Great Glen Canoe Trail Len Rail
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Clachnaharry Inverness Dochgarroch Drumnadrochit Dores SS H N E LOC Invermoriston GLEN CANOE GREAT Inverfarigaig Fort Augustus Foyers Knockie Invergarry Leiterfearn Glas-dhoire Laggan Y Gairlochy LOCH Moy LOCH Corpach Banavie Fort William GREAT GLEN CANOE TRAIL T A COMPLETE GUIDE TO SCOTLAnd’S FIRST FORMAL CANOE TRAIL RAIL GREAT GLEN This guide is an essential resource to help you plan There is advice on choosing the right craft, loading it, your journey through the Great Glen across Scotland. and the best ways of carrying it over portages. As well as the calm waters of the Caledonian Canal The coast to coast route can normally be completed 2N CANOE TRAIL there are the challenging open waters of Loch Lochy in three to five days. We have split the route into a five A COMPLETE GUIDE TO SCOTLAnd’S FIRST FORMAL CANOE TRAIL D and Loch Ness. Here you will find advice on how to day expedition and each day is described in detail, E D deal with the conditions as well as food, equipment, including camping and other forms of accommodation. ITION safety, communication and rescue. There are also numerous single day options and, for DONALD MACPHERSON The best craft for the adventure are open canoes, the more advanced paddlers, suggested routes that SECOND EdITION sea kayaks, touring paddleboards or touring kayaks. link stretches of river with lochs and canal sections. DONALD MACPHERSON DONAL RECOMMENDED CRAFT: d OPEN CANOES MACPHERSON SEA KAYAKS TOURING PaDDLEBOARDS 9 781906 095741 TOURING KAYAKS Front cover: Paddlers setting out onto Loch Lochy. SECOND EdITION Photo | John Macpherson Photography Trail Safety Contacts Key When planning your trail: When on open water remember: VHF Operation Channels Informal Portage Route Ensure you have the latest Emergency Channel – CH16 Camping Remember to register for your FREE Orientation weather forecast canoe registration Scottish Canals Lock Keepers – CH74 Commercial Panel Wear appropriate paddling clothing Camping Read the safety information provided Access/Egress by the Caledonian Canal Team Choose a shore and stick to it Point Handy Phone Numbers Canoe Rack Plan where you are staying and book Stay as a group and look out for Lock Gates appropriate accommodation if required each other Canal Office, Inverness – 01463 725500 Bunk House Canal Office, Corpach - 01397 772249 Swing Bridges Be prepared to take shelter should Shopping On the canal remember: the weather change Inverness Harbour - 01463 715715 A Road Parking Look out for and use the Canoe Trail pontoons In the event of an emergency on the water, Met Office – 01392 885680 B Road call 999 and ask for the coastguard Paddle on the right hand side and do not HM Coast Guard, Aberdeen – 01224 592334 Drop Off/Pick Up Railway canoe sail Police, Fort William – 01397 702361 Toilets Great Glen Way Give way to faster traffic Always wear a personal Police, Inverness – 01463 715555 Trailblazer Rest River Flow Be alert, and be visible to approaching craft buoyancy aid when on Citylink – 0871 2663333 Watch out for wake caused by larger boats the canal or open water. Day 5 Trail Overview Day 4 Clachnaharry Inverness Dochgarroch 60 MILES IN 5 DAYS Drumnadrochit LOCH DOCHFOUR It is an epic 60 mile (95km) journey crossing Scotland Dores Day 3 LOCH NESS in 5 days and conquering the formidable open waters of Loch Lochy and Loch Ness, a challenge in itself. Invermoriston Inverfarigaig Foyers Fort Augustus Day 2 Knockie Inverness Invergarry LOCH OICH Great Glen Day 1 Leiterfearn Canoe Trail Glas-dhoire Laggan N Fort William LOCH LOCHY Gairlochy FROM SOUTH TO NORTH Moy Corpach It is normally easier to paddle the Trail from Fort William in the west Banavie to Inverness in the east with the prevailing wind behind you. Keep an Fort William eye on the forecasts in the days leading up to your trip before finally deciding on your direction of travel. www.xcweather.com DONALD MACPHERSON GREAT GLEN CANOE TRAIL A COMPLETE GUIDE TO SCOTLAnd’S FIRST FORMAL CANOE TRAIL 2ND EDITION Important notice – disclaimer Paddlesports, whether in a loch, river or sea environment, have their inherent risks as do all adventurous activities. This guidebook highlights some considerations to take into account when planning your own Canoe Trail. While we have included a range of factors to consider; you will need to plan your own trail and within that ensure there is scope to be adaptable to prevailing winds, weather conditions and ever changing river hazards. This requires knowing your own abilities, then applying your own risk assessment to the conditions that you may encounter. The physical nature of the Great Glen and the varying environmental conditions within the coastal waters, inland lochs and rivers means that every day