Fort Augustus, Gem of the Great Glen
Jewel of a Village Proves a Historic Gateway to Loch Ness
Oct 29, 2009
Fort Augustus may be small but its location makes it a significant stopping-off place on the A82 in Scotland’s Great Glen. Settled by humans for thousands of years (Cherry Island, in Loch Ness just outside the village is a man-made islet of prehistoric origin) it owes its importance to its position on the main route from Fort William to Inverness.
Over the years the village has developed religious, military and transportation roles in Scotland and is now one the busiest and prettiest stopping-off places in this part of Scotland. It would be a mistake to drive through without sampling some of the many things this destination has to offer.
History of Fort Augustus: Jacobites and the Caledonian Canal
The recorded history of Fort Augustus is detailed in leaflet produced by the Cill Chueimein Heritage Group and available from the tourist information centre. It begins when the Abbot of Iona founded a church there some time in the sixth century AD. The village took its original name from him and became known as Cille Chuimein, or Chuimein’s Church. (It retains its Gaelic name on road signs.) Thereafter it remained relatively quiet until the first of the Jacobite Rebellions in 1715.
The threat of the Jacobites meant that the location became even more prized for its military and strategic significance, as it commanded the only easy cross-Scotland route for some way north or south. The first fort was constructed in 1715, to be followed by a more substantial one (on the site of the present Lovat Arms Hotel) in 1729. It was at this time that the settlement was renamed Fort Augustus, after the Duke of Cumberland.
The next significant development in the village’s history was the one which probably remains most important in terms of its present-day existence – the building of the Caledonian Canal. Begun in 1803 under the direction of Thomas Telford and completed 19 years later, the canal linked the various lochs along the Great Glen, making a navigable waterway from Fort William to Inverness.
By comparison, the coming of the railway was insignificant. The railway line from the west opened in 1903 only to close a few years later, reopen and finally close for good in 1946. While elsewhere in the UK the railways transformed industry and transport, in Fort Augustus it was the canal that was – and remains – significant, both as a historic monument and a working transport link.
What to See and Do in Fort Augustus
For such a small place, Fort Augustus has a activities for the visitor. Most of them are linked in some way to the history and heritage and all of them are within easy reach of the car park and tourist information centre.
The main focal point of the village, and the element which is virtually impossible to miss, is the Caledonian Canal itself. Its five sets of locks rise up through the centre of the village, and the swing bridge at its base is regularly opened to allow boats between the canal and the loch.
There is a towpath along both sides of the canal and a small visitor centre on its history. (Admission is free and the centre provides general tourist information when the main information centre is closed). Interpretation panels around the locks provide a range of information on the building of the canal and its current operation.
Elsewhere in the village there is a second small visitor centre addressing the local highland history, and a rare breeds farm. A walk down to the foot of the canal reveals a curiosity in the form of an inshore lighthouse – one of the so-called ‘pepperpot lighthouses’ which were built as aids to navigation in the dark or poor visibility. Boat trips on Loch Ness leave from near the swing bridge.
Other activities in the village include a series of walks, both long and short. Fort Augustus is on the Great Glen Way, a long-distance path, and there are other, shorter walks in the area – down to the loch side, along the canal, and in neighbouring woodlands. A leaflet is available from the tourist office.
As such a busy tourist centre, Fort Augustus has much to offer in terms of facilities. Most are concentrated within a small area around the village centre, where eateries and shops cluster. Shops sell everything from the ubiquitous postcards and tea towels to hand-made artefacts and antiques; and the essentials for walkers and campers are also available.
Accommodation ranges from high-end hotels and self-catering to budget facilities in hostels and Bed and Breakfast establishments. There is a wide range of eating places, well-used to catering for travellers in all states of health and hunger. Walkers and cyclists, as well as drivers, will find a warm welcome, hot meal and cold pint.
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