Crinan Canal: Winter Works Programme 2025/2026

Navigation on the Crinan Canal is suspended until 31st March 2026 to allow for our winter maintenance and repair programme 

While the Crinan Canal is closed for the winter season, we are carrying out some urgent inspections and repairs as well as progressing our accessibility improvement works around the Crinan Basin.  

This means that boater access to the Crinan Basin, either from the sea or the canal, will not be possible until the spring re-opening.  Pedestrians and cyclists will still be able to access this area, but there will be temporary limitations in place. 

Here is a summary of the work we are undertaking from December to March 2026, as we ready our canal for a busy, safe and enjoyable boating season in 2026. 

Masonry wall repairs near Lock 14 

When? December to March 2026  

Water is leaking from a masonry wall beside the jetty near Lock 14. We will work with local contractor George McNaughton & Son to dewater a 100m section of canal from Lock 14 so we can conduct a full inspection of the structure and plan the best approach to repairs.  

To minimise disruption for mooring customers, visitors and residents, we are restricting the dewatering to this section, rather than draining the entire area between locks 13 and 14. This means we will install a temporary dam, allowing us to pump out water safely ahead of inspections. Electric pumps which are the quieter option available will be used where possible.  

Our contractor started on site at the end of December. They levelled the ground for plant access and installed a temporary ramp.. They began to install the dam and began draining the water in the week commencing 26th January, ready for inspections to begin. The nature of the repair work is subject to the full inspection results. 

Water levels in Crinan Basin will be reduced to allow the dewatering upstream of Lock 14 to take place. We will monitor water levels continuously and contact vessel owners should we need to move their boats temporarily.  

Look out for detailed updates on our Ongoing Works page.   

Repairs following tomographic survey near Bellanoch Bridge 

When? From Monday 9th February 2026

Following our geophysical surveys of the embankment around the towpath sinkhole at the end of last year, we have been able to understand the extent of the void within the structure and agree a repair plan with our contractor. From Monday 9th February, Mackenzie Construction will begin work to dewater a section of the canal adjacent to the sinkhole. They will then excavate, backfill and rebuild this section of the embankment (approximately 30m in length and 5m wide), covering a more extensive area than historic repairs. They will then reline this section of the canal. 

Look out for detailed updates on our Ongoing Works page.    

Landscaping and access improvements 

When? From Monday 2nd February

While we need to prioritise the repair works to ensure the canal remains safe, we plan to progress the accessibility improvement works around Crinan Basin as much as possible this winter too.  The full list of improvements set for delivery this winter are detailed on our Ongoing Works page.

Dredging  

Over the winter period, you may also see our dredgers out and about between locks 4 and 5, clearing the canal ready for boating traffic in the spring. We will publicise the dates and locations in advance. If you’d like to know more about how we prioritise and conduct dredging work, take a look at our article Canal Dredging Explained.   

Look out for detailed updates on our Ongoing Works page.

Email updates

We issue regular updates about the works by email. If you would like to be on the mailing list, please contact CrinanCanalUpdates@scottishcanals.co.uk.     

View the email update from Friday 30th January 2026

View the email update (Friday 23rd January 2026)

Frequently asked questions 

Why do the works need to be started this winter? 

Our canals are heritage structures that feel the force of the weather, periods of excess rain and drought, and the passage of time. The sinkhole near to Bellanoch and leakage near to Lock 14 have been prioritised for immediate investment and remediation as they are likely to develop into public safety risks. While the canal is closed for navigation, and to ensure that we contain disruption to local people and boaters, we are also aiming to make further improvements to the landscaping in this area. 

What are you doing to minimise disruption to local residents, businesses and moorings customers? 

One of the key considerations in planning the works has been the impact on local people and boaters.  

We are planning to locate plant, works vehicles and equipment in the public car park so that we can use the mains electricity supply there rather than run generators which cause additional noise. Where possible, we will try to avoid use of generators for the pumping operations during the canal dewatering as well. 

Likewise, we have limited the extent of the dewatering of the canal, which is a higher cost solution than dewatering the entire stretch between the locks but minimises local impacts.  

What will be the local impacts of the works? 

• Working hours: McNaughton & Son will be on site from 7am to 6pm throughout the works (finishing for the festive period on Friday 19th December and returning to site early January 2026).

• Use of the public car park, additional vehicles and traffic diversions: The works will take up space in the Scottish Canals car park and bring in additional traffic, and we anticipate short road closures (one day for the landscaping works, for example), which we will publicise ahead of time. Throughout the works, our contractors will ensure that they leave space in the north side of the car park will be available for the public. f
• Moorings: We have contacted our moorings customers to make them aware of the upcoming works and possible impacts on them. We may need to move boats occasionally.  
• Tenants: Our dedicated Property Manager has also been in touch with local tenants and they have been provided with contact details for queries related to their properties.
• Trees: To conduct the engineering works safely, we have cleared several trees (three saplings and one larger tree) lying close to Lock 14.  
• Pumps: There will be pumps in operation while the canal by Lock 14 is dewatered in early to mid-January: they will be close to the basin and near the dewatered site. There will be some noise from the pumps, but we will work to reduce the duration and utilise mains electricity as much as possible to avoid using generators.
• Towpath closure near to Lock 14: Our engineering team have considered requests for this section of towpath to be re-opened or to create a route through the fenced off area. Having reviewed the need for fencing and for the closure of the towpath, we have decided to keep the fencing in place to ensure the safety of the public while we inspect and ascertain the cause and extent of the leakage in the masonry wall and complete repairs on the towpath side. Additional fencing has been put in place to mark the closure more clearly. The closure of the towpath is disruptive: as we progress investigations and learn more, we will keep the need for fencing under review, and we will remove the fencing as soon as we have fully verified that it is safe to do so. 
• Towpath diversions: You can see the current closures and diversion routes marked up on our map below:

Do you have the necessary permissions to conduct these works? 

We are working with Historic Environment Scotland (HES) to ensure that the works are appropriate and sensitive to the heritage of the canal. Necessary consents have been gained for the high-priority works to address the leakage by Lock 14 and the sinkhole, and other consents are in process.  

Our Environment Team have been on site in Crinan in recent weeks to scope out the environmental mitigations and fish rescue plan, too. We have obtained environmental authorisation for the upcoming work, and the team are liaising closely with SEPA on plans.  

The felling of several trees to enable essential works in the interest of public safety is permitted under the Town and Country Planning (Tree Preservation Order and Trees in Conservation Areas) (Scotland) Regulations 2010.  

Who should I contact if I have questions or concerns? 

We will continue to update you here on the Scottish Canals website as the winter works progress. Our team will keep in touch with community councils, and our community meetings will be ongoing. 

The next meeting is online on Thursday 15th January from 17.30 to 19.00 and the registration link is here. You can also view the schedule of upcoming meetings and minutes from past meetings.

If you have any questions about the works, please get in touch with us at CrinanCanalUpdates@scottishcanals.co.uk or on 01546 603210 (Monday to Friday, 9am to 5pm). Should you need to contact the team urgently out with these hours, please call Scottish Canals’ emergency number, 0800 072 9900 (open 24 hours a day for reporting an immediate threat to the environment, wildlife or public safety).