On our recent trip to the UK we encountered many people and saw many beautiful places. We stayed in Airbnb accommodation for the entire trip. I love that in most locations you do get to meet your hosts. They have a wealth of local knowledge and you can often find out about great places to visit that you have never heard of. When we arrived to our home for two nights in Old Plean, Falkirk our host gladly shared some local knowledge. She recommended that we visited The Kelpies and The Falkirk Wheel. We had never heard of them and after talking with her were excited to have a look.
The Helix and The Kelpies
This parkland area provides locals and tourists alike with a location to undertake watersports, walk or cycle the many tracks, or enjoy a snack at the cafe.1 The parkland is connected by 500km of pathways to other attractions including the Falkirk Wheel.1 It is also home to The Kelpies, two equine sculptures, the largest in the world.1 They stand at 100 feet tall and weigh more than 300 tonnes each.1
These structures pay homage to the horses who used to pull the wagons, ploughs, and barges that were commonplace in Scottish industry in bygone eras.1 They are modelled on two such Clydesdale horses, Duke and Baron.1 The Kelpies are free to visit everyday of the year, although there is a charge for parking and looking inside the sculptures.1
The Falkirk Wheel
Canals played an important part in industry in the United Kingdom to transport products between locations.2 The Falkirk Wheel is situated on the Forth & Clyde canal and the Union canal. It replaced a series of lock gates from the 19th Century.2 In 1773 the Forth & Clyde canal opened, while the Union canal opened in 1822 to connect Edinburgh and Falkirk.
The Falkirk Wheel is the only rotating boatlift in the world.2 It was very interesting to watch the boats be lifted from one canal to the next.2 On the day of our visit we had intended walking the pathway between the two attractions. However, due to the inclement weather we skipped the walk.
Have you been on trips and found places to visit that you had never heard of? Did you enjoy them? Tell me about them below in the comments.
Bibliography
- 1.Visit Scotland, ‘The Helix: Home of the Kelpies’, https://www.visitscotland.com/info/see-do/the-helix-home-of-the-kelpies-p889261, Accessed 7 February 2019.1
- 2. Visit Scotland, ‘The Falkirk Wheel’, https://www.visitscotland.com/info/see-do/the-falkirk-wheel-p248061, Accessed 7 February 2019.
