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Discover Loch Ness - a day out from Aspenwood Cottage
A round trip of approx 70 miles./ approx duration 3-5 hours
Leave Aspenwood on your discover Loch Ness tour and turn right onto the B852 to Foyers. Here it is worth a visit to the Falls of Foyers. Park in the car park next to the shop and Waterfall Cafe. Directly opposite the shop is the entrance down to the Falls. Foyers was a staging post on the old military road from Inverness to Fort Augustus and the falls became a spectacular Victorian attraction. The falls plunge down 30m [100ft] into a bubbling steaming mass below. There are various safe stepped walkways down to the falls and organised view points allowing good photo opportunities.
Travel on out of the village of Foyers for about 2 miles of twisting single-track road to T-junction of the B862. Turn right here towards the bustling village of Fort Augustus.
Between Whitebridge and Fort Augustus there is a high point with parking well worth stopping for the views and photo opportunity.
Journey on down passing picturesque Loch Tarff on your right. This is the loch featured in the opening frames of the film 'Local Hero'.
Between Loch Tarff and Fort Augustus there is a parking bay on the left affording great views over Fort Augustus and the Abbey. Just before entering Fort Augustus it is well worth stopping for the view of Loch Ness looking towards Inverness.
Just passed the entrance to Fort Augustus Abbey turn right onto the A82 and pass through the village over the swing bridge where you can park on the left just after petrol station.
Lots of good photo opportunities in the village.
It is well worth a walk along the side of the Caledonian Canal watching the various boating craft in the lock gates waiting to go on their way.
There is a short 1 hour boat trip onto Loch ness available from here.
Carry on the A82 through the village of Invermoriston and on towards Drumnadrochit. About a mile before Drumnadrochit on your right is Urquhart Castle with a commanding view over Loch Ness. Turn into the car park area to visit the castle. Although you have to pay for entry it is well worth the money - a great visit with a film show and great photo opportunities.
[We have left the brochure for the castle visit in the cottage so that guests can use this if they wish to.]
From the castle it is a short journey into Drumnadrochit. Here 'The Official Loch Ness Monster Exhibition Centre' can be found - a good informative visit. Also the 'Loch Ness 2000 Centre' which takes you through 500 million years of Loch Ness history & the environment. There are plenty of refreshment places in the village and a variety of gift shops [including 'Nessies Necessities'].
From Drumnadrochit carry on the A82 towards Inverness passing on the left The Clansman Hotel where, if you wish to stop and partake of refreshments and photo opportunity you can. Looking across from this point you can clearly see the village of Dores on the opposite shore. You will also pass the small village aptly named Loch End.
Loch Ness now finishes and the River Ness & Caledonian Canal begin. The road runs alongside the canal into the city of Inverness.
You of course may wish to stop and spend time in Inverness - as in all cities parking is always a problem but there are parking spaces alongside the river and a small car park next to the theatre. Plenty of shops and a precincted area where you may be lucky enough to see the piper playing.
On entering the centre of Inverness you cross a bridge over the River Ness keeping to the right hand lane and carry straight on after the bridge up towards the city centre passing The Town House on your right - here the road bears right and up towards Inverness Castle. At the next set of traffic lights turn right onto the B862 signposted to Dores and carry on this road out of the city towards Loch Ness.
The first sighting of Loch Ness surrounded by mountains is amazing.
At the village of Dores the road forks - take the lower Loch side B852 road.
You may wish to park at The Dores Inn for refreshments and have a leisurely relaxing walk along Dores beach.
From Dores back to Aspenwood it is about 8 miles and there are a number of parking bays on the loch side road allowing you to stop and get photos of Urquhart Bay & Castle on the opposite shore. Home to Aspenwood.
