Falkirk Wheel Revisited

A second chance to visit the Falkirk Wheel by popular demand.  I have now visited several times and am looking forward to joining you next year. The Falkirk Wheel is unique. Not only is it the first boat lift of its type anywhere, but its combination of engineering ingenuity and architectural imagination creates both an eye catching working sculpture and Scotland's most unusual tourist attraction. It is a very important canal structure whose computer controlled machinery gracefully raises or lowers 500 tonnes of boats and water the 25 metre difference between two canals appears complex; but is deceptively simple. As you experience the journey through a canal tunnel and across an aqueduct - before seeming to drop off the end as your boat is lowered by the Wheel - you will be enjoying the most memorable yet gentle of white knuckle rides.

The Millenium Link Project has refurbished two major canals; the 61 km long Forth and Clyde and the Union Canal, originally 51 km. They are now connected by the Falkirk Wheel where the Union Canal has been lengthened by 2 km. The Forth and Clyde is Scotland's oldest canal and runs from Bowling on the Clyde to Grangemouth on the Firth of Forth which was completed in 1790 and created the World's first sea to sea ship canal. The Union Canal, known as a contour canal, as there are no locks along its main length was completed in 1822. The 2 canals were linked by a flight of 11 locks. The Forth and Clyde canal was closed in 1963 and the Union in 1965. The restoration of the canals has involved the repair or reconstruction work on many of its 500 structures - including bridges, locks and acqueducts. It has been an amazing project. It has become a must see visitor attraction in Scotland ranking just behind Edinburgh Castle!