Picture Gallery
Crinan Canal
Days out in Scotland
This is a picture of the Crinan Canal showing a very tranquil canal side scene. The Crinan Canal is operated by British Waterways and starts at Ardrishaig on Loch Fyne, and ends nine miles away at Crinan on the Sound of Jura. Its original purpose was to provide a quick link between the west coast and islands at one end and the Clyde Estuary at the other, and so avoid the long voyage around the south end of the Kintyre Peninsula. However, its main use today is for pleasure which is a far cry from the early days when the canal formed a vital link in Scotland's transport system. Until the coming of the railways the fastest way to travel between Glasgow and Inverness was by steamer using the Crinan Canal and the Caledonian Canal, usually calling at Oban en route.
