Loch Ness

 Loch Ness - Mon 3rd July

Fort Augustus - Loch Ness - Inverness - Helmsdale.

Really interesting start to the day watching the canal locks working shifting boats from one Loch to the other.  The whole operation takes about an hour and a half and usually happens 4 times a day. They are mostly pleasure boats. We drove up from Fort Augustus past Loch Ness to Inverness. Bit of a dreary day again with rain on and off. We did not see Nessy the Loch Ness Monster but we saw lots of tourists in buses and cars. Stopped in Inverness for a look around the city and went to a few of the recommended things to see in the city one being the Leakey's Bookshop.

After our visit to Inverness we carried on up the coast stopping at a few villages along the way nothing much to report except a good coffee at a small town called Tain at the Railway Cafe and Matt got a pie that made him feel really yucky from another shop in town.

Made it up to Helmsdale and stayed in a very good Hostel there. Had fish and chips for tea just for a change.

View of Urquhart Castle as we drove along Loch Ness

Our route for the day 

Looking up stream from the Canal Locks

The Fort Augustus Canal Locks from Loch Oich to Loch Ness. More photos below.

Loch Ness bit of a grey day.

The Victorian Market Inverness

Leakey's Bookshop in Inverness with a 
huge assortment of books and maps and sketches.
The maps and sketches all proclaiming to be over 100 years old.