The Caledonian Canal, a spectacular masterpiece

Stretching from Fort William to Inverness, the Caledonian Canal is 60 miles long of which 22 miles are man-made. The rest are natural lochs, namely Loch Lochy, Loch Oich, the famous Loch Ness and Loch Dochfour. Widely considered a masterpiece of canal engineering, the Caledonian is on a scale incomparable with almost anything else in Britain. It has survived in part due to its continuing importance in the Highland economy, and partly because it is quite simply spectacular.

Over the past few years the 200 year old network has undergone a transformation and today more visitors to Scotland are discovering that canals are the perfect way of exploring Scotland's wonderful countryside.

Fort Augustus, at the heart of the Great Glen, is a hive of activity, bustling with boaters, locals, and visitors. The Fort Augustus flight of locks is worth exploring even if only for the fascination of watching the boats come and go. The canal side walk to Kytra Lock, delightfully set among the hills, shows you how the Canal ousted the River Oich from its original channel. Also not to be missed is the Caledonian Canal Visitor Centre which is a small but unique venue showcasing the history of the Caledonian Canal from its beginnings to its present day refurbishment.

So whether you have a planned day out or a well deserved holiday, make sure you stay in a quality-assured self-catering cottage with the help of the EmbraceScotland website.