Pictures of Falkirk, the Falkirk Wheel

Falkirk is a strange mixture of modern and historic aspects. It was a battle twice. The first was under William Wallace in 1298 when he was betrayed by Scottish Nobles and the Scots lost and the second one was in 1746 during the Jacobite Uprisings.

Presently the modern side if Falkirk emerges. Falkirk is the only town in the world to own the unique Millennium Wheel, the rotating boat elevator. This incredible invention is based on a relatively simple concept but it very difficult to achieve.

Just as in Stirling, the High Street in Falkirk is now pedestrian only and it is a very busy shopping centre. The position of Falkirk allows people easy access to industrial areas such as Grangemouth.

Falkirk's unique Tudor house Whether it stands out like a sore thumb or makes the other buildings fade in comparison is for each to decide.

Falkirk's Town Hall.

The High Street.

Falkirk Wheel.

The mechanism consists in that of bringing down the boats in the tank on top and bringing up the boats in the bottom tank to the top by slowly rotating the wheel. The tanks have wheels which allow them to slide when the rotation process begins.

Unlike the Millennium Dome expensive fiasco, the Millennium Wheel is a very useful piece of engineering that replaces the old locks that used to connect the Forth & Clyde and Union Canals.