What is the Falkirk Wheel?
It's the world's only rotating boat lift which joins the two canals between Glasgow and Edinburgh. It's a huge structure which lifts you up as high as eight double decker buses.
Why was it built?
It was part of the Millennium project to link Glasgow and Edinburgh and was designed to reconnect the Forth and Clyde and Union canals between the two cities.
What sort of scale are we talking about?
It is a fantastic piece of architecture - when you see it your first thought is, "what on earth is that?" That said, it blends in well with the environment.
What is the boat trip experience like?
Your journey begins on the water at New Port Downie, outside the visitor centre, from where you sail on to The Falkirk Wheel, before starting its ascent to join the Union Canal at 35 metres high. The ascent and descent takes 45 minutes and it is an experience not to be missed.
What is the movement of the wheel like?
You couldn't feel yourself move. You were just aware of the skyline changing. The kids were amazed that one minute they were at the bottom of the wheel and the next they were at the top.
What sights did you see?
You could see over Grangemouth and into Fife. We were lucky in that the day we were there the weather was glorious and the views spectacular.
What did Ailis and Caitlin make of it?
I've never seen Ailis laugh and smile so much. She just adored it and, as we sailed through the tunnel, Caitlin let out a cry of "yikes" and that set the two of them off into hysterics.
Did your mum enjoy herself?
Mum thought it was wonderful. The popularity of the attraction speaks for itself - they were geared up for a quarter of a million visitors in the first year but they reached their target in the first 10 weeks.
My advice to anyone planning a visit is book your boat trip in advance.
Beyond the boat journey what else is there to do?
There's a host of watersports in the area and there's also the visitors' centre which is geared towards older kids. Certainly mine seemed a bit young to take in all the information.
What activities are there at the visitor centre?
There's a model of the wheel and an explanation on how it works. There wasn't a lot of hands on activities for young kids to enjoy so we didn't spend too much time there.
Are there eating facilities?
The selection for kids was great - there was everything from milk, fruit, cakes and plenty of healthy options. However, the adults' food left a lot to be desired. There were sandwiches and baked potatoes and the latter looked as though they'd been in the oven for quite some time. Not very appetising at all.
Would you make a return visit?
Absolutely, but I'll take a packed lunch next time.
Prices: Access to the site, visitor centre and exhibition is free. Boat trips cost £3.25 for kids and £6.50 for adults
Open: Visitor centre, Mon-Sun, 9am-6.30pm; boat trips: Mon-Sun, 9.20am-5pm
Details
01324 619888
What sort of scale are we talking about?
It is a fantastic piece of architecture - when you see it your first thought is, "what on earth is that?" That said, it blends in well with the environment.
What is the boat trip experience like?
Your journey begins on the water at New Port Downie, outside the visitor centre, from where you sail on to The Falkirk Wheel, before starting its ascent to join the Union Canal at 35 metres high. The ascent and descent takes 45 minutes and it is an experience not to be missed.
What is the movement of the wheel like?
You couldn't feel yourself move. You were just aware of the skyline changing. The kids were amazed that one minute they were at the bottom of the wheel and the next they were at the top.
What sights did you see?
You could see over Grangemouth and into Fife. We were lucky in that the day we were there the weather was glorious and the views spectacular.
What did Ailis and Caitlin make of it?
I've never seen Ailis laugh and smile so much. She just adored it and, as we sailed through the tunnel, Caitlin let out a cry of "yikes" and that set the two of them off into hysterics.
Did your mum enjoy herself?
Mum thought it was wonderful. The popularity of the attraction speaks for itself - they were geared up for a quarter of a million visitors in the first year but they reached their target in the first 10 weeks.
My advice to anyone planning a visit is book your boat trip in advance.
Beyond the boat journey what else is there to do?
There's a host of watersports in the area and there's also the visitors' centre which is geared towards older kids. Certainly mine seemed a bit young to take in all the information.
What activities are there at the visitor centre?
There's a model of the wheel and an explanation on how it works. There wasn't a lot of hands on activities for young kids to enjoy so we didn't spend too much time there.
Are there eating facilities?
The selection for kids was great - there was everything from milk, fruit, cakes and plenty of healthy options. However, the adults' food left a lot to be desired. There were sandwiches and baked potatoes and the latter looked as though they'd been in the oven for quite some time. Not very appetising at all.
Would you make a return visit?
Absolutely, but I'll take a packed lunch next time.
Prices: Access to the site, visitor centre and exhibition is free. Boat trips cost £3.25 for kids and £6.50 for adults
