Play set to bring story of the Caledonian Canal to life
Fort Augustus will become Scottish Canals’ latest outdoor pop-up theatre venue this summer.
Waters of Time, the new bespoke Canal Theatre play produced by the Walking Theatre Company, is set against the making of the Caledonian Canal and uses the Fort Augustus lock staircase as its stage.
The cast will take visitors on a journey through time, exploring the canal’s history.
The programme celebrates the opening of Scottish Canals’ new Caledonian Canal Centre in Fort Augustus, a visitor and destination hub which opened in May.
The centre offers new, all year round, facilities for visitors and locals, including information, a gift shop promoting locally sourced goods and a café serving homemade produce.
Visitor interpretation is incorporated throughout the centre, unlocking the wealth of local heritage and internationally renowned local features of the Caledonian Canal, Great Glen and Loch Ness. Seven holiday rooms are also available to let for guests who want to make Fort Augustus their base, bookable through Airbnb.
The creation of the centre was supported by VisitScotland and the Heritage Lottery Fund Scotland, and was awarded £237,500 of Coastal Communities Funding.
This contributed to the £1.2 million redevelopment of existing vacant premises in Fort Augustus, bringing the redundant building back into a productive and sustainable use.
Mark Smith, head of destinations and tourism at Scottish Canals, said: "The new Caledonian Canal Centre is an exciting addition to the canal side at Fort Augustus. During the development of this project we have been working closely with the local community to develop the stories of the canal and bring our rich heritage to life, and we look forward to continuing this.
"We’re delighted to welcome Canal Theatre to Fort Augustus to mark the opening of the new centre, and we’re sure that visitors and locals alike will enjoy meandering through the years with the play’s characters."
Performances start on Wednesday and tickets cost £7 with it being free for under-5s.
For more, visit www.scottishcanals.co.uk/destinations/fort-augustus/
