![]() Looking at the area around what is left of this structure it seems this is a popular place for irresponsible adolescents to runamuck, drink and demonstrate their "artistic talent". The cache is located at one of the Weirs situated at the park nestled in the bush. Another factory, Lybster Cotton Mills sits across the street vacant with its exterior restored to how it looked a hundred years ago and a portion of Riordon Paper Mill still stands just east of the cache site on Merritt St. For example, what used to be Beaver Cotton Mills (amoung other businesses) is now a Steakhouse Restaurant (the brown sandstone building located close to the cache) the small Annex is only one third of the original building that used to stand here. Presently, Merritton how it used to be in the late 1800's / early 1900's is getting clearer thanks to restoration projects. Some are in rough shape, falling down and vandalized while others are in pretty good viewing condition - amazing given their age. These were made up of cut stone just like the Locks were constructed with and like the Locks, a few of the Wiers are still visible today. ![]() Unlike the first Canal (which is situated closer to Merritt St, running parallel to it), the second Canal channelled water to nearby industrial foundries to generate power or to supply water to the factory in need by use of Weirs. With all the trees around today the staircase can no longer be seen as clear as it used to be years ago, but it's still there. This series of Locks climbing up the embankment of the escarpment got it's name from the Sailors and Lock Tenders that worked the Canal saying that the view of the locks in line of eachother resembled a staircase. It is now very popular with small cruisers, ocean-going yachts and the occasional fishing vessel crossing between the North Sea and the Atlantic – thus fulfilling its original purpose.Mountain Locks Park contains six locks from the second Welland Canal dubbed "Neptune's Staircase". The canal was substantially improved during a 10-year restoration programme completed in 2005. It wasn’t until the 1960s that the locks were mechanised, cutting the transit time to 90 minutes. It took vessels at least half a day to negotiate the staircase. Originally the gates were operated by hand-powered capstans, each with four poles parallel to the ground. Later the gates open to release the water. ![]() Vessels enter each lock through massive gates which are closed to fill the lock with water, lifting the vessels. The staircase took vessels up the 64 feet (20 metres) from Corpach at sea level to the canal. The canal was intended to provide a safe shipping route between the North Sea and the Atlantic Ocean, avoiding the treacherous Pentland Firth to the north. The canal isn’t continuous, rather a chain of links between three large lochs and several rivers in the Glen. ![]() The staircase itself was complete by 1811. Construction of the entire canal spanned nearly two decades (1803-1822). It is the longest staircase lock on any British canal.Īn engineering marvel in its day, it was masterminded by renowned engineer Thomas Telford. Through the Great Glen, the canal links Corpach (near Fort William) on the west coast and Inverness, in the east, a distance of 60 miles (100 km). This flight of eight locks lies at the western end of the Caledonian Canal.
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