haggis

When we went to see the Kelpies, we parked at the sea lock and walked round what was a building site with lots of bits fenced off. We could see the canal and towpath going under the motorway but couldn't get to it. We then drove down to Grangemouth docks, exploring lots of side roads on the way but we didn't find the new bit of canal which runs, I believe, along side the River Carron. haggis

Super photos, Nick. I understand that the official opening of the new bit of canal (through the lock between the Kelpies) is next April and we are looking forward to attending with Gamebird, our little Sea Otter. When we went to look at the Kelpies (by car) a few weeks ago, we couldn't get access to walk below the M9 and we couldn't find any road access to the new bit of canal between the Kelpies and the Firth of Forth. Can you now walk on the towpath below the M9? if so, we must go back for another visit. haggis

Good luck with the op, Phil and I'll keep my ears open fr a Clyde Puffer for you :-) haggis

yes, I think the restriction is 12 boats down a day and you have to book. We phoned a couple of days ahead when we knew when we were going to get there but that was in September. Don't know if you have to book further ahead in the busy season. It is well worth the trip, lovely canal but getting very overgrown form both bankings. haggis

Dean, do you think us landlubber ladies do nothing then? :-) haggis

You won't have to worry about other boats! the main movers are the hire fleet unless we are all making our way to one of the events. Next years big canal events up here are the opening of the Helix (scheduled for 19/4) and the Commonwealth games (the canal event is 26/7). The canals (locks) will be a wee bit busier for about a week before and after these events as folk make their way there and back. As far as weather is concerned, we are part of Great Britain and our weather is therefore not dependable :-). Having said that, we had, I think, better weather this year than the rest of the UK. June and July are usually good. haggis

Marinas are a rare breed up here :-) On the Forth and Clyde there is Auchinstarry which is on line at Kilsyth and in Kirkintilloch there is a marina which is more off line. There are marinas at Bowling and Grangemouth sea locks. The Union canal will get its first marina soon when the one being built as part of a housing development at Ratho opens. I gather it is in water but don't know the opening date. haggis

You are right, Nick. Originally, the intention was to have one or both horses heads nodding but this became impossible when the calculations were done of the weight of the beasties. They are huge and although they are hollow, they must be pretty heavy. Iain and I went to see them a few weeks ago and it was interesting to see how they are constructed. It was a bit like a big jigsaw with bits of metal laid on the ground in their different shapes and sizes. One would be attached to a long crane thing (sorry, don't do technical terms on a Wednesday night) and raised to where a man on a platform (on top of another crane thing) would be next to the space and he would manoeuvre the piece into position and attach it. We couldn't see how but as we didn't see any welding sparks, I assume some form of nuts and bolts. Bits were being attached to both sides simultaneously and seeing the length of the crane arms, made you realise just how high the heads are - 30 metres, I think. We are looking forward to taking Gamebird to the official opening next April. haggis

Andy, that's the sort of treatment I (a female) used to get when I went to a car showroom with the intention of discussing terms to change my car. If a salesman actually ackowledged my presence, they invariably used the words "discuss it with your husband" during the conversation. I walked out of a lot of showrooms! I am glad to say things have changed now. haggis - who loves negotiating when buying a car!

I responded recently to a similar request and I will copy below what i said. The Scottish Canals web site is well worth a look. I note that you wish to cruise from Glasgow to Edinburgh but I think all the hire boats are based in Falkirk at the Wheel. This is what I said Sorry not to have responded sooner but I was a wee bit busy when I first saw the message. (thanks, Ange and Brian for reminding me :-) ) The Lowland canals in Scotland are very quiet and peaceful with some lovely scenery. Capercaillie Cruisers ( http://www.capercailliecruisers.co.uk/ ) at Falkirk are agents for the main hire companies up here and all the trips start at the Wheel - an amazing structure and being on it on a boat is an experience not to be missed. As Ange said, going east on the Union canal, to Edinburgh and back can be accomplished well within a week. On the way you pass through Linlithgow, ( http://www.linlithgow.com/ ) a place well worth exploring. On the way to Linlithgow you get great views down the Firth of Forth to the Forth road and rail bridges. Another good stopping place (for food) is at Ratho where you will find the Bridge Inn canal side. Between Ratho and Edinburgh you cross the Scott Russell aqueduct over the city bypass before going through Wester Hailes where the canal had to be completely rebuilt before it could be reopened. At the canal terminus in Edinburgh Quay you are a short walk for the city centre with all it has to offer. Returning to Falkirk, go back down the Wheel and turn right and you will descend a flight of broad locks which will take you down to the Helix project with the amazing kelpies ( http://www.thehelix.co.uk/ ) . These are almost complete and we look forward to their official opening (a new bit of canal to the River Forth) next April. Coming back up the locks go past the Wheel and continue to Glasgow where again you can moor very near the city centre. Unlike the Union canal into Edinburgh, the Forth and Clyde canal is a broad deeper canal and it is mainly used by sea going boats crossing from one side of Scotland to the other. After Glasgow, there is a flight of locks down to Bowling where the canal joins the Firth of Clyde and if you have time, it is worth going down there. On the way you go through Clydebank where there is a boat through chip shop! You stop at the rear window and give your order, just like MacDonalds do for cars. The Wheel and all the locks and lift bridges are done for you by Scottish Canals staff and while this makes it a more restful trip, it means that you have to keep to their time table. With two weeks you should be able to visit all the canal termini - Edinburgh, Helix, Glasgow and Bowling, but it will depend on how much time you wish to spend exploring off the canal. I may be just a wee bit biased, having a little Sea Otter up here and having attended all the events since the canals reopened, but I think the Lowland canals are well worth a visit. If you want any more information about specific aspects, please ask haggis

