We are really going at a mad pace here and fitting in far more than I ever imagined we would. Tuesday it was back to our usual tour guide (Jo), with science and history lessons on the agenda. Our first stop was the Falkirk wheel, about a 40 minutes drive west of Edinburgh. Just outside the town of Falkirk is where two major canals meet. One of the canals is 34 metres higher than the other and there used to be a series of 11 locks connecting them. The locks have been replaced by a giant wheel which acts like a lift for the boats. There needs to be a boat at the top and one at the bottom and when the wheel rotates the boats swap places.
The Falkirk wheel and some of the dramatic Scottish clouds
The wheel half way rotated
We took a ride on a boat up the wheel then along the canal for a bit before turning around and coming back down.
View from top of the wheel, waiting to come back down
There were lots of other fun things by the wheel including a fantastic water area where there were lots of activities related to water. The kids had the whole place to themselves as there were no other visitors under the age of 60!
The first British playground we have visited
Running to pump water up and Archimedes screw
The next stop on the tiki tour was the Wallace monument near Stirling. This is a monument to William Wallace, the commander of the Scottish army who defeated the English in the battle at Stirling Bridge in 1297. Climbing this monument was one of my most vivid memories from my visit to Scotland when I was 6, so I was really keen to bring the kids here. We had to hike about 15 minutes up the hill then climb 246 narrow spiral steps to the top of the monument. Rather chilly at the top but great views.
On the way back to Edinburgh we called into Tillicoultry, the village where my Mum lived and my Mum and Dad were married.
This is the gorgeous village of Culross that we passed through on the way back to Edinburgh. Super narrow cobbled streets – and believe it or not the double decker buses drive through them!
