Historic Scotland and Scottish Canals are to evaluating the buildings along Scotland’s 137-mile network of canals that stretch from coast to coast to help save them for future generations.

The project will also review around 40 listed buildings in Scottish Canals’ ownership along the Forth and Clyde and Union canals in the Lowlands, the Crinan Canal in Argyll and the Caledonian Canal in the Highlands.

Elizabeth McCrone, head of Listing and Designed Landscapes at Historic Scotland, said already listed is “an enormous variety of building types – from industrial to domestic such as Bona Lighthouse at Loch Ness, based on designs by the renowned engineer, Thomas Telford; Applecross Street Workshops, the oldest surviving canal related building in Scotland and the Union Inn on the Union Canal in Falkirk”.

“We will have an in-depth understanding of the relative importance of Scottish Canals’ estate and the best of these buildings will be recognised through listing.”

Dr Sabina Strachan, of Scottish Canals, said: “This project will enable the partners to better understand the importance of the canal buildings in our care.”

The results of the project and a book will be published next year.