The Northern end of the Caledonian canal

October 17th saw my mother and I head into Inverness for a walk, the top end of the Caledonian Canal can be a really nice walk with some nature around to see and photograph and as it turned out, it was a beautiful morning.

Our walk started at the Jammy Piece car park, a jammy piece is bread and jam. Slight smile The walk takes you down one side of the canal, via the Merkinch Local Nature reserve around the canal entrance on the Beauly Firth and back up the other side.

The canal was originally built to save ships from sailing all the way around the North of Scotland, where the seas can be pretty wild, instead, they could now cut through the Great Glen down towards Oban and you can still take a boat all the way through via some amazing scenery including Loch Ness.

So we headed down the North East side, there was a decent warmth from the sun although it was still chilly and it wasn't long before we'd cleared that dock area and were alongside the water itself.
There were a few Little Grebes diving in the canal as usual.
  
The Little Grebes I usually see are very shy birds and these are no different but a little more used to humans strolling by maybe.
More like that! Laughing
The light and the canal were almost perfect for photography.
This is looking across the canal to some pretty original buildings, the lock towards the Northern end of the canal and the railway line.
As we passed the last of the marina decks I spotted a young Moorhen enjoying the sun.
The walkway was covered in a mixture of gulls and one young one on a charging post caught my eye.
But my favourite gull to photograph are the Black-headed gulls, they can be so graceful, their wings make beautiful shapes in the air, these were just dozing of course Smile
  
For me though, the light was the star and I did very little to these shots in LR or PS.
A pair of Little Grebes were swimming across the canal away from us but again, the light was wonderful, look like an adult and youngster to me.
  
We decided to take the path down to the Merkinch local nature reserve and our first sighting was a row of waders along the far bank but a female Goosander was cruising just below where we stood.
Now, I was looking at the waders on the far bank and could see that there were a couple of variations and at the time I could not work out what they were. I've since spotted Redshank, the majority and Greenshank, which were really nice to see but there are still a couple I'm waiting for some answers on.
Oh and there's a few ducks mixed in :)
There were definitely Teal and Wigeon on there, I just didn't get any decent shots of them, if I'd been on my own I would have walked closer but there we go, it was a walk for my mum really.
A Curlew was busy foraging on the other bank.
  
It was while we were watching the Curlew and others that something caught my eye ink the tree right next to us.
I had the time for around 12 shots and most were blurred but, Chiffchaff?
  
And that was it, gone!
Meanwhile ...
I also think Goosander are really nice birds to photograph, if you get close enough Smile
I got one shot of Teal
And on we went, back up to the main path and towards the top end of the canal. There's still a walk across crossing here, open the gate, listen and cross, luckily the train crosses the old canal bridge v e r y s l o w l y Smile
  
To the NE is the Kessock bridge, which opened in 1982, before that was a ferry from the spot where the nature reserve is OR, a LONG drive all the way around the Beauly Firth, which is very pretty but.....
I do like a nice panorama, this from the Kessock bridge to the Beauly Firth and Caledonian canal entrance / exit.
There can be a lot of birds out on the mud flats here when the tide is out, not today though.
We walked down the canal path, across the last / first lock and back up the other side.
That's the Black Isle on the other side, itself a beautiful area to walk and explore, there's an RSPB Reserve at Udale Bay on the Northern shore. (Auto correct really doesn't like Udale)  The Black Isle is full of dark history and wonderful locations, if you haven't visited, add it to your list. Thumbsup
As you can see, we had a glorious day for it.
So, back up the path, over the railway, after watching a train go by v e r y s l o w l y.
Back onto the canal itself and heading for the car park again.
Either the Goosander had moved up to the canal or we spotted another which was happy to cruise alongside us.
  
And that was us, back to Ardersier and another walk for me maybe. Slight smile
PS, I should know better now than to mess with images sizes Disappointed
  • Must have taken you nearly as long to do the post as the walk took Scozmos. The weather looks ideal and their was plenty to photograph in the lovely light you had. I do like the goosanders.

  • Cheers Mac, it probably does! But, posting these is a great incentive to get them done, too often they sit for days, weeks, months Scream but that can be fun once I do get to them Laughing 

  • stunning area and great information along with beautiful photos;  glad the weather was perfect for your walk and photographs, thanks for sharing. 

    _____________________________________

    Regards, Hazel 

  • A lot of Information Scozmos and the day you had for your walk was a beautiful one. Quite a few birds to see and nice photos thanks for sharing 

  • And that was us, back to Ardersier and another walk for me maybe. Slight smile

    Definitely. Raised handsThumbsup  

    I'll better not tell Mrs PR, she'll be ever so envious, and I have to admit, I am, but I'm  more than happy to see photos and read the tales along with them.

    You've probably driven along the A82 out towards Fort Augustus, there's some fabulous scenery along that road,avoiding the obvious touristy bits. Thank you for sharing those photos, it was a real joy to view.

  • Thank you Hazel, we were lucky to get such a beautiful day but, now I think about it, I've not walked there on a bad day, too exposed I think Thinking it's a favourite walk of mine up there.

  • Thank you ILS, it was indeed a glorious (chilly) day. We'd have explored the reserve more but the gate was locked, which is really unusual unless of course, there was a train coming, might be automatic Thumbsup next time

  • Thank you very much Mike, I do love to share places that people may not have seen or been to before, this is always very quiet, a few dog walkers, cyclist now and again, otherwise, empty. I've not spent time on the reserve, which I had that day but, there you go. The entire area, including Beauly town and the Black Isle are beautiful and LOADS to find and explore.

    Yes, I've driven the A82 a few times, many moons ago in my biking days, I rode my motorbike up through Loch Lomond, Glencoe to Inverness then back down the A9, absolute bliss! (Except it was blowing a gale and pouring over Rannoch Moor, the g/f at the time was NOT impressed) Laughing (Gosport to Inverness and return)

    Still working on the afternoon walk and the next day!!!! Thumbsup

  • Lovely Scozmos, and to see pictures from my neck of the woods, well a couple of hour's south from me. That must be a fare walk, what is the timing on it?

    Beauty is in the eye of the beholder.

  • Good morning and thank you Catlady Thumbsup a LOT of folk. don't realise how far it is from Inverness to the North of Scotland, nor what the roads can be like. It's only a 2 mile walk from the cafe car park to the firth and back, you can walk the other way, down towards Loch Ness, which is a lot longer but this is just so pleasant and there's always lots to see Slight smile

    I've not yet made it right out to the LNR office.