GUIDE TO THE RIVER MORISTON

(Middle section)

NAME OF RIVER: Moriston.

WHERE IS IT?: Up the Great Glen between Fort William and Inverness, flowing into Loch Ness at Invermoriston.

PUT-INS/ TAKE-OUTS: Drive out of Invermoriston on the A887. Just before Dundreggan dam is a loop of old road that makes a convenient layby (NH 36264 15626) (57.202069, -4.7120182). Park here and walk down the road a hundred meters or so to find the path that leads down to the take out for the upper section. Get in in the big eddy, or run the upper section down to here!

The best of the river is in the first 3km. There is a convenient layby at NH 39167 17048 (57.215861, -4.664944) a few hundred meters downstream of the gun club which misses out the long flat stretch to Invermoriston, though you may want to mark it from the river.

The next takeout is in Invermoriston and there are a few options. You could take out at the football fields (NH 41463 17074) if there are no games on and walk up to the road, on street parking only. Alternatively take out just above the Lower section, river right immediately before the first rapid (NH 41906 16655). Walk up the path, across the bridge and along to the public car park in the village (NH 42060 16719). You should definitely scout this beforehand and make sure you know where to get out.

APPROX LENGTH: 3km to the gun club, 7km for the whole trip.

TIME NEEDED: 2 hours.

ACCESS HASSLES: None.

WATER LEVEL INDICATORS: The dam needs to be releasing. With one dam gate releasing full open, the river has more than enough water. Release dates available here: http://canoescotland.org/where-go/water-releases

GRADING: 2(3)

MAJOR HAZARDS/ FALLS: Don’t miss the take out!

GENERAL DESCRIPTION: From below the final S-bend on the Upper section, the river starts out grade 1 with some small grade 2 rapids. There is a section of nice grade 3 at the gun club.

After this, the river is grade 1/2 all the way to Invermoriston, before the start of the lower section.

OTHER NOTES: If the dam is releasing the (much) harder upper and lower sections at the put in and take out will also be running.

CONTRIBUTED BY: Kirsten Rendle

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