Caledonian Canal is a system of canals and locks linking the freshwater lochs (lakes) that lie in Scotland’s Glen More Valley. The canal runs from Loch Linnhe in the southwest across Highland Region through Lochs Lochy, Oich, and Ness to Inverness Firth in the northeast. It is about 60 miles (100 kilometers) long. About 22 miles (35 kilometers) of canals and 29 locks were built as part of the Caledonian Canal. The canal is 105 feet (32 meters) above sea level at its greatest height. The series of eight locks connecting Loch Lochy with the sea is known as Neptune’s Staircase. The canal was begun by the Scottish engineer Thomas Telford in 1805 and was completed in 1847. It is now used mainly by inshore fishing vessels and pleasure boats. See also Telford, Thomas .
