her local fracture clinic for further assessment.

 

The Moray Firth

We left the Caledonian Canal on Sunday morning, 13^th August and started our journey down the east coast to Suffolk.

Tobermory, Isle of Mull to Loch a Choire

 

Cuddles on Sal Darago

We left Loch Aline at 0700 on Monday 24^th July and motored up the Sound of Mull in cold, light WNW winds. Jeremy steered through the Narrows between Calve Island and Mull with only one metre under our keels. He blew his grandfather’s WW1 bugle to sound our arrival. We picked up a Tobermory Harbour Association mooring buoy and went ashore. The usual daily charge for a buoy is £17 per night for an 11m boat. We decided to buy 10 nights at the discounted price of £14 per night. We paid our fee at the Harbour Office in Tobermory Aquarium building near the marina at Ledaig.

 

Swimming at Loch na Droma Buidhe

Afterwards, we walked up the steep Prison Brae to the cottage. We had bags of laundry and our showering gear. Em, Ben and the girls had gone camping for a few days, so we had the cottage to ourselves. We made good use of the washing machine, the new electric cooker and the super duper new shower in the totally refurbished bathroom. Jeremy’s brother, Gavin, and his wife, Eileen, had sourced everything needed for the new bathroom. Our next door neighbour, Hughie, agreed to supervise the job of stripping out the old bathroom and putting in the new one. Thank you Gavin, Eileen, Hughie and the other tradespeople for an amazing transformation.

 

Kathy emerging from Loch na Droma Buidhe

In addition, Gavin and Eileen sourced a new electric cooker to replace the old calor gas one, new pans, a new electric water heater and a new electric towel rail.

Em, Ben and the girls returned the next day. We joined them for supper. It was wonderful to be reunited again after seven months apart. We had missed the lovely night time cuddles from Ellie and Sophie.

 

Setting out on our trek

The following morning we collected the family, their many bags and four body boards at the marina and motored over to Loch na Droma Buidhe. We explored the burn and the beach leaving our names in cockle shells on the rocks on the shore. Later on, we all swam from Sal Darago wearing wet suits, except for Jeremy. The water was cold.

 

Fabulous views from the top of the hill.

Em had booked a session for four of us at Mull Pony Trekking for the afternoon of Thursday 27^th July. Liz Henderson runs the centre. She had broken her collar bone in a fall from a horse only 3 weeks before, but was still managing to work as she had a number of helpers. Jeremy came along to lead Sophie. Em, Ellie and I joined Sophie and a couple of other riders in a peaceful and enjoyable hill trek.

 

Family reunion at Macgochans, Tobermory

The next day we collected the family from the marina once more. This time they had even more bags as they were going to spend two nights on Sal Darago. The weather forecast was not good, so we decided to go to the head of Loch Sunart. We anchored just before the Narrows off Eilean Garbh, where Em saw a sea eagle. Jeremy booked us all into Kilcamb Lodge Hotel for Em’s birthday lunch. We were able to pick up a mooring for a £5 donation at Strontian and walk about a mile to the hotel. It rained, but nobody minded as we were warm and cosy in the Driftwood Bistro and the lounge at Kilcamb Lodge. We could stay as long as we wanted.

 

Em's birthday at Kilcamb Lodge

As we motored from Strontian to Salen Loch Sunart, the rain lashed down and the wind strengthened. Ben phoned ahead and booked a berth at the marina for the night. After a walk in sunshine in the forest the next day, we had lunch at the Salen Hotel before returning to Tobermory.

Meanwhile, our nephew Jamie, his wife, Juliette, daughter, Anna and son, Daniel had arrived in Tobermory. We had two great days out with them. There were 10 of us on board Sal Darago for a day trip to Loch na Droma Buidhe, where we had a picnic lunch. Ellie, Sophie, Jamie and his family braved the cold water for a swim.

 

Kilninian Kirk near the black sands beach

That evening, back in Tobermory, Em, Ben, Ellie, Sophie, Jeremy and I had a meal at Cafe Fish. Jeremy and I took the girls back to the cottage and put them to bed. It’s a long time since we read bedtime stories together. 

 

West Highland Race yachts rafted up at Tobermory Marina

The next day was the last day of the holiday for Em, Ben, Ellie and Sophie. It was a dry day so we all set off for the beach along with Jamie and family. Three barbecues were set up and everyone ate and drank heartily. Jeremy and I went for a walk and later joined everyone back at the beach for a swim and a game of cricket. We had a great day.

Eating out at The Western Isles Hotel

On our return the West Highland Race had arrived in Tobermory. The wind was blowing strongly from the NE and all the yachts were pitching and rolling in the bay and in the marina. We had difficulty clambering on to Sal Darago and had a fairly uncomfortable few hours before the wind changed direction.

Glensanda Quarry, Loch Linnhe

The next couple of days were spent doing laundry and tidying the garden at the cottage. We said goodbye to our neighbours, Fiona and Hughie and to John and Eilidh. It’s always sad to be leaving Tobermory but we still had a long way to go to our home in Suffolk.

 

The Boathouse Restaurant, Loch a Choire

We weighed anchor at 0645 on Sunday 6^th August and motorsailed to Loch a Choire near Loch Linnhe. Jeremy had booked us into the Boathouse Restaurant. We had some difficulty anchoring and later learned that we could have used one of the new moorings which we saw nearby. The meal was delicious.