| Track length: | 109.6 km |
| Total ascent: | 0 m |
| Total descent: | 0 m |
| Difficulty Level: | 3/5 - Medium |
Tour this area in a car or motorbike enjoy the tranquil and beautiful rural location making the most of the highland atmosphere, taking lovely walks or cycle rides, fishing for brown trout in the local river or simply relaxing you will not be disappointed!
The South Loch Ness route starts near Inverness and passes through the villages of Dores, Inverfarigaig, Foyers, Whitebridge and eventually Fort Augustus, meandering its way down the south side of Loch Ness on a mixture of minor roads.
The ride is a fantastic experience and takes you past many points of interest such as the Falls of Foyers, Suidhe Viewpoint and the Caledonian Canal along to Fort Augustus, with spectacular views of the loch, historical interest such as Urquhart castle peace and quiet places along the route to stop, rest and relax
Dores is a pleasant village situated on the northern end of the Loch.
Inverfarigaig is a small hamlet at the mouth of the River Farigaig.
Foyers is a village situated on the B852, part of the Military Road built by General George Wade, 10 miles northeast of Fort Augustus.
Here you will find the the Falls of Foyers, with a lovely walk through the forest. There are a lot of steps here and the waterfall, a beautiful setting, it is so peaceful, the walk through the woods to view the falls is lovely and after a heavy rain fall they are stunning, you have two different view points, that are fenced off, truly beautiful
Whitebridge roughly eight miles from Fort Augustus, the village's name comes from the bridge over the River Fechlin, constructed in 1732 and built by General Wade as part of a military road in an attempt to suppress further Jacobite risings.
Follow the banks of Loch Ness and the pretty drive along the shore line to Fort Augustus, today a modern village, but during the Jacobite risings of 1715, the name of a fort built here.
Named after King George 11 younger son Prince William Augustus who became a celebrated military leader at a very young age and commanded the Government forces that defeated the Jacobite s in 1746 at Culloden, after the battle and the genocide across the Highlands that followed, earned him the title of "Butcher Cumberland": but his defeat of the Jacobite s also earned him gratitude in the Lowlands and great acclaim in London.
Almost nothing remains of the original fort, only parts of which that were incorporated into the Benedictine Abbey when it was built in 1876.
The village is compact, picturesque and sometimes bustling with activity, especially with the tourists during the high summer period.
Boats travel north and south along the Caledonian canal which cuts through the centre of the village.
To the north, the canal joins Loch Ness and an impressive flight of locks that cleverly assist the water traffic from one vertical level to another.
Originally designed by the famous civil engineer Thomas Telford and opened in 1822, the lock system is part of the 60-mile Caledonian Canal that connects fort William to Inverness.
Fort Augustus is a popular resting point for weary walkers and cyclists on the Long distance walking trail the Great Glen Way, this is a challenging long distance walk through some of the most dramatic scenery in Scotland, a 73 miles route following the entire length of the Great Glen from Fort William, in the south west, to Inverness in the north east.
From Fort Augustus by vehicle follow the A82 back to Inverness, stopping along the route for the many spectacular views with many awesome panoramas on the Loch Ness, with awesome historic and natural heritage sites to be discovered along the way.
