Loch Ness and the Caledonian Canal: featuring on Channel 4’s Narrow Escapes
Hear the call of Scottish lairds on the majestic Caledonian Canal
The Scottish Highlands create a backdrop of incredible beauty on Caledonian canal cruises! Much of your time will be spent on lakes (lochs) embraced in the rugged valleys along the Great Glen, a geologic fault line that shaped the landscape of the region. The Highlands are a unique place in the world, replete with hilltop castles, quiet waterside towns, lake resorts, friendly pubs and mournful bagpipes!
You’ll also be able to cruise on the mythical waters of Loch Ness on a cruise of 4 nights or longer.
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Interactive map of Caledonian Canal
Emerald Star base
Point of interest
No boat licence or experience required
Not many of our new customers have driven a boat before. However, they quickly realise how easy it is and soon become confident navigating the waterways. Our base teams will show you everything you need to know, so you can relax and enjoy your time away.
Our customer reviews on Loch Ness and the Caledonian Canal
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Great experience
Laggan Lock is an easily accessible and convenient location to…
Laggan Lock is an easily accessible and convenient location to start your Caledonian Canal holiday. Staff are helpful and friendly and the moorings are sheltered and provide easy access to both the canal, Loch Lochy and Loch Oich.
Laggan employees were amazing. Absolutely top notch.
Laggan employees were amazing. Absolutely top notch.
Easy cruising through the locks and along this beautiful historic…
Easy cruising through the locks and along this beautiful historic canal.
Facilities are nice. The Eagle Barge is great for evening…
Facilities are nice. The Eagle Barge is great for evening drinks.
Excellent helpful staff
Excellent helpful staff
Great experience. Mountain star boar bigger than I expected. Will…
Great experience. Mountain star boar bigger than I expected. Will be back.
Had a lovely time on Clipper 2. Boat was spacious,…
Had a lovely time on Clipper 2. Boat was spacious, clean and very comfortable. There were three of us on board and it could have accommodated up to 6. It was a lit of fun.
Fabulous place to collect boat and head off towards Inverness,…
Fabulous place to collect boat and head off towards Inverness, lovely staff
It was a wonderful experience, beautiful location , and the…
It was a wonderful experience, beautiful location , and the staff were brilliant and extremely helpful .Would definitely recommend Emerald Star to my friends .
Emerald star experience was fantastic for the whole family. The…
Emerald star experience was fantastic for the whole family. The people at Laggan was friendly and very welcoming.Kay was outstanding and so was Carlos .The boats have everything you need .Very comfortable beds and well equipped kitchen.The lock keepers are so friendly and all the different nationalities we met which was a lot was really friendly.We took our two small dogs and they enjoyed it as well.Very enjoyable time and hopefully will be returning.I would definitely recommend Emerald star.
The location was good, staff friendly and helpful.
The location was good, staff friendly and helpful.
The trip was amazing and we were lucky to have…
The trip was amazing and we were lucky to have fab weather which made scenery spectacular. Staff were amazing and very friendly. Boat was spotless and experience was fab. Would recommend.
Exceeded our expectations of a fun holiday.
Exceeded our expectations of a fun holiday.
Informative , helpful friendly staff in a beautiful location
Informative , helpful friendly staff in a beautiful location
Excellent trip, staff, boat and location.
Excellent trip, staff, boat and location.
Great staff and brilliant scenery
Great staff and brilliant scenery
Great boat, good handling characteristics and very comfortable
Great boat, good handling characteristics and very comfortable
The perfect boating region for…
Nature Lovers
Nature trails around the lochs inspire you to go trekking amidst the pines. You might observe crossbill, redstart, tree pipit, golden eagles, peregrines and songbirds. Red deer and fox also live along the Caledonian Canal. To get off your sore feet, go horseback riding at Drumnadrochit!
Fishing
Picture yourself amidst Loch Ness surrounded with majestic mountains as you fish for the elusive salmon, or perhaps for the fighting Ferrox trout! Pike, charr and other fish lurk beneath the waters of the Caledonian Canal. Break out the rod on angling holidays in Scotland!
History & Heritage
Perched atop craggy cliffs, Urquhart Castle in Drumnadrochit is a must-see! In Fort Augustus, spend time in the Caledonian Canal Visitor Centre museum learning about the history and heritage of the canal, and then pop over to the Clansman Centre for Scottish lore!
Golf
Golf originated in Scotland during the Middle Ages, and it’s not surprising that Caledonian Canal golf breaks are popular! The Castle Stuart Golf Links, Loch Ness Golf Course and the Inverness Golf Club are in Inverness, and the Fort Augustus Golf Club is on the canal.
Read our articles about Loch Ness and the Caledonian Canal
5 Towns to Visit Along the Caledonian Canal
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Marcus has been an integral part of Emerald Star’s sales team for several years, so knows our destinations and fleet very well. After many cruises with us he particularly loves our stunning Irish and Italian destinations!
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Itinerary suggestions
Our boating holidays allow you the freedom to stop when you want and take each day as it comes. However, you might like to be guided by one of our day-by-day suggested itineraries, complete with estimated cruising times and restaurant recommendations. You can follow it religiously or just use it for ideas – whatever ‘floats your boat’. Please bear in mind that our itineraries are just suggestions. Cruising times are estimates and access to waterways, attractions and restaurants are all subject to availability at time of cruising.
