Fort Augustus

Drove over on the top road to Fort Augustus intending to park and walk casually along the Caledonian Canal looking at the various boating craft. Fort Augustus was very,very busy with people sitting out by the canal bank in the sunshine and others walking about and pointing cameras everywhere. Caught a glimpse of some very tall masted yachts waiting between the lock gates to be let out onto Loch Ness. The road is also a swing bridge so everything stops for the tall boats to come through.The car parks were full so we drove out of the village and turned left to the lesser known Auchterawe Woods. Went for a relaxing circular walk breathing in the lovely fresh air and had the woods to ourselves. Spotted clumps of early flowering heather under the trees - usually abundant on the hillsides during the month of September.
Sitting out in the evening after dinner we saw three osprey circling high overhead, possibly the parents with a youngster. The young have to learn to fly rather quickly as they make the long journey back to Africa at the end of this month and we will not see them again until next April.