The Falkirk Wheel
The Falkirk Wheel is one of the modern wonders of strange Scotland, a fascinating piece of engineering. Not only is it a great tourist attraction but it's also an integral and vital part of the Scottish waterway system. It's a stunning creation.
What Is The Falkirk Wheel?
The Falkirk Wheel is a "rotating boat lift" - the modern version of a canal lock or, more accurately, a series of locks. It was the world's first and (as of writing) remains the world's only such rotating lift.The Wheel was built as part of the Millenium Link canal restoration project, designed to link the Union Canal with the Forth & Clyde Canal, reopening waterway access between East and West Scotland. It was opened in 2002 by the Queen as part of her Golden Jubilee celebrations.
Why Is The Falkirk Wheel?
So, why was the wheel needed? Simply because the canals were at very different altitudes. In older days this problem would have been solved by a series of locks. However for a height difference this extreme it had originally required a set of no less than eleven locks. Passing through each of these in turn was a slow and frustrating process that would be unacceptable to river travellers today, especially those on commercial business.The Wheel replaces the eleven locks with one single boat lift. Boats enter either at the top or the bottom, then the wheel rotates and interchanges the upper and lower sections. This rotation is slow and the precise engineering ensures that the moving sections retain their horizontal alignment.
The result is like nothing I've ever seen before. To get the full impact I'd suggest first watching the wheel work from the ground then actually experiencing it yourself. Hour long trips start from and return to the Visitor Centre and you can buy tickets for both individuals and goups. These can be very popular at peak tourist season periods, so you might want to book in advance.
The Wheel also runs special themed trips, for example Halloween and Santa trips.
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Falkirk Wheel. Check with the venue for latest times and
ticket prices as well as booking information.