Falkirk Wheel and Kelpies Private Day Tour from Glasgow
Get ready for an unforgettable private day tour from Glasgow to visit the incredible Falkirk Wheel and Kelpies, in the historic region of Stirlingshire, Scotland.
Departing from your chosen location in Glasgow, your private group will travel to the historic town of Falkirk to experience a boat ride on the Falkirk Wheel, the world’s only rotating boat lift. We then take the short drive to The Helix Park to marvel at the breathtaking 30-metre-high Kelpies that tower above the Forth and Clyde Canal. It’s a day tour full of fun, history, memory making moments and stunning sights!
Your visit to The Falkirk Wheel
The Falkirk Wheel is an impressive feat of engineering that connects Scotland’s Forth and Clyde Canal, sitting 35 meters above it, to the Union Canal. It takes 5 minutes for the Falkirk Wheel to complete half a turn, using the same amount of power it would take to boil eight kettles of water.
This boat lift was opened in 2002 and draws approximately 500,000 visitors each year. It replaces a staircase of eleven locks that once descended from the Union Canal to the Forth and Clyde Canal, which was over 100 feet below. Prior to the wheel’s construction, it would take travellers a full day to open and close 44 lock gates to travel between the canals.
Fun Fact 1: The height of the Falkirk Wheel is the equivalent of eight double-decker buses stacked on top of one another.
Fun Fact 2: The gondolas on the wheel hold 500,000 litres of water which is the same as an Olympic Swimming Pool.
Click here for further information and to purchase your boat ride tickets
Visiting The Kelpies at the Helix Park
The Kelpies are the largest equine statues in the world. These stainless steel sculptures can be found at the visitor centre in Helix Park, that spreads over 350 hectares of green space between Falkirk and Grangemouth.
The Kelpies were designed by local sculptor, Andy Scott, who was inspired by Scotland’s working Clydesdale Horses that once pulled barges along the Forth and Clyde Canal. They are named Baron and Duke after real-life working Clydesdale horses that attended the opening ceremony in 2013.
In Scottish mythology, Kelpies are depicted as dangerous shape-shifting water spirits that inhabit the lochs and rivers of Scotland. They appear to humans as horses, enticing them onto their backs, where it is believed they then drag their victims underwater to their deaths.
Further information and optional extras on your Kelpies and Falkirk Wheel Private Day Tour
Meet-up location: I will meet your group at your chosen pick-up/drop-off location in Edinburgh
Duration: 7 hours, I am very flexible for your time of pick up and return.
What’s Included: This day tour from Glasgow includes vehicle, driver and guiding services, light snacks, water and complimentary whisky tasting.
What is not included: Entry fees to visitor attractions and lunch
Language: English (fluent).
Maximum number of travellers: 8
Lunch: Pub, Inn, Tearoom or bring your own packed lunch.
Book your adventure visiting the Falkirk Wheel and Kelpies Private Day Tour from Edinburgh today!!
Contact James or Lesley from Tour Guide Scotland to check availability for your Private Falkirk Wheel and Kelpies Day Tour from Glasgow or Edinburgh as soon as possible to avoid disappointment. To request more information or to book visit our contact page.
