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ROUTE 6

Caledonian Canal

Start/Finish	Fort William, old fort (NN 104 742)
Distance	14.5km/9 miles
Total ascent	30m/100ft
Time	3½hr
Terrain	Smooth paths and pavements
Max altitude	Neptune’s Staircase 33m

A flat walk at Fort William? Well, you only need the cloud to rise 35m to enjoy this one. It explores the seaside, the canal side and a ruined castle, as well as some less interesting back streets of Inverlochy and Caol. The surprise bonus is the underwater section at the halfway point.

Start at the old fort, which is on the shoreline at a roundabout 100 metres west of Fort William station. A stone marks the start of the Great Glen Way; and GGW markers will guide for the first part of the walk. Follow them along pavement north to a second roundabout, and take a tarred path to left of McDonalds. It runs through scrubby industrial waste ground, then to left of the shinty pitch. At a housing estate, dogleg right then left to a disused road bridge.

Across it, the path on the left is signposted GGW. It runs around a wood to the shoreline by the tidal River Lochy. Follow the path next to the river, then through a wood, then again alongside the river past a football pitch. At the field end the path heads right but keep ahead to a narrow footbridge over a tailrace, then to a stile beside a long footbridge beside the railway – Soldiers’ Bridge.

Before crossing Soldiers’ Bridge, take the track on the right under the railway to visit Old Inverlochy Castle. Cross Soldiers’ Bridge, and turn left along Glenmallie Road. The street runs down by River Lochy, then turns right into Caol. The first street left is signposted GGW. At its end, take a gravel path alongside the salt waters of Loch Linnhe towards the imposing (but scarcely attractive) Wiggins Teape factory. After a football pitch, a footbridge crosses an overflow stream out of the Caledonian Canal and rises to its towpath.

Caledonian Canal at Corpach

Now the GGW turns right, but turn left to the canal’s end, and cross the lock gate between salt water (left) and fresh (right). Turn back along the northern towpath for 1km to the bridges at Banavie. Take a level crossing beside the railway’s swing bridge, then cross the road, and go up steps alongside Neptune’s Staircase. Continue along the towpath for 1km around a right-hand bend. Now a track forks down left to the base of the canal banking. Pass under the canal by a dripping tunnel, and turn up right to a path along the wooded canal bank. Soon it returns via a grey field gate to the towpath.

Turn left along the southern towpath, passing a tearoom alongside Neptune’s Staircase. GGW markers divert left, but you can simply cross the road and railway ahead. Follow the towpath for another 1km. With Loch Linnhe visible ahead, turn down left on a broad path to join a street near its end. From the street end, cross grass between houses (left) and a football pitch (right), to rejoin the outward route alongside Loch Linnhe.