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ROUTE 6

Caledonian Canal

Start/FinishFort William, old fort (NN 104 742)Distance14.5km/9 milesTotal ascent30m/100ftTime3½hrTerrainSmooth paths and pavementsMax altitudeNeptune’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.