The Falkirk Wheel is a wonderful example of the engineering brilliance of the Scots. After many years of disuse, it was decided that the Scottish Canal Systems should be revived for recreational use and the Falkirk Wheel was part of that project. It is a huge, hydraulic boat lift that connects the Union Canal with the Forth and Clyde Canal and it negates the need for a multi-step lock system. Costing about 14 million pounds to construct, it is amazingly cheap to run, using only about 1.5 kilowatt hours per revolution. (One revolution has the potential to raise and lower up to 4 boats.) We went on a boat trip which took us up in the Wheel, along the Union Canal, through the Antonine tunnel and then back again. There was a really interesting AV presentation throughout the trip, full of interesting facts and figures and some of the history of the area. There is also a really good display center (which is free to go in, we only had to pay for the boat trip) It was a drizzly, soft day but the display center had places for an indoor picnic as well as food and drink to buy. The general consensus was that the Falkirk Wheel was Wheely Great!
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