Travel Tour Scotland
All About Scotland
Falkirk Area
The Kelpies
The Kelpies were officially opened by HRH Princess Anne on the 8th July 2015.
A kelpie is a shape-shifting water spirit that take on the shape of a horse which resides in lakes and pools.
The Kelpies are the largest pair of equine sculptures in the world and stand in the Helix Park,
where the new extension to the Forth and Clyde Canal is located.
At a height of 100 feet (30 mtrs) a memorial to the horses of Scotland that worked the land and pulled barges along the canals.
The Kelpies & Helix Park
The Falkirk Wheel
The Falkirk Wheel is the only fully rotating boat lift in the world and joins the
Forth and Clyde Canal (Built 1790 is circa 35 miles (57km) long) and The Union Canal (built 1822 is circa 31 miles (51km) long),
replacing the staircase of 11 locks which were dismantled in 1933. The Falkirk Wheel was opened in 2002
by Her Majesty, Queen Elizabeth II and at a height of 115 Feet (35 mtrs).
The Basin of the Union Canal is at Fountain Quay in Edinburgh ends in Grangemouth where the Falkirk Wheel stands,
and joins the Forth & Clyde Canal which ends at the River Clyde at Bowling in Glasgow.
There is a Cycle Route 754 which is traffic-free from Edinburgh to Glasgow which follows the Canals.
Antonine Roman Wall
Dates from circa 143 AD.
Rough Castle Roman Fort
On the Antonine Wall about 2 klms south east of Bonnybridge near Tamfourhill.
Kinneil (Palace) House
The Lands of Kinneil Estate are said to have been awarded to the first of the Hamilton's
after the Battle of Bannockburn (1314) by Robert the Bruce.
The original Tower House was built circa 1550. It was later blown up. In the early 17th century it was rebuilt and extended in 1677. The House was left empty from 1822 an has become a ruin.
Kinneil Museum
Free entry
Kinneil Museum can be found on the Kinneil Estate housed in the old stables.
The museum has an exhibition telling history of Bo'ness built on a Roman village. The Gallery tells the story of the Kinneil Estate and the family. The estate is part of the Antonine Wall World Heritage Site, part of the Joh Muir Way and remains of Kinneil Medieval Village.
Bo'ness and Kinneil Railway
and Steam Locomotive Trips
Enjoy 70 minutes on the Steam Train over a 10 mile return journey along
the Firth of Forth Estuary from Bo’ness to Manuel, with a 10 minute stop in Manuel.
There is an on-train buffet and afternoon tea is served on most Saturday and Sunday afternoons. The train has been used in films and the Outlander series. There is also Thomas the Tank Engine Train and a Santa Claus train trip.
Bo'ness and Kinneil Railway Museum
Scotland’s largest railway museum situated in Bo'ness this is a must for the railway and train enthusiasts.
The Railway Museum has many historic locomotives, carriages and wagons, model trains. It also has displays and photographs of the railways in Scotland.
Falkirk Steeple Heritage Centre
The present Steeple is the third steeple the first was built circa 1590 a new Tolbooth and prison was built in 1663 and demolished in 1803 the present Steeple was completed in 1814 and is over 140 feet high (43 mtrs) High.
The Heritage centre tells the story of the area circa last 400 years. Also in the heritage centre is the bell that was made in 1697. Take the guided tour of the centre
Dunmore Pineapple
The “Dunmore Pineapple” was built in 1761 as a summer house for his wife, which gave views of the walled gardens.
The Pineapple is circa 46 feet (14 mtrs) in height. The Pineapple was added to the property in 1777 after John Murray, the 4th Earl of Dunmore return from Virginia in summer of 1776 where he served as the last British Governor of the Colony.
It open to the public through the National Trust for Scotland and can be found in Dunmore Park Airth Scotland.
Callendar House
Callender House and grounds were in possession of the Callendar family circa 1240 it then changed ownership in 1346 to the Livingstone family, in 1783 William Forbes became owner and the descendant are still owners today.
The Tower house is the oldest part of what now looks like a French château. Over the centuries it has been extended and modernised. It present look was given to the property circa 1870. The extensive grounds and has many things to see including a pond and ice House.