Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
that were changed at frequent intervals. Bringing the communications up to date, the towpath
between Edinburgh and Glasgow contains fibre optics cables as the first-such British canal
communications route.
Falkirk takes its name from the Middle English
faw kirk
, mottled church. Locks are now
frequent. The Canal Inn is located below the top lock of the flight. Landscaping, mown lawns
and maturing trees make it a pleasant area with a children's playground and bowling greens
adding to the welcoming and open feel. A Beefeater restaurant and pub, with canal artefacts,
is in a former bonded warehouse. The Grade II Rosebank Distillery, bought by the Isle of
Arran Brewery, is in the middle of Falkirk on the opposite corner of the A803, a quite busy
road. In the spring there is a spread of purple, gold and white crocuses across a wide area of
public lawn. The locks here have iron hooks instead of mooring bollards and the paddle gear
is operated by hand spikes.
Bar Hill at Twechar
.
Schools precede the B902 at Bainsford Bridge in an area that formerly undertook iron cast-
ing. In 1298 Sir Brian de Jay was killed here by Wallace's Highlanders after the Battle of
Falkirk.
The last 2km of the canal's original line have been filled in and all that remains is a kink
in the bank of the River Carron and the main road through Glensburgh, which runs along the
former line of the canal. The canal's line was severed by the M9 and A905.
From Ladymill Weir, the Carron Cut runs north as a short branch to join the tidal River
Carron beyond a new Sea Lock just above the M9. One benefit of this route is that Skinflats
is the best place to see winter wildfowl and waders on the Forth.
