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TITLE
Caledonian Canal
EXTERNAL ID
QZP40_784_P015
PLACENAME
Caledonian Canal
DISTRICT
Inverness
OLD COUNTY/PARISH
INVERNESS: Inverness and Bona
DATE OF IMAGE
1893
PERIOD
1890s
CREATOR
F Valentine and Sons
SOURCE
Highland Libraries
ASSET ID
31327
KEYWORDS
canals
Caledonian Canal
boats
waterways
locks
engineering
Thomas Telford
ships
transport
Caledonian Canal

The Caledonian Canal was built by Thomas Telford and was completed in 1822. It had taken 17 years and £840,000 to complete. The canal runs for 60 miles from Corpach near Fort William to Inverness through Loch Lochy, Loch Oich and Loch Ness. Twenty-two miles of its length are canal cuttings, while 38 miles are natural loch.

There are 29 locks in the canal, eight of which form Neptune's Staircase at Banavie. This impressive set of locks raises or lowers boats over 70ft (21m) in 500 yards (457m).

The canal was very important to mariners of the day as it allowed them to avoid the potentially hazardous trip around north and west of Scotland through the Minch and the Pentland Firth.

This illustration was taken from 'Mackenzie's Guide to Inverness', by Alexander Mackenzie (Inverness, 1893)

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Caledonian Canal

INVERNESS: Inverness and Bona

1890s

canals; Caledonian Canal; boats; waterways; locks; engineering; Thomas Telford; ships; transport

Highland Libraries

Fraser Mackintosh Collection (illustrations)

The Caledonian Canal was built by Thomas Telford and was completed in 1822. It had taken 17 years and £840,000 to complete. The canal runs for 60 miles from Corpach near Fort William to Inverness through Loch Lochy, Loch Oich and Loch Ness. Twenty-two miles of its length are canal cuttings, while 38 miles are natural loch.<br /> <br /> There are 29 locks in the canal, eight of which form Neptune's Staircase at Banavie. This impressive set of locks raises or lowers boats over 70ft (21m) in 500 yards (457m).<br /> <br /> The canal was very important to mariners of the day as it allowed them to avoid the potentially hazardous trip around north and west of Scotland through the Minch and the Pentland Firth.<br /> <br /> This illustration was taken from 'Mackenzie's Guide to Inverness', by Alexander Mackenzie (Inverness, 1893)