Wednesday 17 October 2012

Archimedes Screws at Falkirk




A trip out took us to the canals ..

Falkirk Wheel - the junction between the Forth and Clyde Canal which starts at Bowling on the west coast and the Union Canal which ends in Edinburgh in the east.

Alice found a friend straight away!


Alice is pumping water by bicycle power and Joanne is standing in front of a 'flat' Archimedes Screw which operates on the same principle as ...





... this one 







It makes a good workout for Alice






Gotcha Joanne!







 Goerge and the girls are 'doing the wheel' and I've walked with Molly up the hill to the top ...

... and they're waiting for the previous trip boat to return on the boat lift





Views from the towpath at the top of the wheel ...






... are amazing ...





... with the sun shining on dockside industries on the River Forth





The trip boat descending to pick up the gang

 A hire boat arrives from the Union Canal which is behind me and waits in the caisson to descend as the trip boat ascends - just check out that view of the Ochil Hills - and think of the sheer drop on t'other side of that metal sheet!!






Here they come and sitting right at the front too!





Approaching Rough Castle Tunnel ...






... there they are






The boat winds (turns) on the bend ...


















... below the lock












Returning to Rough Castle Tunnel as seen from the trip boat ...
... and approaching those beautiful arches from the north basin





I've started to walk back down the hill as the trip boat enters the caisson of the wheel ...







The boat is now sitting in the water of the caisson just behind that sheet of metal ... 
... and this is what George and the girls can see over that metal barrier - the lock takes boats down onto the Forth and Clyde Canal





Half way down (the wheel turns clockwise) ...
... looks like it was a good trip too!

6 comments:

  1. What fantastic photographs! Yours always are but these ones particulary so.

    I think that you will find that the view of the River Clyde is in fact the River Forth. Not much distance separates them in the narrow Forth Clyde valley!

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    1. Thanks for the info Graham - blog updated. Thanks also for your kind comments re my pictures.

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  2. Excellent pictures. A couple of years ago we had a hire boat and did 5 days on the canal doing the The Falkirk Wheel and then a week in a camper van.
    Enjoy the rest of your trip :)

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    1. Hi Julie, thanks to you too for your kind comments re my photos, I'm really chuffed! We hope to perhaps bring Rock n Roll up to the low country canals in the future.

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