We have been contacted on behalf of Sail Caledonia to try and gauge interest in the event we hold each year on the Caledonian Canal in the Highlands. It is currently a “sail and oar” event in which competitors row some parts and sail others, however we are thinking offering the option to “row all the way”.
The racing starts on Loch Linnhe at Fort William on the West Coast before entering the Caledonian Canal at the end of race one. The canal follows the Great Glen right across the highlands to Inverness, a distance of some 66 miles where we exit the canal and have the last race on the Beauly Firth on the East Coast. The canal goes through Loch Ness, Loch Lochy and Loch Oich with of course canal proper running in between.
The event is held over a week with distances of about ten miles covered in a day. There is a race every day.
There are accommodation boats for overnight stops but many people camp beside the canal which is the cheaper option. Camping gear gets moved by van from one spot to the next.
There are a few locks along the way but most of them are bunched up into flights (including the famous “Neptune’s Staircase) and they are all hydraulically operated by lock keepers so they aren’t much hassle. Once the boats are in the water they stay in for the week, they don’t need to be manhandled.
We think the event would be well worth the effort for a suitable boat, a challenge but quite possible for most and we would be interested to know the thoughts of yourself and your members.
Having done the event a few times myself I can vouch for the fact that the scenery is stunning (no photo ever prepares you for it) and the atmosphere a delight. Food is good too!
Regards Jim Wise
More information can be found on www.sailcaledonia.org