Laggan to Banavie Locks - Day 22

Laggan Locks to Banavie Locks - Tuesday 24th May 2011 - Day 22

Awoke to find the decks covered in volcanic ash is this turning into a biblical story.
The lock keeper gave the all clear and with a few hired motor cruisers made our way into the lock only to find when the water level was dropping one of the cruiser became hung up on her rubbing strake against the lock wall and began lising at a very embarrasing angle.  They were still hanging tightly onto the mooring lines with everyone telling them to let go as she fell back into the lock.  We went over and gave a short lesson in taking fenders out of their stowage cradles and using them (amateurs, bless them).

By 09.45 we were out of the lock and making our way down Loch Lochy in strong south westerly winds, gusting force8, of course, coming from the direction we were hoping to go.  The lots of rain accompaning the wind soon washed off the present of ash from Iceland.  After a couple of hours slog we arrived at Gairlochy lock, as mentioned, very few lock keepers are Scottish and this one is Spanish.  It was amazing being in this part of the world practicing my Spanish and receiving a response in that language.

After the lock you pass through the Moy swing bridge and a long passage follows in the canal alongside the tow path where many walkers were resuming their journeys and by 14.00 we were at the
top of the Banavie locks.  We were found a berth with power and water at hand and gratefully tied up.

We ventured ashore to look at the lock system of Neptune Staircase and at the bottom went into the Moorings Hotel for expensive drinks and sandwiches.  Discussions with the lock keepers and checking the weather it was decided to leave the next day and booked in for the first morning lock.

In the evening went to the station at the bottom of the locks to catch the train to Fort William, while on the platform began chatting with a young man who told us about the backdrop of Ben Nevis and the names of the peaks close by and being a young'un he had climbed them all.  The train is only one stop to Fort William with the station next to the supermarket where we did some shopping and had a walk round the town and ending up at the Ben Nevis pub. The seat in the restaurant gave us a fine view over the harbour, loch and surrounding hillsides.  The steak and lamb shank meals were excellent and the taxi ride back to the boat brought a fine close to the day.