Walk the Great Glen & stay on a barge

The Caledonian Canal stretches the 66 miles between Fort William and Inverness, incorporating six lochs (including Ness and Lochy). Traversing the length of canal in a large holiday barge is quite possibly the best way to experience the waterways and the Great Glen surrounding them.

When you think of the Highlands of Scotland, images of staggering mountains, vast green valleys and serene lakes spring to mind. Well, you’re not wrong in your fanciful imaginings - Scotland offers an amazing setting for those of us who love natural beauty. This customisable boating holiday is a great way to see the best parts and can cater to a variety of interests including music, walking and wildlife activities.

The Great Glen is born of a 400 million year old fault line which bisects the country diagonally, resulting in an unparalleled geographic marvel which attracts scores of tourists from around the world. Riding on the Fingal of Caledonia, a converted barge, will take you down the length of the Caledonian Canal. There are a range of packages to choose from - walking the Great Glen is a popular option, taking you 76 miles at your own pace (and without having to lug your belongings, since the Fingal will tow everything behind you!) Alternatively you may wish to add a wildlife focus to the journey with a local expert, or get on board with a resident musician for an entertaining week of music (own instruments welcome.)

There’s something for everyone here since the itinerary is customisable depending on your interests and what you’d like to get out of the holiday. There are four main ‘packages’ - Walking (a 76 mile hike walking alongside the canal), Wildlife (a nature tour of the Caledonian with a resident expert), Music (a week of partying with a local musician) or the ‘Classic tour’ (a free-for-all with a variety of activities.) Each of these broad themes can be fine-tuned and you’re welcome to organise your schedule as you see fit. As a side note, unless you’d like to rent the whole barge you’ll undoubtedly end up mingling closely with the other guests. Although the rooms are spacious, this probably isn’t for you if you’re the type of person who doesn‘t like mixing with strangers.