New Banavie viewpoint encourages visitors to gaze into Neptune’s Mirror

A new viewpoint on Neptune’s Staircase is set to offer visitors to the Caledonian Canal a unique view of the waterway and the surrounding landscape this summer.

Created as part of the Scottish Scenic Routes initiative and designed by architecture students Angus Ritchie and Daniel Tyler, the eye-catching installation takes the form of a mirrored, wood-framed cabin set on the banks of Banavie’s Neptune’s Staircase – the longest lock flight in Britain – and in the shadow of Ben Nevis, the UK’s highest mountain.

Entitled Neptune’s Mirror, the pavilion features benches built at various heights throughout its structure, each offering a unique view of the surrounding landscape. The exterior of the installation is clad in mirrored stainless steel to create shifting reflections that help the structure blend in with its surroundings and offer mesmerizing views of the famous lock flight of Neptune’s Staircase, Ben Nevis and the wider landscape.

Helena Huws, Architect at Scottish Canals, said:“Scotland’s canals are home to some of the nation’s most breath-taking scenery and we’re delighted to welcome Neptune’s Mirror to Banavie to offer visitors a new perspective on the area’s iconic sights.

“Set on the longest flight of canal lock gates in Britain and providing fantastic views of the Great Glen, the new viewpoint is the perfect place to sit back, relax, and watch the world – and one or two boats – pass by. We hope it will encourage even more people to pay a visit to Neptune’s Staircase this summer.”

Helena Huws, Architect at Scottish Canals

Neptune’s Mirror is the traveling counterpart of ‘Lookout,’ a permanent viewpoint within Loch Lomond & The Trossachs National Park at Loch Voil. Neptune’s Mirror will feature at Banavie throughout the summer.

Notes to Editors

Scottish Canals is responsible to the Scottish Government for the management and development of the Union, Monkland, Forth & Clyde, Crinan and Caledonian Canals. As well as the waterways themselves, Scottish Canals care for 251 bridges, 212 buildings, 256 locks, The Falkirk Wheel, The Kelpies and 19 water supply reservoirs in locations across Scotland. The reservoirs cover an area equivalent to 7,494 football pitches and supply the canals with the 332 million litres of water which flow through them each day

The Forth & Clyde, Union and Monkland canals in the Lowlands, the Crinan Canal in Argyll and the Caledonian Canal in the Highlands together extend over 137 miles from coast to coast, across country and into the cities of Edinburgh, Glasgow and Inverness.

Built two hundred years ago to fire the Industrial Revolution, today the canals contribute to the Scottish Government agenda of developing a Greener; Healthier; Smarter; Safer and Stronger; and Wealthier and Fairer Scotland by acting as a catalyst for sustainable economic development, regeneration and tourism; contributing to education, biodiversity, heritage and promoting active living and healthier lifestyles. The Forth & Clyde, Union, Monkland, Caledonian and Crinan canals are recognised as Scheduled Monuments and attract 22million visits per year

For more information, visit www.scottishcanals.co.uk or follow @ScottishCanals on Twitter

Scottish Scenic Routes

The Scottish Scenic Routes initiative takes its inspiration from Norway’s National Tourist Routes and is intended to embrace cycle, rail, pedestrian and water routes as well as key roads travelled by tourists and visitors in all parts of Scotland. The Norwegian project recognized the enhanced economic benefit benefits the country’s tourism sector could derive from developing a series of modern and architecturally distinct stopping places along the routes most popular with travellers heading to major landscape and cultural attractions.

In addition to the Scottish Government, the programme partners are: Architecture + Design Scotland, the Cairngorms National Park Authority, Forestry Commission Scotland, Loch Lomond and the Trossachs’ National Park Authority, Scottish Canals, Scottish Construction Innovation Centre, Scottish Natural Heritage, Sustrans, Transport Scotland and Visit Scotland.

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