What is Caledonian Canal?
The '''Caledonian Canal''' connects the Scottish east coast at [[Inverness]] with the west coast at Corpach near [[Fort William, Highlands|Fort William]] in Scotland. The canal was built in the early nineteenth century by the Scottish engineer [[Thomas Telford]]. It is about 60 miles (100 kilometres) long and reaches 106 feet (32 metres) above sea level. Only one third of the entire length is man-made, the rest is made up of Loch Dochfour, [[Loch Ness]], Loch Oich, and Loch Lochy in the [[Great Glen]]. There are 29 [[Lock (water transport)|locks]], four [[Aqueduct|aqueducts]] and 10 bridges in the course of the canal.<ref>{{Cite web|title=The Caledonian Canal|url=https://www.scottishcanals.co.uk/canals/caledonian-canal/|access-date=2023-03-12|website=Scottish Canals|language=en-GB}}</ref> It was designed partly as a job creation project, as many people were leaving Scotland. It was also for ships to avoid the dangerous journey around the north of Scotland past [[Cape Wrath]] and the Pentland Firth. It was paid for with government money, unlike most British canals, with an [[Act of Parliament]] in 1803. The locks were built to take 32-gun [[Frigate|frigates]] for the [[Royal Navy]]. It opened in 1822 and cost £910,000. Part of Corpach double lock collapsed in 1843 and the canal was closed for repairs, and made deeper. [[Queen Victoria]] took a trip along it in 1873 and it became more of a [[tourist attraction]] than a shipping route. It is now is now a Scheduled [[Ancient monument|Ancient Monument]]. == References == {{reflist}} [[Category:Canals in Scotland]] [[Category:1822 establishments in Europe]]