Fort Augustus enjoys a fine location midway along the Great Glen, with a picturesque setting along a flight of locks through which the Caledonian Canal descends to the head of Loch Ness. This walk explores the surrounding lanes and tracks as well as a stretch alongside the canal.
Good paths, minor roads, tracks and pavement.
Fort Augustus is served by buses that run between Fort William and Inverness.
Fort Augustus.
Park in the large car park (charge) off the A82 just north of the canal and river, near the petrol station. Begin the walk from here by heading south along the pavement, crossing the bridge over the River Oich. When the canal is reached turn left to head along a road and then a path along the nearside of the canal. The towers of the Abbey - now self-catering accommodation - can be seen across the canal.
The path leads to a viewpoint looking down the length of Loch Ness. Though second to Loch Lomond in surface area, the great depth of Loch Ness - 230m - makes it by far the largest freshwater later in the UK by volume. It contains more fresh water than all the lakes in England and Wales combined. Retrace your steps back to the main A82 road and turn left along the pavement.
At the road junction where the main A82 bears right, go straight ahead (slightly left) onto the B862, signed for Whitebridge and Foyers. Soon the road crosses a bridge over the River Tarff; after this you can take a path that runs parallel to the road through fields on the left side. After passing through a pedestrian gate on this path look to your right to see a track heading off the road on the opposite side. Go through the gate here to cross the road and head up this track.
The track is muddy at first but soon improves as it runs through fields and then runs along high above the river. When it emerges near a house bear left to continue up to a minor road. Turn right along this, crossing Ardachy Bridge, then soon turn right again onto a track signed for Cill Chuimein Burial Ground. Immadiately fork left on a winding track that soon runs above the river.
Eventually the cemetery is entered via a stone stile (where the track bears right through a gate). Cill Chuimein was the original name of the settlement on the site of Fort Augustus, before the first military barracks was built in 1719. Leave the burial ground at the far end to pick up a tarmac lane.
The lane runs alongside the river before continuing beside a wall to reach the main road on the edge of Fort Augustus. Turn briefly right here but then left to head into the chalet park. Follow the tarmac road between the cabins, leaving it through a large gate on the right onto the golf course just after the whitewashed clubhouse building.
Keep along the track that runs along the left edge of the golf course. Eventually the golf course is left behind at a gate; continue ahead on the track. It leads down to the side of the Caledonian Canal. Turn right alongside this on a path that leads back to Fort Augustus in 2km. When the first of the locks is reached you can cross to walk down on the far side. Once back at the main road turn left to return to the car park.
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