FULL OF EASTERN PROMISE
I WAS CHATTING to a fellow camper, who said he always rushed up the eastern side of Scotland because there was nothing to see. Oh dear, I thought – our plans were to visit or stay mainly in the east on our trip!
Our first stop was Strathclyde Caravan and Motorhome Club Site. It’s situated between Glasgow and Edinburgh, ideal for visiting The Falkirk Wheel, a short distance by car. The Falkirk Wheel is one of only two working boat lifts in the UK and the only rotating boat lift in the world. It replaces a series of locks, long since disappeared, and connects the Forth and Clyde Canal with the Union Canal.
Next day, we caught the first trip on a canal boat, which the Wheel lifted to the Union Canal high above. There’s a brief journey through a tunnel, then the boat turned, and we got a second trip on the Wheel. There are great views from the top and, on returning to the start, there’s a visitor centre and café, where we enjoyed lunch in the sunshine.
Nearby are The Kelpies, 3om-high horse head sculptures made of stainless-steel cladding. The Kelpies celebrate the use of heavy horses in Scottish industry and agriculture, where they pulled canal barges and ploughs. There’s a visitor centre and café at this popular attraction, too.
Search for fish and chips
We later moved on
