The Forth & Clyde and Union canals

Day 1

• Train to Glasgow and cycle west along Route 7 to Bowling Basin and the Sea Lock

• Back to Glasgow along the Forth & Clyde Canal - under the Erskine Bridge, short stop at The Saltings NR, past the five Maryhill Locks and over the Kelvin Aqueduct

• Detour to Ruchill Park in Glasgow in the rain - which I visited on my 2021 and 2023 rides through the city

• 55km, +196m ascent

• X - https://x.com/sbsaville/status/1792819093470601612 

• X - https://x.com/sbsaville/status/1792907852824084760 

• X - https://x.com/sbsaville/status/1792976587542925315 

Day 2

• Quick loop of the Glasgow Botanical Gardens and join the Glasgow Branch of the Canal at Port Dundas Basin. Along to the impressive Stockingfield Junction and a right turn towards Falkirk.

• Through Kirkintilloch and a detour at Twechar to Bar Hill Fort - a Roman fort on the highest point of the Antonine Wall. The Canal roughly follows the route of the Wall. A few Orange Tips and a Peacock to accompany me.

• Visited the Falkirk Wheel, a rotating boat lift built in 2000. The wheel replaces the original flight of locks that linked the two canals but were removed when the canal fell into disuse. It lifts boats 30m using only 1.4 kWh of energy - enough to boil 8 kettles!

• Took the Queen Elizabeth Canal to Helix Park and The Kelpies  - which are truly fabulous sculptures. Went all the way to the Sea Lock to complete the coast-to-coast journey - now in the rain.

• Went through the delightful centre of Falkirk and on to Callender Park, where there is more of  the Antonine Wall - just a grassy mound, really

• On to Grangemouth for my B&B, taking in a replica Spitfire at the old WW2 airbase nearby

• 70km, +232m

• X - https://x.com/sbsaville/status/1793309689557537146 

Day 3

• Side trip to Wester Moss Butterfly Conservation Reserve and Fallin Bing near Stirling, a bit to the north. This is a lowland raised bog and flower-rich coal-spoil habitat: Fallin is the location of the Polmaise Colliery, now closed. Nice ride along cycleway 76 which goes through the countryside. It's cool and overcast, and too early in the season for Large Heath butterflies, so I don't stay long.

• Back along the A905 - flat and fast. Stopped at the Pineapple, a summer house now owned by NTS

• Back in Falkirk it's poor weather, so I signed up for a tour of the Kelpies, which was fascinating

• Did a tour of the 350 acre Helix Park, including Falkirk Football Stadium, and through Zetland Park (cycle pump track) to Grangemouth - now thoroughly wet

• 59km, +177m

• X - https://x.com/sbsaville/status/1793682388058554709 

Day 4

• A final farewell to the Kelpies and back to the Falkirk Wheel for the start of the Union Canal to Edinburgh

• Took a ride on the Wheel with a group of tourists from Denmark, Holland and other places. It's very impressive - a feat of engineering and art. The tour takes you through the Rough Castle Tunnel, which goes below the Antonine Wall.

• The Union Canal runs 30 miles to Edinburgh. This Canal is special, as it has no locks. This is achieved through one tunnel (the Falkirk Tunnel, built 1822, 630m long, a bit spooky) and several impressive aqueducts built around the same time. The best is the Avon Aqueduct, which is 250m long and soars 26m (86ft) above the River Avon below.

• Through Linlithgow  - nice Dovecot ("Pigeon Palace") - and Broxburn to the end of Route 754 at Lochrin Basin, near the centre of Edinburgh.

• Did a quick tour of Edinburgh in the cloud / sun / rain for some of the key sights - the Melville Memorial, George Street, Calton Hill (National Monument, Nelson's Tower and views of Arthur's Seat). It's packed with tourists and reminds me of London.

• 79km, +225m

• X - https://x.com/sbsaville/status/1794117013918433479 

Day 5

• Took NCN1 northwest from Edinburgh to Queensferry and the impressive Forth road and rail bridges. Queensferry has a nice old centre - time for an ice cream now that it's sunny. Through the Dalmeny Estate on NCN 76 and along the coast to Granton Harbour and Leith.

• Back to Holyrood Park for sights of Salisbury Crags and Arthur's Seat from up close. It's crowded with kids running a Mini Marathon and lots of supporting parents - tomorrow is the Edinburgh Marathon. 

• Toured round The Meadows and relaxed in the sun.

• Caught the end of the FA Cup Final at Edinburgh Station (Man U 1-0 Man City, surprisingly) before finding that my train is cancelled. Eventually got on a delayed train, arriving 2 hours late - home at 00.30am

• 65km, +500m

• X - https://x.com/sbsaville/status/1794451158377083124 

Summary

Total cycling 328km (204 miles), with 1,330m (4,360ft) of ascent 

Photos here https://photos.app.goo.gl/VZvz5qdTGqEtUy896