Walking the Crinan Canal
Route facts
Waterways:
Crinan Canal »
Distance: 7 miles / 11 km
Duration: Three hours
Difficulty: Easy
Suitable for: Everyone
Starts at: Lochgilphead (for bus to Crinan)
Ends at: Lochgilphead (for bus to Crinan)
A dramatic, wonderful walk along a remote Scottish canal that very few of us canal travellers will ever cruise. You will follow almost the entire route of this scenic canal - but cover no more than seven miles!
The Crinan Canal, often described as "Scotland's most beautiful shortcut", was built to save fishing boats a long coastal voyage. It is still used by sailors making the transit between Glasgow and the Hebrides.
Getting there
Parking: Parking is available in Lochgilphead.
Public transport: You will catch a bus from Lochgilphead to Crinan, then walk back. Anderson Coaches from Lochgilphead to Crinan Car Park only run on Tuesday and Thursday, so careful planning is needed for this walk - but it is magnificently worthwhile. Alternatively, if you're feeling energetic, you could walk there and back again in a day (14 miles total).
Waypoints
1. Lochgilphead
Catch the bus for Crinan: this leaves from the centre of town. Make sure the service goes as far as Crinan Car Park.
2. Crinan
This is a busy area with cafe, pub, fine sea food restaurant and craft shop. In the basin you will often see small fishing boats which trawl around the islands for scallop. Cross the sea lock and walk straight ahead, passing a second lock on your right. Initially, the canal is quite narrow because it was hewn from solid granite. To the left is the estuary of the river, which stays with the canal almost to the swing bridge at Bellanoch. Here British Waterways has provided a sanitary station for boats. Before here, on the right, the canal opens to what, on a normal canal would be considered an enormous winding hole. This is Bellanoch Marina where a choice selection of sea-going boats are usually moored.
3. Bellanoch Marina
Continue along the canal. The next locks are encountered after the walk has reached the three mile point. There are five, lifting the canal to its 64ft summit at Dunardry. One unusual item here is a roller bridge over the chamber of lock 11. This was built in 1900 to replace a traditional swing bridge. The summit level is short and the walk soon reaches the next locks.
4. Cairnbaan
The four locks at Cairnbaan start the descent towards Loch Gilp. Again, views to the west through the gap that the canal has followed are breathtaking. The canal stays remote from the road now. Although the canal is a commercial entity, it is used sparingly by boats - usually yachts on passage - even at the peak of the season.
5. Oakfield Bridge
The next bridge is another swing one. This is called Oakfield. Once, it was known as Miller's after the keeper who worked here in the early days. There was a wharf just beyond the bridge at which goods for Lochgilphead were unloaded. This is also the limit of the walk alongside the water. Leave the towing path now by turning sharp left and walking down to the road. To the left of straight across is the road which leads back into Lochgilphead and the end of this most enthralling walk.
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