Day 87: Falkirk to Kirkintilloch

An easy and predictable day. We followed the Union Canal to the Falkirk Wheel. This is a fascinating... well it is to me, piece of engineering. It is a rotating boat lift built to connect the Union Canal with the Forth and Clyde Canal. We approached along the Union Canal tow path, through the tunnel and could see the arches of the approach to the Wheel along the aqueduct, 

then, as the path left the side of the canal we could see the side of the wheel and the approach the barges would make to it along the canal aqueduct 24 metres above the Forth and Clyde Canal below.

The boats enters the wheel which then rotates down through 180 degrees to lower the boat down to the canal below.

Once we had stopped gazing open mouthed at the structure,

we continued along the Forth and Clyde Canal all the way to our destination arriving very wet as the heavens opened about half an hour before we arrived. However a hot shower and good meal solved that and we were ready to walk another day!