The engineer John Harris gave evidence to a parliamentary committee to secure the act for the canal, the cost of which was estimated to be between £5,000 and £6,000.

[1] Work started in 1773, and two sections were built, each with an inclined plane to connect it to the foreshore, but the canal was never completed.

It appears that the southern section, from Lusty Glaze to Rialton Barton near St Columb Minor, which followed the 100-foot (30 m) contour and was 2 miles (3.2 km) long, was started first, but may never have been used, as there were problems with the canal holding water due to sandy soil.

The northern section, from Trenance Point at Mawgan Porth, which followed the 200-foot (61 m) contour, terminated a little short of Whitewater, where it was fed by the River Menalhyl.

The northern section began at Trenance Point, on the cliffs to the north of Mawgan Porth, and followed the course of the Menalhyl Valley towards the east.

To the east of Mawgan Porth was another loop, around a series of springs and a stream, which is still visible near Merlin Farm, the historical location of Moreland.

[5][6] The route continued to the east, passing just to the south of the buildings at Trevedras, to cross the Lower Denzell to Bolingey road.

A semi-circular track shows the route, which is picked up by the bridleway to the east of Bolingey, after it crosses another side stream.

The canal reached Menadews Plantation, and continued along its northern edge, where it terminated, about 0.5 miles (0.8 km) short of Whitewater.