Crinan Canal

Route: Crinan Canal
Distance: 19m / 30km
Profile: View
Grade: Easy
Fitness: Moderate
Time: 3 - 4 Hours
OS MAP: 55
Route Data: GPX KML
Riders: Dave Banks, Brian Gray
Date: 20/07/2013


Summary

A mixture of towpath and tarmac road make this a rewarding mountain bike trek through interesting scenery.

Being virtually flat, little effort is required for this run, just the distance involved requires you to have reasonable levels of fitness. This run takes longer than you may expect as frequent stops at the locks and bridges to watch the boats go through, and stopping to admire the canal buildings and scenery add to the total journey time.

The canal was designed by John Rennie and work started in 1794, but not completed until 1801, two years later than planned. Problems, particularly with the locks, meant that some parts of the canal had to be redesigned, a task that fell to Thomas Telford in 1816. The locks were again reconstructed and deepened in the 1930's.

There are 7 bridges and 15 locks in total. Each lock uses 500,000 litres of water, the sea locks being larger use 750,000 litres. There are 7 reservoirs in Knapdale forest to supply water to the canal.


Details

Starting at the free car park in Ardrishaig main street, cycle the few hundred yards along the main road to Ardrishaig Bridge and the sea locks at Loch Gilp/Loch Fyne. Cross the bridge and turn left to head down to the sea locks and along the pier to the lighthouse that marks the entrance and the start of the Crinan Canal.

Retrace you tracks and head back up the pier, to see the sea locks at the start of the canal, if you are in luck, you may be able to see Ardrishaig swing bridge in action. Cross the main road and follow the towpath on the left of the canal around the marina and gently climb up to set of locks 2. Cross over the canal at this point and continue up to lock 3 where the towpath joins onto a single carriageway tarmac road. Just after set of locks 4 and Lock 4 Bridge, the towpath starts again, as part of cycle route 78, as the road drops away to the right to join back onto the main street.

Oakfield Bridge is the next point along the canal. The towpath continues to follow the route of the A816 below as it passes Lochgilphead. As you leave Lochgilphead behind, the canal swings away from the A816 as it twists and turns through a mixture of open and tree clad countryside. The canal joins the road again as it reaches the next set of locks at Cairnbaan - lock 5.

Cross the road at the Cairnbaan swing bridge and staying on the right had side of the canal, follow the single track tarmac road along the side of the canal passing numerous canal buildings along the way. Locks No 6, 7, 8 and 9 are soon reached in quick succession as the canal reaches its highest and probably widest point with its large areas for mooring up.

Locks 10 and 11 start the descent to Crinan. Lock 11 at Dunardry has an interesting retractable bridge, and it is worth watching it in action if the opportunity arises. Another mooring basin takes you down the biggest incline on the towpath to locks 11 and 12. Lock 13 is the final lock in the series before the canal narrows again as it leaves the canal buildings behind and heads into open countryside with nice views of Moine Mhor and Loch Crinan. There are no more lock gates until Crinan itself, the only features are Bellanoch swing bridge shortly followed by the marina at Bellanoch and Crinan swing bridge as the canal meanders through the countryside. After the Crinan swing bridge, the canal skirts round the coast of Loch Crinan until it reaches Crinan itself in just over a mile.

The last 2 sets of locks, 14 and 15 take you into the marina at Crinan and from there into the Atlantic, where another lighthouse signifies the end of the canal. A pint on the patio at the Crinan Hotel overlooking the marina allows you to take in the view before you retrace your tracks back to Ardrishaig.


Photo Gallery

Canal buildings at Ardrishaig		Canal Office building at Ardrishaig		Ardrishaig sea locks (Lock 1)		Pier at Ardrishaig
Ardrishaig Lighthouse		Ardrishaig Bridge		Ardrishaig marina and Lock 2		Ardrishaig marina
Lock 3		Lock 4 Bridge		Towpath to Oakfield		Oakfield Bridge
Towpath to Cairnbaan		Towpath to Cairnbaan		Towpath at Cairnbaan		Cairnbaan Bridge
Tarmac road/towpath		Lock 6 Cairnbaan Bridge		Lock 6		Lock 6 footholds
Canal garden feature		Canal buildings and lock 7		Lock 8		Cairnbaan House at Lock 8
Loch a Bharain		Lock 9		Looking down to lock 10		Locks 10 and 9
Dunardry Bridge		Lock 11		Dunardry Bridge		Dunardry Bridge
Dunardry Bridge		Lock 11		Lock 11		Dunardry Bridge
Dunardry Bridge		Dunardry Bridge		Dunardry Bridge		Lock 12
Lock 13		Approaching Bellanoch Bridge		Bellanoch Bridge		Heading towards Bellanoch marina
Bellanoch marina		Bellanoch marina		Moine Mhor		Canal side house
Crinan Bridge		Crinan Bridge House		Approach to Crinan		Approach to Crinan
Lock 14		Lock 14		Crinan Lighthouse		Crinan Lighthouse
Sea locks (Lock 15)		Crinan marina from Crinan Hotel patio		VIC32 Puffer		VIC32 Puffer
Canal Office Building		Lock 15		Looking up to lock 14		Crinan marina
Canal leaving Crinan marina