Black Prince from Falkirk

[Jason Wilson and Family]

Hello, all,

 

Me, my wife and several of our friends are plotting a holiday for next summer and have thought about renting from Black Prince in Falkirk and making the full Falkirk->Edinburgh->Glasgow->Return trip on the Forth & Clyde. The most narrowboat experience in the lot is my few times operating the locks around Banbury town center.

 

Black Prince says the trip is a week-long cruise 118 miles 14 locks (including the Falkirk wheel) we were hoping to have maybe 10-12 days on the canals.

 

Since we are all new to this I wanted to see if we were looking in a good direction. We want a trip where we can see plenty of interesting scenery but where we will have some interesting places to stretch our legs. We'll have two kiddies aboard aged 1 and 2 so we'll also be looking for advice on keeping them happy. We don't have any idea what to expect beyond the basics. We're also going to be looking for good places to stay in Falkirk since we will have to fly/drive in from varying distances.

 

If you think this is out of our range we are open to any other system by the way, our friends are in Hartlepool and Denmark and we're in the US so there isn't really a convenience factor or anything in our choice.

 

Thanks for your help.

[haggis]

Hello, all,

 

Me, my wife and several of our friends are plotting a holiday for next summer and have thought about renting from Black Prince in Falkirk and making the full Falkirk->Edinburgh->Glasgow->Return trip on the Forth & Clyde. The most narrowboat experience in the lot is my few times operating the locks around Banbury town center.

 

Black Prince says the trip is a week-long cruise 118 miles 14 locks (including the Falkirk wheel) we were hoping to have maybe 10-12 days on the canals.

 

Since we are all new to this I wanted to see if we were looking in a good direction. We want a trip where we can see plenty of interesting scenery but where we will have some interesting places to stretch our legs. We'll have two kiddies aboard aged 1 and 2 so we'll also be looking for advice on keeping them happy. We don't have any idea what to expect beyond the basics. We're also going to be looking for good places to stay in Falkirk since we will have to fly/drive in from varying distances.

 

If you think this is out of our range we are open to any other system by the way, our friends are in Hartlepool and Denmark and we're in the US so there isn't really a convenience factor or anything in our choice.

 

Thanks for your help.

 

It doesn't matter that you have little expereince of operating locks as BW do them all for you. Most people who hire from Falkirk start by going up the Wheel then cruising to Edinburgh - over 30 miles with no locks on a very pretty canal. In Edinburgh the terminus of the canal is very near the city centre and all that it offers. You then return to the Wheel and go down onto the Forth and Clyde canal which is deeper and wider than the Union and here you will encounter locks and lift/swing bridges but BW do them all for you. The downside of this is that you have to fit in with their times (they may have other boats to move) but most people don't find that that is a problem.

 

On the way into Edinburgh you will go though the historic town of Linlithgow which has a palace where Mary Queen of Scots is reputed to have stayed. You get good views of the Forth rail and road bridges as well as Edinburgh Castle etc. Linlithgow and Edinburgh are both worth exploring away form the canal.

 

On the Forth and Clyde canal you pass through Kirkintilloch which is also worth a wander around and in Glasgow you will again moor near the city centre.

 

If you have more specific questions, just ask!

 

I have a web site which contains lots of photos of both canals at www.nbgamebird.co.uk and you may find these give you a flavour of the area.

 

There are several hotels in Falkirk but I hesitate to recommend one as I have never stayed in any but the hire base should be able to help you here.

[Ewart Hodgson]

I have rowed much of this route in a small dinghy (it is 'local' to me) - it is a very interesting and pretty route, and boats are still a welcome novelty so that you get smiles even from anglers :-)

 

I'd say 'go for it'.

[Jason Wilson and Family]

Thanks for the feedback, both of you. Haggis thanks for those photos, we had read that the area was beautiful and many of those shots prove it. Ewart, knowig there are friendly people about make it even better.

 

I'm hoping to still make the trip, but we're having to save a lot of money to get over there and I wonder if it would be better spent just moving over like we plan.

 

Not really on the holiday subject but related to the area. Do you know if there are any residential moorings in the area? And the possibility of getting into the British canal system for more cruising? My mum doesnt' have a crusing streak in her so when we move back to the UK she's going to want some place where she can moor most of the time and live aboard. Me and my lot are more adventurous and would like to be able to move about when time permits. This looks like a great place to call home though it does kind of restrict you if you can't get to anywhere else.

Edited June 15, 2007 by Jason Wilson and Family

[bottle]

Hi

 

Sorry Scotland canals are not connected to those below the border. (except by sea and canal boats are not suitable for the sea)

 

Here is a link to a map of the canals of England and Wales

[Jason Wilson and Family]

Hi

 

Sorry Scotland canals are not connected to those below the border. (except by sea and canal boats are not suitable for the sea)

 

Here is a link to a map of the canals of England and Wales

 

Yeah, that was what I figured. It doesn't even appear that Scotlands canals are connected toe each other by anyhing but sea. How much canal is there to explore in Scotland? By the looks of it I can see about 100 miles if you settle in the lowland canals.