Neptune's Staircase

Neptune’s Staircase is a historic 8-lock staircase flight on the Caledonian Canal and the longest of its kind in Britain.

Located in the West Highlands of Scotland near Fort William, Neptune’s Staircase is a historic 8-lock staircase flight on the Caledonian Canal and the longest continuous lock flight in Britain. Engineered by the renowned Scottish civil engineer Thomas Telford between 1803 and 1822, this impressive water staircase raises vessels 64 feet (19.5 meters) over a quarter-mile stretch of canal. Traversing the entire flight requires operating all eight locks sequentially, a process that takes approximately 90 minutes to complete.

Situated at Banavie, the locks connect the sea lock at Corpach with Loch Linnhe and the inland waterways of the Great Glen. Set against the striking natural backdrop of Ben Nevis, Britain's highest mountain peak, Neptune's Staircase is both a celebrated masterpiece of 19th-century engineering and a major tourist attraction. Today, it remains fully operational, drawing boaters navigating the canal as well as walkers, photographers, and cyclists traveling along the Great Glen Way.