Final parts of towpath are set for upgrade
THE ‘WORLD’S most beautiful shortcut’ will soon become just as easy to navigate from end to end on foot and bike as it is by boat.
Work will begin on November 28 to upgrade three final sections of the Crinan Canal towpath following an £880,000 investment from sustainable transport charity Sustrans Scotland.
The project will begin on Monday at the Ardrishaig to Oakfield section before moving onto Dunardry to Bellanoch and finally Bellanoch to Crinan Ferry Bridge. The towpaths will be upgraded to a more robust allweather surface which is already in place on other areas of the Crinan Canal.
Sustrans Scotland has also funded the installation of towpath LED solar lights which will help define the edge of the route on both sides in the Ardrishaig to Oakfield stretch.
George McBurnie, project manager at Scottish Canals, said: ‘The new surface has been installed throughout our network and we’re seeing increased use as a result. We hope the new lighting and a consistent all-weather surface will encourage even more people to engage in active and healthy lifestyles, whether that’s local people using the path as an alternative to driving short journeys or more cyclists taking on the Route 78 challenge.’
The work is scheduled for completion late March 2017.
The towpath is part of a national cycle network and provides an important link between the villages of Crinan, Bellanoch and Cairnbaan, and the towns of Lochgilphead and Ardrishaig.