Day 44 - Falkirk, Glasgow, Scotland
Saturday 27th September, 2025 - Falkirk, Glasgow, Scotland
We arrived at The Kelpies in plenty of time, the carpark was free for those who arrived prior to 10:00 and the walk from the car park through wetlands and canal area was very pleasant. Time for a coffee stop and onto the tour which took us inside the massive sculpture of the horse named Baron, the one with its head turned up.
From my AI Google source:
"The Kelpies are large horse-headed sculptures in Scotland that represent both mythological shape-shifting water spirits and the heavy horses that powered industry and transport. In folklore, kelpies are dangerous, equine-formed spirits that lure people to a watery grave. The 30-meter-high steel sculptures, designed by Andy Scott, commemorate the vital role of heavy horses in Scotland's industrial past, particularly their work hauling barges along the Forth and Clyde Canal, where the sculptures are now located. These were modelled after two real-life Clydesdale horses named Duke and Baron".
Next a sort drive to the Falkirk Wheel, an engineering marvel that replaced a number of old style lochs between the rivers Clyde and Forth.
"The world’s only rotating boat lift, The Falkirk Wheel links the Forth & Clyde Canal to the Union Canal 35 metres above, allowing vessels to sail through the sky thanks to a unique fusion of art and engineering – and the same power it would take to boil eight kettles. Transforming the contaminated site of a former tar works, The Falkirk Wheel opened in 2002 and replaced a flight of 11 locks that once stepped the Union Canal down to the level of the Forth & Clyde, more than 100 feet below. When one of the structure’s gondolas is lowered, the opposite one rises, keeping the vast, 1800 tonne boat lift in perfect balance as it carries canal barges 35 metres into the air in a matter of minutes. Incredibly, the structure uses just 1.5kWh for each rotation."
We were due to drop our rental car back to Glasgow Airport by 16:30, because of our early start we were running early. So instead of dropping our car at the airport and catching a bus into the city with our luggage, we arranged to drive to our apartment to drop off the bags and was still able to return the rental car before 16:30. It saved us trying to navigate the Airport Express bus, plus then a local bus or taxi to our apartment dragging suitcases. All turned out well as it had now started to rain quite heavily.
We got to the city bus terminal, Costa Coffee had a shop in the terminal so we sat there to determine how to get to our apartment via public transport. The information kiosk man suggested we get the metro underground, so that is what we did.
The subway was very much a surprise as it seemed to have been built for little people ! If you were taller than six foot, the only place you could stand without stooping was in the centre of the aisle. The continuous row of seats running along each side of the carriages all faced the centre aisle, and the ride was rocking and rolling! We smiled all the way to our station of Partick and then it was just over a 10 minute walk to our apartment.
Wow that boat lift is amazing! Never seen anything like that.