HIGHLANDS& ISLANDS
Scotland’smostfamouslochis
thelargeststretchof freshwater
in Britain,andits ‘bonniebanks’
areetchedin theimaginations
of Scotsworldwide.Partof the
LochLomondandtheTrossachs
NationalPark,its Highlands-in-
miniaturesettingis as goodas
it getsforoutdoorpurists.Hikers
summitcraggyBenLomond
(974m),whiletheshingle
beachesandrhododendron
forestsbelowpack-outwith
mountainbikers,dogwalkers
andpicnickers.In summer,
long-distancetrekkerstackle
thefirststagesof theWest
HighlandWay(96miles).To
seethe24-milelochat its most
atmospheric,catcha boatfrom
Balmahato thetree-covered
islandsin themiddleof theloch
(£5;balmahaboatyard.co.uk).
Asyouapproach,you’llsmell
bloomingheather,spythickets
of Scotspine,andperhapsland
onanislandwhereWilliam
Wallacesoughtrefuge.
FTheNationalParkGateway
Centreis locatedin Balloch.
Autumnis theidealtimeto visit
(lochlomond-trossachs.org).NORTHWALES
OfallthewaterwaysonBritain’s
unrivalledcanalnetwork,most
enthusiastswouldnamethe
LlangollenCanalas oneof
thebeststretches.Thereis
somethingstorybookabout
beginninga voyagein lazy
Cheshirefarmland,crossing
a borderandwindingupin the
steep,greenWelshhills,but
nonarrowboaterdisputesthe
highlighthere:as thecanal
hitsWales,it crossesThomas
Telford’sengineeringmasterpiece,
PontcysyllteAqueduct
(pictured).Banksidefoliage
giveswayto dizzyingviewsover
theRiverDeeas youinchacross
thegrand18-archbridge,with
thevalley38mbelow.Evento
gazeuponthisgracefulfeatof
construction,whichunderscored
Telford’sfameuponits completion
in 1805andgainedUnesco
WorldHeritagestatusin 2008,
inspiresawe.To glideacrossit is
to experiencea humantriumph.
FNarrowboathirefrom£720for
threenights(canalholidays.com).
Fromtheground,theaqueductis
bestseenontheLlangollenCanal
from Wrenbury, Cheshire.THEMIDLANDS
TheAvonRingis theBritishcanal
network’smostpopularround
trip.Theringandits four
constituentwaterwaysof rivers
AvonandSevern,theWorcester
andBirminghamCanalandthe
Stratford-upon-AvonCanal,
wereat thecentreof canal
technologyin theIndustrial
Revolution,anda highlight
of thevoyageis Britain’slongest
flightof locks(30alltold)
at Tardebigge.Thedrama
heightensin thetimber-framed
townof Stratford-upon-Avon,
birthplaceof Shakespeare,
whereyoucanmoorat Bancroft
Basin,acrosstheparkfromthe
town’stwofamoustheatres.
Thehistoricdestinationsof
Worcester,withits cathedral,
andTewkesbury,withits abbey,
plusdozensof picturesque
villagesandcountrypubs,make
this109-mile,129-lockrun
memorable,andpresentthe
Midlandsin theirutmostglory.
FSeveralfirmsontheAvonRing
hireoutnarrowboats;tryCalcutt
Boats,a day’scruisefrom
Stratford-upon-Avon
(calcuttboats.com).CUMBRIA
TheLakeDistricttradesheavily
onits visibleconnectionswith
theVictorianage,oneof which
is theSteamYachtGondolaon
ConistonWater.Thisscrew-
propelleredsteamyachtwas
builtin 1859to ferrypassengers
fromtheFurnessandConiston
railways.Shewasretiredin
1936 andconvertedintoa
houseboatafterWWII.In 1979,
theby-thenderelictboatwas
givena completerefitbythe
NationalTrust,restoringits fancy
cushionedsaloon.Gondolais
theloveliestwayto enjoythe
lake,especiallyif you’revisiting
Brantwood,JohnRuskin’shome
overlookingConiston.Ironically,
theauthorofTheStonesof Venice
wasa fiercecriticof steampower,
andwouldhavebaulkedat the
sightof theGondolaplyingits
circularroutein fullviewof his
house.ArthurRansomewasmore
enthusiastic– thecraftinspired
CaptainFlint’shouseboatin
SwallowsandAmazons.
FYoucanboardtheboat
at ConistonJetty(from£12:
nationaltrust.org.uk/steam-
yacht-gondola).Taketo thewatersof theUK’slakes,lochsandcanalnetwork,andletthesegentlejourneysreveal wonders both natural and man-madeCast adrift
PHOTOGRAPH: PETE SEAWARD