The Crinan Canal

Welcome to the Crinan Canal

Our Canal guide introduces everything you need to know about boating on the Crinan Canal from booking your licence to safety advice and tips on how to transit the canal, you’ll find details here.

The minimum time you should allow for passage is six to eight hours - subject to there being no delays or heavy traffic. 

Transiting the Canal 

Despite covering just nine miles, the Crinan Canal can prove challenging for inexperienced boaters or those unused to operating canal infrastructure. 

Boaters should have sufficient crew on board to handle ropes on the bow and stern, as well as operating the lock gates and sluices in the event that Scottish Canals' staff are delayed or unavailable at a specific location.

There are 15 locks and 7 bridges on the Crinan Canal. 

The Sea Locks at Crinan and Ardrishaig and at Lock 14 are mechanised and will be operated for you by Scottish Canals' staff.

The seven bridges along the canal are also operated for you by Scottish Canals' staff. 

At peak times, such as summer season, you may have to wait for others boats, whilst moving through the inland locks from Lock 5 to 13.  

It can take two people to open and close lock gates and sluices from Lock 5 to Lock 13.  

Canal Licence 

To transit the canal, you need to buy a Transit Licence. 

Various licence types/terms are available, ranging from single transit to annual. Short-term licences include all lock-ins, passages and berthing at designated overnight spots. It also includes use of customer facilities such as toilets and showers, laundry room etc.   

Long-term berth holders also require a mooring permit. 

Our licence fee is calculated according to the length of your vessel. 

Use of Pilots 

Please note that it is not necessary to engage the services of external individuals or 'pilots' to transit the Crinan Canal - Scottish Canals colleagues are on hand to support your transit. Please be aware, you may have to wait for other boats to arrive to proceed through locks / bridges. 

It is the boat owner / operator’s responsibility to ensure that your chosen individual is appropriately qualified and that your insurance covers you adequately.  

Anyone piloting a vessel must follow instructions given by Scottish Canals staff.

Locks and bridges

The Crinan Canal can be divided into three sections: upstream, summit, and downstream.  

When you approach a lock, the gates ahead of you will be closed. This is because users are expected to close everything behind them – gates and sluices – and to fill the lock. The exception is when another boat travelling in the opposite direction has just left the lock, spotted you and left it open for you as a courtesy. Other than that, or from a specific instruction by canal staff, you always close gates behind you, with locks full and sluices closed.