West Cumbria Area

Falkirk Wheel Visit

 - August 2010

Personal Visit by Lloyd (Website Coordinator) and Christine Neale (Photographer)

The Falkirk Wheel Website

Video 18MB   RealPlayer Video 24MB

Captains Commentary 1 of 3

Captains Commentary 2 of 3

Captains Commentary 3 of 3

All videos are shown by kind permission of The Falkirk Wheel

The Falkirk Wheel viewed from the entrance

The Falkirk Wheel was a fabulous day out and good value for money.  There is disabled parking right at the entrance but it is limited so plan to arrive early.  The restaurant serves a range of great food to cater for all tastes.

The Falkirk Wheel loaded with two boats begins its cycle
The Falkirk Wheel halfway through it's cycle

The first view of the Falkirk Wheel from the visitors centre is one of amazement and an appreciation of it's overall design.  There is an hour's boat trip through the Falkirk Wheel and it is very enjoyable especially due to the Captain who gives a witty running commentary as the wheel rotates.

The Falkirk Wheel viewed towards the visitors centre
The Falkirk Wheel viewed from the top of it's lift

The views from the top of the wheel towards the beautiful scenery in the North are quite awesome.

This is a brilliant British Engineering masterpiece that you need to see first hand!

The Falkirk Wheel looking down on the visitors centre

The Falkirk Wheel is situated in the village of Tamfourhill, Falkirk and is part of the "Millennium Link", one of the UK's largest restoration Projects.  It was developed by British Waterways at a cost of £17.5 million.  The Queen opened it on the 24th May 2002 as part of her Golden Jubilee Celebrations.

The Falkirk Wheel purpose is to reconnect the Union Canal and the Forth and Clyde Canal at a difference in height of 24 meters.  It is a rotating boat lift which is 115 feet high and carries up to eight boats in a water filled gondola.  Both gondolas contain 300 tonnes of water so each time the wheel rotates it is moving 600 tonnes of water in perfect balance.