We are on a trip around Scotland and decided we would visit the Falkirk Wheel and take a tour, while we had some luck, as the day before it would have been closed, today it was open, but unfortunately the actual lift was closed for maintenance. We did how ever have a good look around and a coffee in the cafe.
The wheel is an impressive structure lifting boats between the Forth and Clyde Canal and Edinburgh and Glasgow Union Canal.
Not being open meant we had a few hours to spare, so I decided to walk along the canal to the Kelpies, about 4 miles, while Sonia took the car directly.
Leaving the Falkirk Wheel the canal path is tarmac style, with solar powered LED lights embedded at the sides. at first there are moorings for all the hire boats, waiting for the season to start.
All the locks seemed to be overflowing as there are no boats moving. At lock 16 on the opposite side is the, now closed, Union Inn. The building is looking very run down, then on the left is the The Canal Inn which seems to be still open.
Canal side art comes along every so often, the first piece I found was these three gents.
On the left is Dr Harold Lyons, then Reginald Adams, and finally Robert Barr who’s name is forever synonymous with Iron-Bru.
Like almost every large town in Scotland it seems it must have its own Distillery, and between Locks 11 and 10 next to the Camelon Road Bridge is the Rosebank Distillery
Then another interesting find is just next to Bainsford Lock No 5 a Pizzeria called Gambero Rosso.
After this the walk is mainly along the edge of an industrial estate area, but just as this area ends and you pass under Carron Road Bridge, to the left you can see the Kelpies in the distance
Next the canal turns a sharp left-hand turn and you are then walking directly towards them.
When you get close you can see the canal can exit the Sea Lock basin via the Kelpies Lock No 1a between them or via Sea Lock 2 before joining the River Carron.