Friday 24 September 2021

The Falkirk Wheel. An amazing sight

I have wanted to see this for a while, missed my chance when I was in Scotland three years ago. This time I made time to take a diversion off route. Follow the brown tourist signs off the M80 to Falkirk. 
This is where two canals meet, the Forth and Clyde Canal, and the Union Canal. This is the worlds only rotating boat lift. It was opened in 2002 and replaced a flight of eleven locks. 

The visitor centre attracts 500,000 visitors a year. 

Two boats were taking visitors for a ride up and down the canals while I was there. The pink one here is on the upper level, literally a canal in the sky. 

There is an excellent web site for more information about the Wheel. 
Click on Scottish Canals here. You could easily spend the best part of a day here. Worth a stop off if you are travelling up north. 
I made a second video of this, which I will post tomorrow. 
Thanks for popping in. Lots more photo's of Scotland to come. 
Toodle pip. ilona 

12 comments:

  1. An amazing sight. We went on the visitor ride up to the top canal many years ago

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    1. I think it would be a nice view from up there.

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  2. An amazing sight. I have to say, that wheel turns faster than I thought it would! Ingenious...but that's men and designers for you.👍👍

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    1. There are some videos of it speeded up. But it doesn't seem quite right to spoil the graceful gentle rolling motion.

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  3. Wow, impressive engineering AND a piece of modern art too! Glad you got to see it this time.

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    1. It looks very arty. I'm sure the designers had that in mind when they first came up with the idea.

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  4. What an incredible piece of engineering. So glad you finally got to see it, and thankyou for sharing it with us :)

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    1. Share and share alike as my mother used to say.

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  5. This really is amazing!.I have just watched the second video as well.What a lovely place and I am so happy for you that you got to see it.Thank you for sharing it with us!xx

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    1. I could have condensed the two together, if only I had time to learn how to do it.

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  6. That's extraordinary. I'd love to see it one day. Arilx

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    1. The UK has a lot of engineering gems to drool over. Pity they are so far apart.

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