Boaters
visiting the Crinan Canal, ‘Britain’s most beautiful shortcut,’ can now enjoy
all the comforts of home alongside its breathtaking scenery after the official
opening of a new facilities building.

The
modern, environmentally-friendly block at Crinan Basin features toilets,
showers, laundry room, and an outside terrace, all with full disabled access. The
opening of the block marks a significant upgrade to boaters’ facilities on the
popular waterway.

The
£360,000 project, undertaken by Scottish Canals and partly funded by the
European Union, is an outcome of the Sail West – MalinWaters marine tourism
initiative, which is designed to promote the west coast of Scotland, Northern
Ireland and North West Ireland as a world-class sailing destination.

Joe
Murphy, Crinan Canal Waterway Manager at Scottish Canals, said: ‘The Crinan
Canal and the surrounding area offer world class sailing amidst some of the
most spectacular scenery in Scotland. The new facilities block is a fantastic
addition to the area that will have a positive impact on both the local economy
and the comfort of those who visit the waterway.

‘Thanks
to funding from the European Union and the support of our Sail West partners,
this project will improve the boating experience on the Crinan Canal and I’m
confident the new facilities will encourage even more crews to come and enjoy
everything Crinan has to offer.’

Environmentally-sensitive design

In-keeping
with the canal’s status as a Scheduled Ancient Monument, limiting the
environmental impact of the project was a key aim of Scottish Canals and the
new block has been specifically designed to fit with the picturesque beauty of
the surrounding woodlands and waterway.

Utilising
an innovative Sedum living roof system and Scottish larch panelling, as well as
a range of low and zero carbon technologies such as LED lighting, warmth
recovery systems and under floor heating, the new block complements its
surroundings and features a wealth of environmentally-friendly designs. 

Garry
Martin of Donegal County Council said: ‘One of the aims of the Sail West EU INTERREG
funded project is to ensure that marinas, ports and harbours in the MalinWaters
regions of North West Ireland, Western Scotland and Northern Ireland offer
world class facilities for all visitors.

‘I
am very pleased that the new facilities at Crinan are modern, eco-friendly,
include disabled access and cater to a wide range of visitor requirements. This
is an excellent achievement, which will benefit visitors and boost the local
economy. We wish Scottish Canals every success in the future.’