The Kelpies are two gigantic steel horse heads 30 metres high that rise near Falkirk, between Edinburgh and Glasgow, at the entrance to the Forth and Clyde Canal. The work of Scottish sculptor Andy Scott, they have become in just a few years one of the most recognisable images of modern Scotland. A few kilometres away is another marvel of engineering, the Falkirk Wheel, the world's only rotating boat lift.
History
In Scottish mythology kelpies are water spirits that take the form of horses and live in lochs and rivers. But the Falkirk sculptures also pay tribute to flesh-and-blood horses: the great heavy horses that for centuries towed barges along the canals, pulled ploughs in the fields and carts in the mines and factories, contributing to the industrial revolution in central Scotland. Andy Scott's models were two Clydesdale horses, Duke and Baron.
The sculptures are part of The Helix, a major regeneration project on derelict industrial land between Falkirk and Grangemouth, transformed into a park with lagoons, paths and cycle routes. The Kelpies were completed in 2013 and opened to the public in April 2014. Each head weighs about 300 tonnes and is made of thousands of stainless steel plates.
The nearby Falkirk Wheel, opened in 2002, links the Forth and Clyde Canal with the Union Canal, which lies 24 metres higher: in the past boats had to pass through a long flight of locks, which took almost a whole day.
- 1790The Forth and Clyde Canal is completed
- 1822The Union Canal opens between Falkirk and Edinburgh
- 2002The Falkirk Wheel opens
- 2013The Kelpies are completed
- 2014The Kelpies open to the public
What to see
The Kelpies
The two heads, one with its muzzle lowered and the other raised to the sky, can be admired for free from every side by walking through the park. In the evening they are lit with coloured lights and the effect is spectacular. The visitor centre offers guided tours of about half an hour that take you inside one of the sculptures to discover how they were built.
The Helix
The Helix park can be explored on foot or by bike, with a lagoon, a playground, paths and a children's area. The canal runs right at the foot of the sculptures, and in summer you can take short boat trips.
The Falkirk Wheel
The Falkirk Wheel is a huge steel structure shaped like a double-headed Celtic axe that rotates, raising and lowering two water-filled caissons with the boats inside. It uses very little energy, thanks to the perfect balance between the two caissons. You can watch it for free or take a tourist boat that makes the whole trip, in about an hour.
The Antonine Wall
Next to the Falkirk Wheel run the remains of the Antonine Wall, the Roman frontier built around AD 142 further north than Hadrian's Wall. The fort of Rough Castle, reached by a short path, is one of the best-preserved sections. The Wall has been a UNESCO World Heritage Site since 2008; see also the Roman conquest of Scotland.
Practical information
The park and the views of the Kelpies are free and always accessible; tours inside are booked at the visitor centre. The Falkirk Wheel has a visitor centre with a café, and boat trips should be booked in summer. Parking is charged.
Getting there
- By train: to Falkirk Grahamston, from Edinburgh or Glasgow in about half an hour, then a bus or taxi.
- By car: from the M9, junction 5, for the Kelpies.
- By air: Edinburgh Airport is about 30 minutes away.
Nearby
- Callendar House in Falkirk, with a section of the Antonine Wall in its park.
- Linlithgow Palace, birthplace of Mary, Queen of Scots.
- Edinburgh and Glasgow, both less than an hour away.
Tips
- How long: an hour or two for the Kelpies, half a day with the Falkirk Wheel.
- When to go: all year round; at sunset and with the evening lights.
- A tip: visit the Kelpies as the sun goes down, when the steel reflects the orange sky and shortly afterwards the lights come on.