The day started cool and misty. The temperature was only just in double figures. Lou and Nicky donned their Scottish summerwear and sat at the front giving their best impression of Brits on holiday. Off we set for the shortish trip to the head of Banavie Locks. The rain soon set in and everyone retreated to the cockpit. Louise as always, being positive said she could see blue sky, and sure enough as we reached Gairlochy lock, the rain stopped and the sun poked through the clouds. All of a sudden it was warm again. We’d tied up on a pontoon to wait for the lock to open, when a hire boat came in to berth behind us, probably the first attempt since hiring the boat as he hit the pontoon square on at a fair speed. It was quite a bang, and fortunately no one was hurt. The hire companies really don’t give enough training before letting people loose. We were soon through Gairlochy and arrived to find the pontoons at Banavie full with boats. We bagged one of the two remaining berths which coincidently had. a superb view of Ben Nevis.
After sandwiches for lunch, Lou and Nicky went off for supplies, nearest shop being about two miles away. The area around the locks is quite residential, and you would have thought a small convenience store would do well close to the passing trade of the boats, walkers, canoeists, cyclists along with the housing nearby, but no such luck, just a small furniture store with a closing down sale, a couple of craft and souvenir shops, a cafe and a builders merchants.
Tomorrow we go down Neptunes staircase, a set of 8 locks then on to the sea at Corpach.
The Wessex Kidney Patients Association is a charity that helps patients and their families deal with the upheaval caused by Kidney disease. If you enjoy reading our blog please consider giving to this cause . Many thanks Louise & Martin
4 Kidneys and a Wonky Leg 