The canal was built to shorten the sea route between the industrialised region around Glasgow and the West Highland villages and islands, for commercial sailing and fishing vessels, and later Clyde puffers,. It was designed by civil engineer John Rennie and work started in 1794, but it was not completed until 1801. Approximately nine miles (14 km) long, the canal runs approximately northwest from the village of Ardrishaig on Loch Gilp, to Crinan on the Sound of Jura, providing a navigable route between the Clyde and the Inner Hebrides, without the need for the long diversion around the Kintyre peninsula, and in particular the exposed Mull of Kintyre.