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Caledonian Canal, Cullochy Lock to Kyltra Lock is a section of Scotland's most ambitious engineering achievement of the early nineteenth century. Constructed to link the Atlantic Ocean with the North Sea, this stretch of the canal connects two of its principal locks near Fort Augustus in Inverness-shire. The locks themselves are integral to the canal's operation, controlling water levels and enabling vessels to navigate the dramatic change in elevation across the Great Glen. Built upon Neoproterozoic felsic igneous bedrock, the canal's stonework was engineered to withstand the considerable hydraulic pressures generated by Highland waters.
The eight-mile-long Caledonian Canal required the excavation and construction of new cuts alongside three lochs—Lochy, Oich and Ness—to create a continuous waterway. Between Cullochy and Kyltra locks, the canal traverses terrain that presented significant technical challenges to its designers and builders. The surrounding landscape of the Great Glen reflects both the natural geology and the human engineering that transformed this major Highland valley into a navigable passage.
The canal section remains an outstanding example of early nineteenth-century civil engineering and is protected by Historic Environment Scotland as a scheduled monument. The locks, embankments and associated structures continue to function as working features within the modern canal, demonstrating the durability of their original design and construction.
Caledonian Canal,Cullochy Lock to Kyltra Lock is a scheduled monument protected by Historic Environment Scotland under reference SM6496. View the official record →
Caledonian Canal, Cullochy Lock to Kyltra Lock is a section of Scotland's most ambitious engineering achievement of the early nineteenth century. It is designated a Scheduled Ancient Monument by Historic Environment Scotland under reference SM6496.
Caledonian Canal,Cullochy Lock to Kyltra Lock is a Scheduled Ancient Monument, legally protected by Historic Environment Scotland — the body responsible for designating and safeguarding heritage sites in Scotland. The official designation reference is SM6496.
Several scheduled monuments lie within 10 km, including Torr Dhuin,fort,Fort Augustus (1.2 km), Caledonian Canal,Kyltra Lock (1.3 km), Caledonian Canal,Cullochy Lock (1.6 km).
This page is just one thread. A full Aubrey report pulls together 14 strands of Caledonian Canal,Cullochy Lock to Kyltra Lock's history, each drawn from the record and mapped to the exact spot:
Every location is different. Not every section appears for every place, only what the historical record actually holds turns up in a report.
Caledonian Canal,Cullochy Lock to Kyltra Lock stands on Unnamed Igneous Intrusion, Neoproterozoic, bedrock that formed in the Neoproterozoic. The rock here is felsic-rock.