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Beginning the journey south on the Caledonian Canal you will pass through Clachnaharry Sea Lock. Built by Thomas Telford in 1808-1812, it is the first of 29 locks on the 60 mile journey along the Great Glen to Corpach, near Fort William. The canal was built to provide a short cut between the North Sea and the Atlantic Ocean, avoiding the hazardous Pentland Firth on the north coast of the Scottish mainland. Much of the canal's length is taken up with existing lochs - Loch Dochfour, Loch Ness, Loch Oich and Loch Lochy. Designs for the canal were prepared as early as 1773 by James Watt but work was not begun until 1803 by which time the designers were Jessop and Telford. Partially opened in 1822, the canal was finally completed in 1843-1847 at a cost, up to May 1849, of £1,311,270.
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