Macbraynes on the Caledonian Canal

on Jun 10, 2016

Sailing on the Caledonian Canal dates from 1820 when travelers by Henry Bell’s Comet, sailing from Glasgow to Fort William, connected by coach at Fort Augustus with the Stirling Castle sailing on to Inverness on the partially completed canal. When the canal was finally opened in 1822, through services from Glasgow to Inverness were offered and continued in this manner for twenty years. On the centenary of the battle of Culloden, Messrs. Burns placed their new steamer Culloden, on the Inverness service from Glasgow through the Caledonian Canal. Culloden was built by Caird & Co., and at 149 tons, measured 145 ft long by 16½ ft broad. During the season, she was joined by the Shandon and the Dolphin to provide three sailings a week. The schedule was designed for tourists and involved long stops to view local highlights such as the Falls of Foyers. Local transport considerations were of...