good judgement is required to decide whether to paddle or not. The information within this book has been well researched; however neither the author, Scottish Canals nor Pesda Press can be held responsible for any decision of whether to paddle or not and any consequences arising from that decision. Second Edition 2020 First published 2011 Published in Great Britain by Pesda Press Tan y Coed Canol Ceunant Caernarfon Gwynedd LL55 4RN © Copyright 2011/2020 Scottish Canals ISBN: 978-1-906095-74-1 The author asserts the moral right to be identified as the author of these works. All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted, in any form or by any means, electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording or otherwise, without the prior written permission of the publisher. Printed and bound in Poland. www.lfbookservices.co.uk Foreword I am delighted to be able to report that the Great Glen Canoe Trail has been a success for many years now, and that it offers the paddler a superb experience, and one of the best through canoe routes in the world. I first paddled the route in 1977 with a group of friends, and in white water racing kayaks – not the best for carrying camping gear! We just drove up from England, camped at Cor- pach on the former campsite, and set off in the morning with an OS map – and completed the route. Later I did a fast passage in a marathon kayak for a bet, and finally in the 90s paddled the Great Glen at leisure in an open canoe, returning often since to paddle sections while on holiday. Years later, when working as a consultant, I was contracted by the then Forestry Commis- FOREWORD sion Scotland to research the Great Glen route, as it was thought to be the most paddled bit of Scotland. I therefore, during 2007, spent many happy hours driving up and down the A82, looking for canoeists. Everyone I spoke to thought the route and scenery were fantastic, but that there was an obvious need for greater infrastructure. Local businesses, meanwhile, saw very few canoeists and had no idea of the huge tourism potential. British Waterways Scotland (now Scottish Canals) then took up the challenge, and so the plan for the Canoe Trail, and the Great Glen Canoe Trail Partnership, and subsequent funding, developed. I was happy to be involved in helping to make this wonderful trail more accessible to paddlers, and the trail is now in the hands of Scottish Canals. I welcome all of you most warmly to Scotland and the Great Glen, and hope you enjoy your paddling. Eddie is a kayaker and canoeist with over 60 years’ experience, having paddled all over both western and eastern Europe, the USA and Canada and southern Africa. He is a former Board Director and Chairman of the Scottish Canoe Association. Photo \ Polly Pullar 3 Contents Foreword ..................................................... 3 Canoe registration ............................................21 Equipment ......................................................... 23 The Author...................................................7 Loading your craft ............................................ 24 Loading your canoe ......................................... 24 Acknowledgements ......................... 9 Loading your sea or touring kayak ................ 25 Loading your touring paddleboard................ 25 Using this Trail Guide ................... 10 Portage distances ............................................ 26 Trip grading ........................................................11 Portage ...............................................................27 River grading .....................................................11 Lining through the locks ................................. 29 Safety and communication ............................ 30 CONTENTS CONTENTS Planning your Canoe Trail ....... 13 Conditions of lining through Making a plan ................................................... 13 the lock chambers ........................................... 30 Choosing your craft ......................................... 13 Pre-trail practice ...............................................31 Guided or self-guided ...................................... 13 Cold water immersion ..................................... 32 Group size and skills ........................................ 14 Understanding buoys ...................................... 33 When to take to the trail ................................. 15 Communication in the Great Glen ................. 34 Days on the trail ............................................... 15 What to do in an emergency.......................... 34 Weather ............................................................. 15 Giving your location ......................................... 35 Accommodation ..............................................