Visit to Scotland - Day 2 - Falkirk Wheel

Day 2 of our long weekend saw us waking up in Dunfermline after a bit of a nightmare journey the previous evening when we were caught up in a huge traffic jam getting across the Forth Road Bridge.

After a nice breakfast we set off, under gray skies, on a short journey to visit the Falkirk Wheel and have a boat ride on it.

Our initial view of the wheel

The Wheel is a boat lift built to link the Forth and Clyde canal's and replaced 11 locks that closed in the 1930's and are now covered by other developments. The lift can take up to 8 boats, 4 in each caisson  and takes only about the power of 9 kettles boiling to move half a revolution.

The site is really set up for tourists with a large visitor center featuring a shop packed with the normal Scottish gifts. There is also a cafe selling hot and cold drinks plus hot food at reasonable prices.

A view of one of the ends of the wheel

We booked into a ride on one of the two canal boats that give trips up the lift and through the tunnel at the top. We had about an hour to wait for our trip and so we had a very pleasant coffee in the cafe and watched the wheel rotate as the preceding trips went on their way.

I also had a nice look around the site and took some pictures once a heavy rain shower blew over.

Then it was our turn to board our boat and take a trip on the wheel.

A view across the marina of the wheel.

The boat is rather large and takes a large number of passengers with plenty of windows although the rain did restrict the view somewhat.

The boat entered the lift once it had finished its previous movement and once in place the gate at the end closed trapping the load of water in place. We had to wait a short while as the other tourist boat plus a narrow boat where loaded.

A view of the short tunnel at the top of the lift.

Once on the move the journey takes about 5 minutes and is extraordinarily smooth.

Once at the top there is a short wait as the gate is opened and the boat is allowed on its way.

We first take a trip across the viaduct that joins the lift to the hillside and then into a short tunnel before reaching a small basin where the boat turns around for the return journey.

The basin at the top 

Leading out of this basin is another couple of lock's that takes the boats up to the level of the Union Canal.

The return journey is the same as the way out just on reverse although you do get a good view of the scenery once on the viaduct and in the lift, or at least it is if the weather is good which it wasnt at the time of our trip. We were able to see our next destination as the Kelpies could be seen in the middle distance.

The lift in action 

 I would certainly recommend a visit to the wheel and a ride on it if you have the time as it is not expensive. Have a walk around the site and it is a nice area with a large water park playground for the kids where they can operate different water pumps, canal gates and other mechanisms without getting wet.

Once our visit was done we went back to the car to drive a short distance along the canal to visit Helix Park and the Kelpies.