The Falkirk Wheel — Attraction in Scotland

Title: A Marvel of Engineering and a Must-Visit Attraction

I recently had the pleasure of visiting the Falkirk Wheel, and I must say, it's an incredible feat of engineering and a fantastic tourist attraction. As someone who appreciates innovation and history, I was thoroughly impressed by this rotating boat lift that connects the Forth and Clyde Canal with the Union Canal.

History and Construction The Falkirk Wheel was built as part of the Millennium Link project, which aimed to regenerate central Scotland's canals and reconnect Glasgow with Edinburgh. The project was led by British Waterways, with support from various local authorities, the Scottish Enterprise Network, the European Regional Development Fund, and the Millennium Commission. The wheel was designed by a team of architects and engineers, led by Tony Kettle from RMJM, and was constructed by the Morrison-Bachy Soletanche Joint Venture Team. The construction process was complex, involving the excavation of 250,000 cubic meters of earth, the building of a 160-meter canal tunnel, and the installation of a sophisticated hydraulic system.

Operation and Experience The Falkirk Wheel is an absolute marvel to watch in operation. The wheel raises boats by 24 meters, and the process is surprisingly smooth and quiet. Visitors can take a boat trip on the wheel, which departs approximately once an hour. The experience is not only fascinating but also provides stunning views of the surrounding countryside. The visitor center offers insight into the history and construction of the wheel, and the staff is friendly and knowledgeable.

Impressions and Highlights What struck me most about the Falkirk Wheel was its sheer scale and elegance. The wheel's design is inspired by a Celtic double-headed axe, and it's a beautiful, organic flowing thing, like the spine of a fish. The wheel's operation is also incredibly efficient, using a sophisticated hydraulic system to raise and lower boats. The visitor center is well-designed, with interactive exhibits and a friendly staff. The boat trip on the wheel is a must-do, offering stunning views of the surrounding countryside.

Conclusion In conclusion, the Falkirk Wheel is an absolute must-visit attraction for anyone interested in engineering, history, and innovation. Its sheer scale, elegance, and efficiency make it a marvel of modern engineering, and the visitor experience is both fascinating and enjoyable. I would highly recommend a visit to the Falkirk Wheel to anyone traveling to central Scotland.

Rating: 5/5 stars

Price: £13.50 (adult ticket)

Recommended for: Anyone interested in engineering, history, and innovation. Families with children will also enjoy the boat trip and...

Visited the Falkirk Wheel yesterday as had been recommended to do so by a local where we are staying. We arrived and found that parking was in plenty supply. A very short walk to the visitors center and ticket office on a beautiful sunny day. Once at the visitors center we were met with the wheel and I have to say it looks quite impressive.

After booking tickets we had about 50 minutes to wait for our ride so we had a look around the gift shop and then had something to eat. The food was good, what you would Expect from a place like this although the pea and mint soup I really did enjoy. One thing I would say it is a very expensive my partner wanted a toasted sandwich and they were £9 (which she refused to pay on principle) and ordinary sandwich was £5, a can of pop £2.35. So we settled for 2 cans of pop 2 soups a scone and a caramel muffin this cost just under £25.

The staff were all very helpful, all jolly and joking people especially the lady who did the tour on the boat she was quite a character. They seemed to be willing to help in any way they could.

The tour its self was good and an experience I’d not normally have at home so was something new but we enjoyed the short trip and the views.

Being a drone pilot I approached the staff requesting authorization to take off from a quiet corner to obtain a 360 photo and some aerial photos. The member of staff explained they were not keen on drones within the site but brought a manager out. I think the manager had an understanding of drone laws as he was quite knowledgeable. After I explained what I wanted and he checked my identification cards (drone A2CofC) he gave me authority to take off from an agreed location and to inform them when complete. He also requested I take no close up shots capturing people’s faces. Of course this I was more than happy with. I donned my high vis drone operator vest from the car along with my equipment did my safety checks and did 2 static launches. The whole experience of this interaction with this manager shows how a positive interaction with staff can result in someone’s visit being made perfect. They did not have to let me launch from Site but after checking I was in deed a real drone operator they allowed me to. It did help it being very late in the afternoon and very quiet.

PLEASE IF YOU READ THIS DON’T JUAT TAKE A DRONE THERE AND FLY. THINK ABOUT OTHER PEOPLE AND THEIR ENJOYMENT OF THIS...

A great piece of engineering and a great, and beautiful, area to explore. The staff were friendly and the boat tour was very entertaining. I would have given 5 stars but after staying for 2 nights, in a camper, have reduced it to 3. It a fantastic place to stay during the week, Thursday, but as it’s between 2 council estates you get the silly boys/drug dealers (faces covered) wizzing through on their electric bikes. On the Friday night groups of boy racers congregated in the upper car park, opposite the campers, with roaring music and lots of shouting. The thing that really put us off was one of the cars had “ordered” drugs and the dealer, with their face covered, on an electric bike came to the campers parking and asked who was the one who had ordered drugs. It made a mockery of paying for the car park as they were in and out continuously. The second star off is for you don’t actually get any info for campers on arrival. You pay £18, which is good value, and have use of toilets, showers, waste emptying point and a laundry (£3 each). You get given a card with a code on it BUT you aren’t really told how it works and there’s no information on the sheet you put in your windscreen. We had to ask how the showers work, turns out there is a cord you pull just as you go in the showers, no issue once you know. The toilets and showers are open for all customer use during the day and locked at night exclusively for campers. You need to type in the code on the doors but if you want to use the toilet waste “cupboard” you need to tap the card. Also, if you are having a shower in the disabled room during opening hours, you get harassed by visitors knocking on the door to use the toilet. On Saturday morning the campers were struggling to fill up their water as it was greatly reduced from the day before. Would probably stay again, but not on a...