Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
Telford, who began the construction in 1803 and did not finish it until 1822, deepening from
4.6m to 5.2m then taking place before 1847. Capital was provided by the Treasury, Britain's
first state-funded transport project. It had been planned to serve two political purposes: it was
intended to get potential emigrants used to labouring instead of crofting at the time of the
Highland Clearances (but was not entirely successful because of absenteeism at harvest time
or when the fishing was good); and it was also to give a safe route for naval vessels away
from the risk of attack by French privateers during the Napoleonic Wars, saving 560km on
the sea route around the north of Scotland. The risk of attack had declined by the time it was
finished.
The railway crossing with Ben Nevis in the background .
It reached its most successful point in the 1880s, carrying fishing vessels, grain, salt and
timber and running a regular passenger service. Gradually ships outgrew the locks and steam-
ships became more able to round the north of Scotland so use declined. Much use was made
of it during the First World War. The main users today are pleasure boats, yachts, fishing ves-
sels and small coasters, with a high proportion of foreign craft. It loses money but is import-
ant to the Highland economy as a whole, especially to fishing boats. A 10km/h speed limit
operates throughout.
Corpach Sea Loch is the first of 29 locks on the canal, operated during normal working
hours from Monday to Saturday, this one only being used within four hours of high water.
When it was built, these were the world's largest locks, mostly 55m x 12m x 6.1m deep, and
the sea locks are fitted with flotation tanks to assist operation. Entry is made difficult for lar-
ger vessels by a flow up to 5km/h across the entrance of the loch on spring tides.
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