Forth landmarks Scotland

Travelled:79km
Stay: Bannock Heritage Centre- free carpark (visit tomorrow) N56.0930 W3.9336
Visited: Forth Rail Bridge,Callender House, The Kelpies, Falkirk Wheel

After a brief shopping trip into ASDA and a top up of fuel (cheapest around), we set our sights for the Forth Rail Bridge. It’s one of the most photographed symbols’ of Scotland. Built in 1889, it was the longest cantilever bridge in the world (it is now the 2nd) at just under 2.5km. Up to 200 trains travel across it each day. 





The area is also called 3 bridges as there are 2 others crossing the Forth. In 1964 The Forth Road Bridge was open to vehicle traffic and it is one of the worlds most significant long span suspension bridges. Due to increased crossing demands, a second bridge, The Queensferry Crossing, was finally approved and opened in 2017. It is the longest three tower cable-stayed bridge in the world. 





Mark managed a super sleuth dumping of the toilet before making our way to Callender House in Falkirk. 



We learnt about the local history and that of the house. 





An old printing room

Of particular interest was the kitchen that had a rostiserie that used to work on the heat from the chimney rotating the cog wheels.



 Oh and Outlander used it in series 2! 



Then it was off to see the Kelpies in Falkirk. These 30m high horse head sculptures were completed in 2013 between the Forth and Clyde Canal in Helix park. The name means ‘shape shifting water spirits’ in Scottish folklore. They represent horsepower heritage and weigh 300 tonnes each. It took 8 years to manufacture and 16 weeks to assemble on site. 











We then drove to the Falkirk Wheel. This is the only type of boat lift in the world being inspired by a Celtic double headed spear, a vast turning propeller of a Clydebank built ship, the rib cage of a whale and the spine of a fish. It was completed in 2002 replacing 11 locks linking the Forth and Clyde canals that had been dismantled in 1933. It cost £84.5 million and took 35 lorry loads of 1,200 tonnes of parts to be brought onto the site. The structure contains 15,000 bolts and is 35 metres high. The 600 tonnes gondolas hold 500,000 litres of water but only uses 1.5kWh of energy to turn in less than 5 mins. We managed to watch 3 rotations from different angles. 

Having prebooked our visit to the Bannockburn Battle Heritage experience for tomorrow, we asked if we could stay overnight in the carpark. With an affirmative answer we made our way there.