Stories and Tales of old. in and Around Fort Augustus and Loch ness

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Reputedly the oldest property in Fort Augustus, although repaired and renovated, the walls are substantially the same as when it was first built. A “Kings House” which were built every 10 miles along general Wades Roads from 1724 as Inns and Taverns. The last chief of Glengarry had a grudge against a member of the Clan who was acting as doctor, Doctor Cranachan in the Fort, and on a market day came with his following of five or six stout clansmen to seek vengeance. After generous treatment at the hands of the junior chief, these devoted followers set upon Doctor Cranachan with clubs and bludgeons as he passed the Inn. But the doctor, besides being a a person who fights with the fists, was an extraordinarily powerful man, and placing his back against the low wall opposite, defied the united efforts of the band till at last one of them climbed up the bank behind and showered down upon his head a savage hail of blows, with the loaded handle of a heavy riding crop. The Doctor Cranachan was stunned, but in falling, caught the pony tail of one of the leaders of the troop, and held it with so firm a grasp that the man was only freed by his brother severing the pony tail with his knife. Luckily the alarm had been raised, and the guard of the Fort turned out in time to save the doctor,s life. Alas! For Glengarry, the arm of the law, though impotent enough, was longer than fifty years before, and the Chief had to pay 2000 (Scots) as compensation for this escapade truly an enormous sum in those days for a case of mere assault and battery. At the bottom of the brae, the dilapidated building overgrown with ivy, has recently figured in the Royal Academy as the subject of a picture by a well-known artist, and both this and the unpretentious half-timbered cottage opposite were for long the residence of close relations of Sir Robert Peel. The building of the canal raised the ground level of the nearby properties, Kings Inn was originally a two storey building up until the early 20th century. Now the floor levels have been changed and you will notice it is now a one and a half storey property.


Kings House Inn

59 Metres

A Cottage in Fort Augustus

Bean a Phriosan or the Prisoners Landlady

262 Metres

The photograph allegedly showing the Loch Ness Monster, which the Daily Mail ran on its front page in 1934. It was later revealed to be fake

Nessie sparks a press circus - 21st April 1934

401 Metres

AT the end of May, 1559, the two ladies dowager arrived at Kilichuiman now Fort Augustus by boat on Loch-Ness. The Lady Dowager Janet Ross expressed a great desire to see the field at Lochy, where her husband was slain in the "Battle of the Shirts”. Her son immediately gathered together 100 men of a convoy, and accompanied his mother to the field. "After their return, the ladies stayed in the Fort at Kilichuiman, before leaving the ladies ordered the bell of Kilichuiman to be put in to their boat, later to be set up in Glenconventh near Beauly. Near the middle of the loch they were overtaken by a violent storm, they could neither sail nor row. One of the men recommended throwing the bell into the loch, as they could not carry it back. This was done, and there presently followed calm and the ladies got safe to shore. From then on the waters of Loch Ness or more precisely, the water below where the bell was cast became medicinal. Superstitious people call it wine, and send it from a great distance to their cattle when they are sick."


Dowager Lady Lovat and the bell of Kilichuiman

401 Metres

Portrait of Ann Grant - Highland Folk Museum

Mrs Grants Letters from the mountains

413 Metres

It is said that shortly after the opening of the railway, an English lady who had lost her waterproof, asked a porter at the pier if he had seen a black mackintosh anywhere about. “Na, Na," was the brusque response,” there,s na Black Mackintoshes here; we,re a, Red Frasers on this side of the water."


The Black MacKintosh

1.0 KM

Known in Gaelic as Eilean Mhurich, Maurice,s Islet. There is a romantic story in connection with the place which, in its main outline, is historically true, though conflicting traditions render the details somewhat obscure. The island in question is artificial, the wooden piles on which it was constructed being easily discernible. It was built by the Frasers as a fort, and used to be considerably larger, but during the formation of the canal, Loch Ness was raised nine feet, so much of the fort is now beneath the water. According to the Fraser tradition the tale runs as follows : A chieftain of Glengarry fell madly in love with Lovat,s daughter, and his affections were reciprocated, but owing to a deadly feud between the clans, the Fraser Chief would not hear of an alliance. One day the lady came to Kilcumein and put up in the castle. News of her arrival having been noised abroad, Glengarry, with his "tail," which of course included the inevitable piper, hastened to press his suit. When they arrived at the garden opposite the island, the lady implored the keeper of the castle to let them in, and after a brief parley, he consented to admit Glengarry, but without his men. The Chief hastily cast himself into the water and swam out to the door. Here he found the steps covered with the skin of a newly-killed sheep the remains of the Fraser banquet turned inside out. Whilst he was endeavouring to scramble out of the water over the slippery hide, one of the, Frasers, thinking to curry favour with his master, treacherously stabbed him in the back. This was the signal for the neighbouring folk to fall upon the ill-fated chieftain,s retainers, seven of whom were slain. Glengarry,s mutilated body was flung into the Inchnacardoch burn, where it was subsequently found and taken to Auchterawe. The corpses of his seven followers were buried in the green garden, where the outlines of their graves may be traced. Unfortunately, documentary evidence does not make for the truthfulness of this tale. Not merely was Glengarry at this time married and blessed with a family, but the lady in question was a close relative of his own. The Macdonald version is more probable, that Glengarry was invited down to discuss a disputed point with regard to some lands and treacherously slain. This much is certain that the Chief was done to death, and in punishment for the crime, the king condemned Lovat to forfeit all the lands from " Alt na Criche," the burn on the east of Cherry Island, to Auchterawe, whilst the descendants of Thomas Fraser who struck the treacherous blow are still numerous in the district, and are known to this day as " Sliochd Thomais nam Murt" or the "Off-spring of Thomas the Murderer. "The original pathway to the castle started from a point due north of the island, two stones at the margin of the loch mark its commencement, and on a clear day, in a boat, those interested in such things may trace its course beneath the waters of the lake.


Cherry Island Tale of Love

1.3 KM

This is a curious chasm in the hill-side on the south of the loch just beyond Glendoe shooting lodge. Alexander Macdonald nicknamed Corrie, like many another Highland worthy, was a famous sheep-stealer, thief and cattle-lifter. Many exploits have no doubt been fathered on him for which he was in no way responsible, but there is one authentic act of his which has caused the association of this cave with his name the attempt upon the life of the Duke of Cumberland.


Corries Cave

1.5 miles / 2.4 KM


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