Scottish Canals, who own and maintain The Falkirk Wheel, have launched Behind The Wheel tours as part of their visitor experience. For the first time in years, the public will be given the opportunity to step inside the heart of the world’s only rotating boat lift.
Those planning a trip to the attraction can now look forward to stepping inside the structure to see its internal workings and will also be taken on a behind-the-scenes journey to explore its history. The Falkirk Wheel, which has recently celebrated its 22nd birthday, has undergone a £2.7 million upgrade. Tour guides will be on hand to explain the benefits the upgrades have brought to one of Scotland’s most popular tourist attractions.
Ross McMillan, Scottish Canals, Head of Destinations said, “We’re excited to be offering these incredible tours on a regular basis. It was fitting that after the huge refurbishment, we were able to mark this by launching the Behind The Wheel tours. Hundreds of thousands of people have experienced our boat trips but only a handful have ever stepped inside the heart of the Wheel and we can’t wait to share this magical experience with everyone.”
Tours will take place monthly and will include a short presentation inside The Falkirk Wheel’s Wheel Room conference suite. Refreshments, either a brunch or a light lunch, will also be included. The tour guide will then walk visitors around the site, providing an insight into the historic significance this structure has made to those using Scotland’s canals, before heading inside.
Tours will run at 10:30am and 2:30pm and last approximately two hours and 30 minutes. The recommended age for the tour is 16 and over. The tour involves walking around the site and climbing several flights of stairs, and is recommended for those aged 16 and over.
The Falkirk Wheel opened as part of The Millennium Link, a £83.4 million project that restored Scotland’s inland waterways to a navigable state for the first time since the 1960s. The Wheel replaced a flight of 11 locks that once stepped the Union Canal down to the level of the Forth and Clyde over a distance of 1.5 kilometers, which took more than half a day to traverse. Now, The Falkirk Wheel allows vessels to transit between the two canals in just seven minutes. Operating extremely efficiently, it wastes no water and uses hardly any electricity.
Click here to book the Behind The Wheel tour.
