CANOE TRAIL GUIDE TO THE GREAT GLEN

INTRODUCTION

Welcome to the Great Glen.  The Glen is the background, and the Caledonian Canal is the waterway, which offers a beautiful route of 60 miles (96 km) from Fort William to Inverness, and British Waterways is the navigation authority for the whole length.  Thomas Telford, the builder, artificially raised the level of Loch Oich, in the middle of the route by many feet to provide a navigable channel.

The Great Glen/Caledonian Canal is a varied waterway which crosses Scotland from sea to sea, and is both a long-distance touring voyage, and is used for many attractive day paddles. Loch Lochy is 12 miles (20 km) long; Loch Oich 5 miles (8 km), and Loch Ness a huge 23 miles (37 km) in length.  The Great Glen route is very popular with canoeists and kayakers, and used for club holidays, Duke of Edinburgh Award expeditions and for sponsored charity paddles.