September the 16th 2021
When we reached Edinburgh during our tour of Scotland we had given no thought to the Falkirk wheel until we were reminded of it at the rest house we were staying at, we then recalled a conversation we had with Esme a dear friend in Somerset, who it seamed had a passion to go visit the wheel before it was to late!
This magical way of dispensing with 11 locks and a method of raising a up to four 50 tonne canal boat 25 metres from one canal to another with the energy of 16 kettles and in just 15 minutes, now how much more magical can it get and then the views which are outstanding.
The Forth & Clyde and Union Canals were linked by a flight of 11 locks which took nearly a day to transit. These were dismantled in 1933. The Falkirk Wheel concept was then introduce along with other ideas in 1994. Other ideas included rolling eggs, tilting tanks, a giant see-saw and overhead monorails!
The final design is claimed to have been inspired by a Celtic double headed spear, a vast turning propeller of a Clydebank built ship, the ribcage of a whale and the spine of a fish. In 1998 work started on the ambitious £84.5million Millennium Link projects to rejoin the two canals. you can read more of this project their web site here All we can say is it’s a must on the bucket list when in Scotland.
Malcolm & Delia 