Forth and Clyde

[Gingerbeer]

Has anyone cruised this canal from Glasgow to Edinburgh? Does anyone have photos of their trip? We are thinking about it for next year and just wanted some first hand knowledge or thoughts.

[haggis]

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

[nicknorman]

On the subject of the Kelpies, which I have yet to visit, originally I thought the intention was that they would somehow move. But now it doesn't seem so. Did I get it wrong?

[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

[IainW]

right now all the hire boats go from Falkirk which sits in the middle of the two canals, so you choose an out-and-back trip towards Glasgow or Edinburgh generally. If you wanted to do both, you'd probably want a fortnight. Makes me think it would be good if there was the opportunity to start in Glasgow and go to Edinburgh in a week, but then i suppose the next hire would have to go the other way.

 

If you have a week, my preference would be to head towards Edinburgh rather than Glasgow. The Union is a great wee canal and Linlithgow, Ratho and Edinburgh are great stops. I've not seen a good set of photos showing the whole way, sorry.

[Gingerbeer]

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

 

Thank you so much Haggis. I searched for anything on the Forth and Clyde but this post never came up or anything like it. Lots of great info. Thanks again. When we finally decide, I will certainly keep you in mind for any questions. Cheers.

right now all the hire boats go from Falkirk which sits in the middle of the two canals, so you choose an out-and-back trip towards Glasgow or Edinburgh generally. If you wanted to do both, you'd probably want a fortnight. Makes me think it would be good if there was the opportunity to start in Glasgow and go to Edinburgh in a week, but then i suppose the next hire would have to go the other way.

 

If you have a week, my preference would be to head towards Edinburgh rather than Glasgow. The Union is a great wee canal and Linlithgow, Ratho and Edinburgh are great stops. I've not seen a good set of photos showing the whole way, sorry.

 

Do you keep your boat in a marina someplace on the canal? There didn't seem to be many marinas on the canal but maybe I haven't spent enough time researching them. I love Edinburgh. Probably my favorite place to go next to Yorkshire.

[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

[Gingerbeer]

when is the best time to cruise the Forth and Clyde? Is one month better for weather and the number of boats cruising around than another?

[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