Boating on the Caledonian Canal

Bring your own boat, hire a cruiser or charter a yacht for a canal holiday, take a day-trip on Loch Ness, or stay on a hotel boat or holiday barge. Take in the spectacular Scottish scenery and amazing wildlife.

Offering a coast-to-coast link through spectacular scenery in the heart of the Scottish Highlands, the Caledonian Canal is approximately 60 miles (96.5km) in length. 22 miles (35.4km) of this is man-made, with the remainder being formed by natural fresh water lochs.

Our Skipper’s Guides are your complete reference guide to boating on the Scottish Canals. Your guide includes navigational information such as canal dimensions, sea lock approaches, safety information, facilities at locations, as well as ideas for where to stop for a bite to eat, services for your boat, and useful contact numbers.

All powered craft using the Scottish canals require a licence, and we have a variety of short-term and transit licences available to suit your requirements. Licences are available to purchase at the Sea Locks or Canal Offices. Download the Transit & Short Term Visitor Licences for Leisure Craft to find out more.

There are a number of long-term moorings available for leisure craft on Scotland’s canals. Take a look at our Long Term Licences & Moorings booklet for more information.

Occasionally maintenance work is required on our canals, bridges, and towpaths. It is always a good idea to checkout our Canal Works & Updates page before you make your journey.