Clyde Canal
We walked along the canals on the way to see the Falkirk Wheel
looking along the clyde canal where it meets the Falkirk Wheel
Union, and Forth and Clyde Canals
The Falkirk Wheel was built to move boats from the Union Canal to the Forth and Clyde Canal. The Union Canal opened in 1822 -- including 40 locks and 32 swing bridges. WIth a resurgence of canal traffic for tourists and pleasure boaters, the ability to shift boats between the two canals (over a hundred feet) was needed, prompting the development of the amazing Wheel.
The Union canal startsin Edinburgh and ends at Falkirk, meeting the Forth and Clyde canal, which continues on to Glasgow. On these two canals, it is possible to travel from Edinburgh to Glasgow, a route originally designed for cargo -- although trains soon took up the bulk of the transport duties.