The Caledonian Canal is a system of canals and locks linking the freshwater lochs (lakes) that lie in Glen Mor, Scotland. The Caledonian Canal connects the Scottish east coast at Inverness with the west coast at Corpach near Fort William in Scotland. The canal was constructed in the early nineteenth century by Scottish engineer Thomas Telford, and is a sister canal of the Göta Canal in Sweden, also constructed by Telford.

The canal runs some 60 miles (97 km) from northeast to southwest. Only one third of the entire length is man made, the rest being formed by Loch Dochfour, Loch Ness, Loch Oich, and Loch Lochy. These lochs are located in the Great Glen, on a geological fault in the Earth's crust. There are 29 locks (including eight at Neptune's Staircase, Banavie), four aqueducts and 10 bridges in the course of the canal.

The Caledonian Canal is used today mostly for pleasure boats and by fishing boats. Many tourists travel to Loch Ness, hoping to see "Nessie", a prehistoric sea creature that is said to live there.

More Info: en.wikipedia.org