3-Night Loch Ness and Caledonian Canal Itinerary: Laggan Return
7-Night Loch Ness and Caledonian Canal Itinerary: Laggan Return
Route suggestions
To help you get an idea of how far you can travel in the time you have, here’s a selection of routes to and from our bases in this region. You dont have to stop at all the places listed or follow the route exactly. So long as you return your boat to your end base by the date you’ve booked – you’re free to enjoy your cruise however you like. For a comfortable pace, allowing you time to regularly stop and explore, we’d recommend an average of 2 – 4 hours cruising each day.
Please note: Any route suggestions and itineraries on the Emerald Star website are examples only and any of the suggested potential routes, attractions, restaurants, towns, villages or sections of the waterway included in them may not always be open or accessible at time of cruising.
= Click the arrow icon on each route suggestion, to flip the 'card' and reveal more details.
Laggan RETURN via Banavie & Fort Augustus
Laggan RETURN via Banavie & Fort Augustus
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Overview
The views of Loch Lochy and Ben Nevis, Britain’s highest mountain at over 4,000 feet, take your breath away on the gondola ride up Aonach Mor, marking a highlight of your Caledonian canal boating holiday! Then you head north up to Loch Oich to pretty Fort Augustus to dine on a platter of haggis, stopping to cycle and fish along the way.
Top highlights:
- Views of Ben Nevis and the Grey Collies mountains from Gairlochy
- Sight of the Jacobite Steam train (Hogwarts Express) in Banavie
- The sight of Fort Augustus from the shores of Loch Ness
Example itinerary:
The following is only an example, you can explore this area in whichever order you want, so long as your boat is back at the end base at the end of your holiday:
- Laggan:Â Have a stop in quiet Laggan, a small and peaceful village, and relax in the local pub and restaurant.
- Gairlochy:Â Moor in this lovely place to discover beautiful views of Ben Nevis and the Grey Collie mountains. A good place to have a walk.
- Benavie:Â Banavie is home to the longest staircase lock in the UK, Neptune’s Staircase, with it’s set of eight locks and lift of sixty-four feet! Meanwhile, Harry Potter fans will love the Jacobite Steam train, the train used as the Hogwarts Express in the film series. It runs along the West Highlands Railway, taking in breathtaking scenery on a 135km round trip.
- Invergarry:Â Invergarry is a small village where you can discover the remains of the old Castle of Invergarry. A beautiful place to have a walk.
- Fort Augustus:Â Situated on the shores of the world famous Loch Ness, Fort Augustus is nestled right in the centre of the stunning scenery of the Great Glen, which stretches from the east to the west coast of Scotland. The fort, and the village, were named after King George II’s younger son, Prince William Augustus.
Laggan RETURN via Inverness & Banavie
Laggan RETURN via Inverness & Banavie
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Overview
You scout magnificent Loch Ness for Nessie, taking in the mountains and blue waters from your sundeck and feeling a world away on your Caledonian Canal boating holiday. Soon you pull into a laid-back resort to relax with watersports, and later you head north to Inverness to sightsee. You can almost hear distant bagpipes whispering in the cool crisp air!
Top highlights:
- Views of Ben Nevis and the Grey Collies mountains from Gairlochy
- Sight of the Jacobite Steam train (Hogwarts Express) in Banavie
- The sight of Fort Augustus from the shores of Loch Ness
- Inverness Castle
Example itinerary:
The following is only an example, you can explore this area in whichever order you want, so long as your boat is back at the end base at the end of your holiday:
- Laggan:Â Have a stop in quiet Laggan, a small and peaceful village, and relax in the local pub and restaurant.
- Gairlochy:Â Moor in this lovely place to discover beautiful views of Ben Nevis and the Grey Collie mountains. A good place to have a walk.
- Banavie:Â Banavie is home to the longest staircase lock in the UK, Neptune’s Staircase, with its set of eight locks and lift of sixty-four feet! Meanwhile, Harry Potter fans will love the Jacobite Steam train, the train used as the Hogwarts express in the film series. It runs along the West Highlands Railway, taking in breathtaking scenery on a 135 km round trip.
- Fort William:Â The outdoor capital of the UK, Fort William is a mecca for adventure activities. Hike, bike and high-wire your way through spectacular scenery, including the tallest mountain in the UK – Ben Nevis! If the thought of walking to the top is too daunting (recommended for experienced walkers only) there is a gondola to the summit as well.
- Invergarry:Â Invergarry is a small village where you can discover the remains of the old Castle of Invergarry. A beautiful place to have a walk.
- Fort Augustus:Â Situated on the shores of the world famous Loch Ness, Fort Augustus is nestled right in the centre of the stunning scenery of the Great Glen, which stretches from the east to the west coast of Scotland. The fort, and the village, were named after King George II’s younger son, Prince William Augustus.
- Invermoriston:Â Invermoriston is a sweet place. Here, you’ll appreciate having an amble along the countryside walking paths aside the hamlet.
- Foyers:Â Deep in the magnificent and misty athmosphere of the Loch Ness, breathe in the clean air and have a walk along the beautiful walking paths along the canal banks.
- Drumnadrochit:Â Drumnadrochit is known for its world famous monster Nessie, who is fabled to reside in Loch Ness. Stroll around this quiet village to see the old Castles ruins along the banks and be sure to keep an eye on the water – maybe you will be the next to see it…
- Inverness:Â Inverness is a compact and historic city, which is easy to explore. Enjoy beautiful views from the castle and riverbank and indulge in a spot of retail therapy in the old town or at the new Eastgate complex.