Caledonian Canal - Inverness

The Caledonian Canal is raised to the level of Loch Lochy by two locks and where the waters of the River Lochy have been diverted into the Spean over the Falls of Mucomir.

The canal crosses the Great Glen from Banavie to Clachnaharrie linking the lochs of Lochy, Oich and Ness.

It was begun by Thomas Telford in 1803 and took 45 years to complete and was much used by fishing, cargo vessels and small steamers. Today it has pleasure boats and at the Fort William end is most spectacular with the steep ascent requires a 'staircase' of locks. The canal runs some 60 miles (97 km) from northeast to southwest. Only one third of the entire length is man-made, the rest being formed by Loch Dochfour, Loch Ness, Loch Oich, and Loch Lochy. These lochs are located in the Great Glen, on a geological fault in the Earth's crust. There are 29 locks (including eight at Neptune's Staircase, Banavie), four aqueducts and 10 bridges in the course of the canal.