Harbour Information (use the icons to find out more)

Caledonian Canal

Your Comments: 13 Read or add your comments

Courtesy Flag

Flag, Red Ensign

Waypoint

None

Charts

AC 1792 , SC5617, BW Scotland Skippers Guide

Rules & Regulations

Speed limit 5kts in the canals. Boats may be spot checked for Boat Safety. (requirements; no fuel or gas leaks; no damage to electrical cables; no imminent danger of foundering or capsizing. If over 28 days in the canal will need a full BW Boat Safety Certificate. Life jackets to be worn by children at all times and they would like adults to as well. No swimming in the waterways. Usual harbour rules on waste disposal. Refuelling is not permitted within the locks

Hazards

The main hazard is other boat users, some of who may be novices

Tidal Data Times & Range

Non tidal but watch out for the usual surges when lock gates are operated.

This site is designed for slower, roaming broadband connections, like you would get at sea, so it needs JavaScript enabled to expand the text.

General Description

Contacts
Caledonian Canal            01463 725500 
Clachnaharry Sealock      01463 713896 or mob 07920237331     VHF 74
Corpach Sea Lock           01397 772249 or mob 07917 348025     VHF 74
... read more

Approach

Through the canal from Inverness to Fort William: ... read more

Berthing, Mooring & Anchoring

As has been said, your licence fee allows you to moor on all the pontoons in the Canal and at most of those in the lochs; where there is an extra charge, that is mentioned on the charts in the Skippers Guide. ... read more

Your Ratings & Comments

13 comments
Thomas Telford Marina in Corpach
Written by Red Fox | 25th Jun 2024
The positives…
Great to have a marina here at last…
Small Cafe on site…
Very friendly staff…
Excellent on-line booking facility…

What’s needing some attention…
No diesel…
Facilities quite restricted… one male toilet and two showers…
Shower length too short…. we’re not all lithe youngsters who can hop in and out… with one failed (but charged) attempt to get the shower working, and two successful payments, my shower cost £9!
Electricity seems to be very expensive but I didn’t take notes so can’t confirm the figures

Remember to check all your emails after booking to find your PIN number in the event that you arrive out of hours. Also, the marina staff will arrange electricity out of hours if contacted…

Fort William car hire gives an excellent service delivering and collecting the car at the marina…
Up date June 2023
Written by Don Thomson 3 | 7th Jun 2023
There is a new Marina outside the lock at Corpach - that's the good news, the bad news is that the little waiting pontoon outside the sea lock has been removed and the Marina will charge you for a "short visit up to four hours" - £12
Rumour of a chandlery at Fort William.
Written by Aphrodite | 21st Dec 2022
Never known a chandlery in Fort William. Fingers crossed when the new marina at Corpach is finished they will have one.
Update June 2022
Written by Don Thomson 3 | 21st Jun 2022
I reviewed these notes in June2022. As Eileen has said below the canal was closed earlier this summer but is now back in coast to coast order. I've linked to the new Skippers Handbook (you can get a paper copy at the sea locks). I've also linked to the booking and paying webpage. If you have trouble with that don't attempt to do it again - just resort to the old fashioned way and pay at the sea lock on arrival.
Otherwise the only major change is at Tomnahurick where they built a double bridge complex last year.
1 of 1 people found this helpful
Open for business
Written by Eilean Tigh | 1st Jun 2022
The canal is now open for coast to coast transit.
Update April 2022
Written by Eilean Tigh | 30th Apr 2022
Canal is closed at Cullochy Lock. Due to open 20th May which should allow for coast to coast transit. Presently Gairlochy swing Bridge however is closed due to fault. All updates will be on the Scottish Canals site. Either side of Cullochy is navigable and the hire boat traffic is building up with the beautiful Loch Ness being used by sail and motor boats alike.
UPDATE SPRING 2021
Written by Don Thomson 3 | 20th May 2021
I reviewed these notes in May 2021. They are open - hooray. I can't find their ready reckoner for licence prices but you can find their basics on their website.
1 of 1 people found this helpful
Update Spring 2019
Written by Don Thomson 3 | 25th Apr 2019
As of late April 2019 the canal has re-opened for coast to coast transits
1 of 1 people found this helpful
UPDATE SPRING 2018
Written by Don Thomson | 9th Apr 2018
Nothing to report. The hyperlinks have been updated for this year and the charts remain the same. The observant among you will notice a red paragraph re single handing; this has been copied and pasted from the Crinan (where you have to wind the gates yourself) and has very little relevance for the fit under seventies sailor with a smallish boat!! We haven't changed the chart 'cos the chart hasn't changed.
1 of 1 people found this helpful
Update Spring 2016
Written by dononshytalk | 4th Apr 2016
These notes were reviewed by Don in April 2016. No major dramas over this winter so all remains pretty much the same. I've given links to the new prices for this year
3 of 3 people found this helpful
Update 2015 Further
Written by dononshytalk | 28th Apr 2015
Just seen a report that they are well ahead of schedule and intend reopening Thursday 30th April 2015
1 of 1 people found this helpful
Update April 2015
Written by dononshytalk | 16th Apr 2015
Those of you who have heard rumours re the closure of the Caledonian Canal can find information by going to the Canal website (there's a link to it in the General Description above) and follow the links Home/Customer Hub/Canal Works and Updates/Caledonian Canal Works and Boaters Updates/Stoppage at Cullochy Weir. It looks as though it's all going to plan and they are hoping to open the Canal for sea to sea transits from the beginning of May
1 of 1 people found this helpful
Up the Cally.
Written by Barbados Billy | 25th Jun 2014
What a brilliant trip. We spent our ten day pass and then added another three. The staff were excellent, the facilities were top notch too. There was wind aplenty in Loch Ness but thirteen days without rain must surely have been a record. Fort William and the Harry Potter Train and plenty of shops and hostelries. Inverness is a fine town with plenty to make one's stay a happy one. Have a look round if you have time, the ten day pass is no more expensive than ten nights in a marina I thought.
1 of 1 people found this helpful
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