Cycling the Crinan Canal
Enjoy a leisurely cycle ride along your local canal or take the family and the bikes off somewhere special to enjoy the outdoors.
Discover the Crinan Canal by Bike - at just nine miles, it's the perfect way to keep the whole family fit and healthy.
Route
Starting from Ardrishaig, follow the main road for a few hundred yards and take the turn up to Lock 4. There you have a choice: cross the bridge and take the surfaced road to Oakfield, or alternatively take the grass towpath, which leads on to Oakfield and beyond to Cairnbaan.
From Cairnbaan you may either take the main road or towpath. To enjoy a relaxing ride with minimum traffic try the towpath, which will take you all the way to Crinan.
Share a great space!
Check out the Towpath Code of Conduct here!
Safe cycling
- Alert walkers by ringing your bell and always give way to walkers.
- The towpath is often only 1m wide, and can be wet and uneven. Take extra care. It is being upgraded and widened in sections.
- Dismount at all road crossings, bridges, aqueducts and blind bends and at canal weirs, including cobbled weirs.
- Tandem bike users – please be aware that you will need to dismount and lift your bike through the gates, as they are not wide enough to cycle through.
- Do not speed, speed causes accidents!
Useful information
The canal towpaths are mixed-use routes and are enjoyed by a variety of users including walkers, anglers, cyclists, horse-riders, users with disabilities, portaging canoeists and maintenance vehicles.