Caledonian Canal

Caledonian Canal, artificial waterway, Highland region, north-western Scotland, in total about 96 km (60 mi) in length. The canal was designed to join the Irish Sea on Scotland's west with the North Sea on its east, and to follow the natural valley of the Great Glen (Glen More). It runs from Fort William on Loch Linnhe (a sea loch), to the Moray Firth at Inverness, and in effect connects, from west to east, lochs Linnhe, Eil, Lochy, Oich, and Ness. Only 37 km (23 mi) of its length, therefore, is artificial.

Surveys for the canal were first made by James Watt in 1773, and construction begun in 1803 under the supervision of Thomas Telford. The canal was opened for use in 1822, though not completed until 1847. For some time it was economically useful, though its scale (it is on average only 5.5m/18 ft deep) is such that it is unnavigable by modern ocean-going vessels, and is now only used by pleasure boats.