But we don't know she "had obviously had a few" and even if she had it doesn't really excuse what she said, in my view. If the post was alcohol fuelled, and she doesn't normally address strangers like that, she has had plenty of time to apologise. The fact that she hasn't says a lot, I think. haggis

Sorry not to have responded sooner but I was a wee bit busy when I first saw the message. (thanks, Ange and Brian for reminding me :-) ) The Lowland canals in Scotland are very quiet and peaceful with some lovely scenery. Capercaillie Cruisers ( http://www.capercailliecruisers.co.uk/ ) at Falkirk are agents for the main hire companies up here and all the trips start at the Wheel - an amazing structure and being on it on a boat is an experience not to be missed. As Ange said, going east on the Union canal, to Edinburgh and back can be accomplished well within a week. On the way you pass through Linlithgow, ( http://www.linlithgow.com/ ) a place well worth exploring. On the way to Linlithgow you get great views down the Firth of Forth to the Forth road and rail bridges. Another good stopping place (for food) is at Ratho where you will find the Bridge Inn canal side. Between Ratho and Edinburgh you cross the Scott Russell aqueduct over the city bypass before going through Wester Hailes where the canal had to be completely rebuilt before it could be reopened. At the canal terminus in Edinburgh Quay you are a short walk for the city centre with all it has to offer. Returning to Falkirk, go back down the Wheel and turn right and you will descend a flight of broad locks which will take you down to the Helix project with the amazing kelpies ( http://www.thehelix.co.uk/ ) . These are almost complete and we look forward to their official opening (a new bit of canal to the River Forth) next April. Coming back up the locks go past the Wheel and continue to Glasgow where again you can moor very near the city centre. Unlike the Union canal into Edinburgh, the Forth and Clyde canal is a broad deeper canal and it is mainly used by sea going boats crossing from one side of Scotland to the other. After Glasgow, there is a flight of locks down to Bowling where the canal joins the Firth of Clyde and if you have time, it is worth going down there. On the way you go through Clydebank where there is a boat through chip shop! You stop at the rear window and give your order, just like MacDonalds do for cars. The Wheel and all the locks and lift bridges are done for you by Scottish Canals staff and while this makes it a more restful trip, it means that you have to keep to their time table. With two weeks you should be able to visit all the canal termini - Edinburgh, Helix, Glasgow and Bowling, but it will depend on how much time you wish to spend exploring off the canal. I may be just a wee bit biased, having a little Sea Otter up here and having attended all the events since the canals reopened, but I think the Lowland canals are well worth a visit. If you want any more information about specific aspects, please ask haggis

Why tell us then? I, like David, am puzzled by what you have told us. Because you changed your mind about taking your boat out of the water, you seem to think that CRT should give you a refund. haggis

That statement has probably wiped out any sympathy you might have had. haggis

We didn't seem to have such a person up here (central Scotland) and in fact, the gas safe guy who had the certification to work on boats has given up. haggis

I may be wrong, but I think if a boat is hired out or carries paying passengers, the regulations ( gas ones, I assume) say that the gas system has to be inspected every year. The details are a bit fuzzy now as I am no longer so involved with the passenger carrying boat, but I seem to remember that the BSS inspector couldn't do a gas pressure test nor could he accept the certificate produced by the properly qualified gas safety person, even if it had been produced the same day. He, the BSS examiner, had to be there when the gas safe person did the test. We got round the problem by fitting a bubble tester which seemed to keep everyone happy. It struck me as a bit odd that the BSS guy, who was not gas safe registered, couldn't acept a certificate from someone who was :-) haggis

Thanks for that, Caprifool. I was just checking back on the thread as I was sure that £204 had been mentioned. haggis

She will be well looked after at Chas Hardens. Lovely people, I forgot to look, what did the stove make in the end? haggis