Short cut through Scotland

- Maeve Bell

In 1803, Thomas Telford, a Scot and the pre-eminent engineer of his day, was given the job of building the Caledonian Canal through the Great Glen, a natural geological fault line.

The intention was to make it large enough for use by the Navy’s 32-gun frigates, but by the time it opened in 1822, late and double the original budget, the French had been defeated, removing the threat to shipping in the Channel.

Entering the canal

Today, it is both a tourist destination in its own right and a convenient short cut from west to east or vice versa; we have used it both going to and returning from Norway and the Baltic. Three days is about the minimum time to complete the 52 nautical mile trip but, if you are not in a hurry, the licence fee covers up to seven nights.