Bring your own boat, hire a cruiser or charter a yacht for a canal holiday, take a day-trip on Loch Ness, or stay on a hotel boat or holiday barge. Take in the spectacular Scottish scenery and amazing wildlife. Boating on the Caledonian Canal is unlike any other canal boat experience in the UK.
How much does it cost to rent a narrowboat?
Average monthly cost of renting a narrowboat in London: £650
Sharing a houseboat with the owner can help you learn more about boat maintenance and can result in incredibly cheap rent of as little as £300 per month, but the average rental is around double this.
How long does it take to go through the Caledonian Canal?
The canal system is about 60 miles in length and our base in Inverness is both your pick up and return point (one-way cruises are sadly not possible). It takes around 3 days to cruise form one end to the other, it is therefore the ideal place to spend a week cruising.
Can you take a narrowboat on the Caledonian Canal?
Can I cruise the Caledonian Canal in a narrowboat? Yes, narrowboats are welcome to visit the Caledonian Canal however you must notify us in advance of arrival and follow our Safety Guidance for Narrowboats & Small Craft. How can I hire a boat?
Can you take a boat on Loch Ness? – Related Questions
Can you boat from Inverness to Fort William?
This stunning Highlands waterway runs from Inverness to Fort William on the west coast. It passes through a range of pretty towns and villages, lochs and countryside, providing a beautiful scenic setting to visitors.
Can you live on a canal boat in Scotland?
If a mooring is being established on a canal or waterway, you will need permission from the Living on Water initiative.
Can you moor anywhere on the Caledonian Canal?
Moorings are free along the Caledonian Canal. Electricity points are available at some moorings, for a charge of £3 – £4 per night. Please consult your waterways map to find the locations of waterside facilities such as showers and, toilets (free), as well as electricity points.
Can you get to Scotland on a narrowboat?
From our narrowboat hire base at Falkirk, you can choose to spend a relaxing week cruising between Falkirk and Glasgow on boat trips, or alternatively you can explore Scotland in the opposite direction, heading east, on the Union Canal between Falkirk and Edinburgh for unique city breaks by boat.
Where do you stop on the Caledonian Canal?
Fort Augustus is well worth exploring as well as being an excellent place for an overnight stop as part of a canal boat holiday. You can also visit the Caledonian Canal Heritage Centre here, which is an excellent place to find out more about the history and operation of this beautiful canal.
Where does the Caledonian Canal start and finish?
The Caledonian Canal is Scotland’s longest inland waterway. It runs from Fort William in the west to Inverness in the east and follows the course of the Great Glen – a 100km long narrow valley – and cuts through Lochs Oich, Lochy and Ness.
Can you swim in the Loch Ness?
Avoid Swimming in Loch Ness
This is due to the depth of the loch – the surface might warm slightly, but it is a lot colder below, and this can put you at risk of cold water shock, or hypothermia.
How many lochs are in the Caledonian Canal?
There are 29 locks (including eight at Neptune’s Staircase, Banavie), four aqueducts and 10 bridges in the course of the canal.
Can you cross Scotland by canal?
A canal holiday allows you to journey through the country, taking in the landscape and hearing some of the stories of Scotland’s past as you go.
Is Loch Ness navigable?
The best things to do at Loch Ness and Fort Augustus
Through the glen stretches the 62-mile Caledonian Canal navigable by canal and sailing boat – one of the world’s best waterways.
How deep are UK canals?
According to the Nicholsons Guide (set of guide books to the waterways of the UK); the deepest lock in Britain is Bath Deep Lock on the Kennet and Avon Canal at 19ft 5″, Tuel Lane Lock on the Rochdale canal comes second at 19ft 4 1/2″ Although there is some controversy over this, and if you look on Wikipedia they are
How many locks are in Neptune’s Staircase?
Neptune’s Staircase is a dramatic flight of eight locks on the Caledonian Canal.
Can you walk along Neptunes staircase?
Walk Description
The path begins from the far corner of the car park and leads straight onto the side of the Caledonian Canal. This is the bottom end of the flight of eight locks known as Neptune’s Staircase, and is very popular with visitors.
How long does it take to go through Neptunes staircase?
This amazing feat of engineering raises the canal by 19m (62ft) over a quarter of a mile of continuous masonry and takes around 90 minutes for a boat to travel up or down the locks.