Four Seasons in One Day in Scotland

Scotland provided an active multi-generational fun vacation like no other.

No, we did not see the monster in Loch Ness, but we certainly tried. Even though scientists from New Zealand and Great Britain had recently agreed there was no prehistoric monster and the sightings over the years had been giant eels, my granddaughter and grandson were much of the time on the open bridge with me in the driving rain determined to spot the monster.  It was indeed a stormy day as our yacht confidently made its way through the white caps of the lake that has a depth of as much as 745 feet in places and has recorded 13-foot waves. Low hanging dark rolling clouds seemed to touch down on the water in the heavy fog ahead of us. Far ahead in the distance lightning accompanied the wild weather with the rugged mountains of the Scottish Highlands on either side of Loch Ness. It was a distinctly threatening feeling after the calm water of the Caledonian Canal we had left about an hour earlier. We could have waited out the storm but opted for some added adventure using the 800-year-old Urquhart Castle on the shore as a directional beacon. Our yacht was built for these waters, and we could always easily have escaped to the nearest shoreline. Eventually we had to traverse the 23-mile length of the lake to get to the continuation of the canal towards Port Augustus and Fort William.

We had rented the boat for a week from Caley Cruisers in Inverness to cruise through the Caledonian Canal, three lakes and as many as ten locks. The total water height difference is an impressive 106 feet from the Atlantic to the North Sea right across the northern part of Scotland. I had grown a small beard in an attempt to look the part as captain of the vessel and invited our whole family of eight for this adventure. The boat boasted four bedrooms, two bathrooms with showers, a main dining and living room with a surprisingly large galley. I was able to navigate the boat from there as well but preferred the open bridge to play my captain role to the fullest and be one with the elements. I have boating experience from living almost 40 years on Marco Island, but Caley Cruisers does accept clients without boating knowledge as they have a mandatory hour of classroom instructions and an instructor on board until reaching the first lock and bridge a few miles into the canal. 

Additionally, yachts are available in different sizes, and most have front and back thrusters to make maneuvering almost as easy as driving a car! But trust me; entering the first lock brought some light-hearted Scottish correction instructions from a jocular lock master.

Next to each lock along the way is the mandatory pub. When one has made it through, it is a good time to dock and meander over for a local beer and a pub lunch of fish and chips or meat pie with smashed peas. 

By the time we reached the far end of the lake continuing into another section of the Caledonian Canal, the weather had made an amazing conversion to blue sky, sun, and warm spring temperatures.

This really is Scotland at its best with “four seasons in a day.” It was my second time renting a yacht here and weather wise it does not make much of a difference if you come in April or in June. We experienced driving rain and a storm, beautiful sunshine, swam in Loch Ness and saw snow on the nearby mountains on both adventures.

In the 18th Century, inventor James Watt already spoke about a possible water connection between the west and the east coast of Scotland to allow ships to avoid having to navigate between Pentland Firth and the Orkney Islands around the treacherous seas north of Scotland. But it was not until 30 years later that construction began in 1803. Engineer Thomas Telford made the architectural plans for the canal, and he directed the colossal project daily until the completion in 1822. The canal splits the country in half and runs for 60 miles from Corpach near Fort William on the North Sea to Inverness on the Atlantic Ocean. It connects Loch Ness, Loch Oich and Loch Lochy and has a total of 29 locks. The eight locks near Fort Williams are called “Neptune’s Staircase” and it takes 90 minutes to navigate. Boats are lifted 64 feet with the assistance of three lock keepers. For many years it brought new economic growth to this poor part of Scotland, and a visit from Queen Victoria aboard the paddle steamer “Gondolier” in 1873 was the impetus that drew tourism to the area.

We have driven on the small narrow roads enjoying the unique and desolate landscape in the northern Scottish Highlands and driven along the more touristic road along the canal, but the scenery from the water puts a new perspective on everything. There are many boat excursions available, mostly capitalizing on the Loch Ness monster. 

However, our own yacht came with a very detailed map to guide us along the canal and lakes for a week. First half of the week to the east and returning west on the opposite side of the lakes the rest of the week. Some nights we joined other rental boats and in other spots we had our own totally secluded docking. Rental boats cannot go through the famous “Neptune’s Staircase” locks at Fort William. We stayed overnight at Barnevie just before the locks and toured the locks and surrounding town on foot. Both our sons took the opportunity to climb Scotland’s highest mountain, Ben Nevis, at 4,413 feet as I had done some 50 years before them.

Our journey on the Caledonian Canal offered something for every age and we enjoyed a family get-together everyone agrees they will never forget.