Nine miles of ancient oak, lush woodland, and sweeping Knapdale hillside, the Crinan Canal is one of Scotland’s most quietly spectacular stretches of water, the kind of place whose stories, without the right telling, risk passing by unnoticed.

Commissioned by Scottish Canals, goodstrife delivered a series of improvements along the route: a waterway cutting straight across the Kintyre peninsula, linking Ardrishaig on Loch Fyne with Crinan on the Sound of Jura, and sparing vessels from the treacherous waters around the Mull of Kintyre since it was first built.

A bespoke larch and steel bench, integrated with two Corten steel interpretation units, creates a pause moment in this remarkable landscape. Plasma cut with patterns drawn from the canal’s own identity, the units tell the story of the local wildlife and industrial heritage, installed at a low angle, accessible for children and wheelchair users alike.

Here, the destination was never really the point. It was always about what you discover on the way.