Introduction
This morning, my wife and myself met up with a friend and embarked on a couple of trips from Falkirk.
Returning from trip on Wheel
Information on the Falkirk Trips
We focused on two sites which, in terms of time lines, are abut 1880 years apart.
Falkirk Wheel
First call was the Falkirk Wheel.The boat lift or ‘wheel’ links the Forth & Clyde Canal with the Union Canal. This mechanism provides canal boats with a direct link from Glasgow to Edinburgh. Previously the two canals were linked by a series of eleven locks which eventually fell into disrepair. The Wheel was opened in 2002 to replace the defunct locks system.
Falkirk Wheel Engineering
In addition to its primary boat transport function the Wheel is at the the heart of a visitor attraction which includes:
Interactive displays.
Boat trips on the ‘Wheel’.
Gift Shop and Cafe.
Visitor Centre
Picnic areas
Canal walks.
Cycle paths.
Water based activities for children.
Side elevation of Falkirk Wheel
View of Falkirk Wheel Site
Where canal connects with Wheel.
View of Ochil Hills to the north from Falkirk Wheel
Rough Castle
This is a misnomer, it not being a castle in the medieval sense,but site of a fort on the Roman era Antonine Wall dating from 2nd century AD.
Some key facts regarding the Antonine Wall:
- Construction was undertaken by three Roman legions: 2nd Augusta, 6th Victrix and 20th Valeria Victrix.Total manpower may have been 7,000 men.
- Predominantly of turf construction on a stone base. Turf superstructure about 2,75m high.
- At intervals along the Wall were at least 19 principal forts (of which Rough Castle is one). Fortlets existed at one (Roman) mile intervals.
- Total garrison may have been 7000 men.
- Abandoned about AD 163 when the Romans retreated south, back to Hadrian’s Wall.
View of Roman Fort Foundations
Large ditch alongside northern side of Wall
Landscape view west from Wall
More information
Information on Hadrian’s Wall, the Antonine Wall and Scotland’s history can be found in Visitors’ Guide to Scotland. The ISBN is 978-1-9161332-0-4. This is also available via Kindle.