The Corpach Wreck
A brief stop off as we returned home from Skye to visit The Corpach Wreck. A popular location near Fort William for photographers.
On Location: 21st April 2024 approximately 20.45pm
Parking: We were able to park for free in a large car park in Corpach on the north side of the Caledonian canal. GR: NN 0973 7668 or What Three Words: ///belly.rejoiced.meal
Refreshments: There are shops, toilets and cafes close by, either in Corpach, Caol or in Fort William which is only a 5 minute drive away.
Access to the wreck. From the car park it is a short walk alongside the Caledonian canal in the direction of Fort William (East) on good footpaths. Use the footbridge to cross the canal and carry on along the path. In the woodland you will have to turn right to get to the beach. Once at the beach you will easily spot the wreck.
History. Even though it looks of an age, the ship was only built in 1975 as a fishing vessel the MV Dayspring. It trawled the North Sea for Mackerel and Herring before being sold and re-locating to Kilkeel in Northern Ireland, now re-named as the Golden Harvest. The boat returned to Scotland in the early 2000s where she was moored at Kinlochleven Pier in Loch Leven until 2009. There were plans to turn the boat into a floating seafood restaurant but this never happened. The boat was then moved to Camusnagaul Bay near Corpach where she was bought a carpenter and boat builder, who planned to turn it into a houseboat. On the night of 8th December 2011 a ferocious storm came in an ripped the boat from her moorings. The coastguard helped to control the boat and she was landed on the beach between Corpach and Caol where she still lies at this jaunty angle. The Corpach wreck is also known as the Old Boat of Caol.
Lying where is does, with Fort William and the majestic Ben Nevis as a backdrop it is unsurprising that the scene is so popular with visitors with a camera.
Best times to see it. On my visit, in April, I managed to get there by chance just after sunset which gave a nice glow to the scene. Fortunately the summit of Ben Nevis was clear of cloud (which doesn’t happen that often) but the remnants of snow added to the atmosphere. Late afternoon the sun will be behind you here.
The Old Boat of Caol or the Corpach Shipwreck and Loch Linnhe
Ben Nevis looms above the wreck
The tidelines on the beach make for great leading lines.
