First up, the Union Canal has no locks in its entire 31.5 miles, opting instead to stick rigidly to the 73m contour all the way from Edinburgh to Falkirk; indeed, it was nicknamed the Mathematical River because not only is it at the same height from start to finish, it's also pretty much the … It was only fully restored and reopened in 2002, under the Millennium Link project. The Union Canal is one of two Lowland canals in Scotland. 1959 Yeaman Place. It links Falkirk with another famous old Scottish waterway, the Forth and Clyde Canal, whose route runs from Bowling on the River Clyde just west of the great city of Glasgow to meet the River Forth just beyond Falkirk, at Grangemouth. After four years' construction it opened in 1822 and was known as the Edinburgh and Glasgow Union Canal. The route includes canal transfer between the canals using the 115 foot high Falkirk Wheel. The name reflected the role of the canal, linking Edinburgh with the Forth and Clyde Canal at Falkirk and so providing a through route between Scotland's two major cities. More of these later. Canal towpath all the way. The scenery beyond Glen is not as beautiful, with housing estates and views over the oil refineries at Grangemouth. The canal was conceived with the purpose of moving minerals from the mines and quarries in Lanarkshire to Edinburgh. Discover the heritage history of the union canal. Ride through historic Edinburgh on a path that opens out into a scenic seaside adventure to Falkirk. Union canal ordnance survey map view and print off detailed os map. Once unknown to all but the local waterway aficionados the edinburgh terminus of the union canal is now an attractive place to meet friends eat and drink or take a canalside stroll and watch the colourful boats. Check out the cycling attraction Union Canal Towpath! It is Scotland's only contour canal - rather like the South Oxford Canal. After Ratho, the canal reaches the Slateford Aqueduct which carries it high above the Waters of Leith just outside Edinburgh and now goes through increasingly built up areas reaching the Lochrin Basin , a short walk from Princes Street and Edinburgh Castle. There's also a bistro with a terrace. The Union Canal nearly didn't make it to the "fully restored" list......In the 1960's it was formally closed by Act of Parliament, and 11 locks at Falkirk which linked the Union Canal to the Forth and Clyde canal were removed. A major obstacle to the canal builders was the Laird of Callender House, near Falkirk, who refused permission for the route of the canal to cross his land - so the navigators had to construct a 2,070 ft long tunnel and deep cutting here, just to re-route the canal. Sadly, much of it was destroyed by fire and it is roofless - but still impressive for all that. The Union Canal runs just over 30 miles from Edinburgh Quay to the Falkirk Wheel, the world’s first rotating boat lift. Union Canal: Approx distance WEST of Edinburgh Quay: Place. The canal towpath is a wildlife corridor and you can see swans, herons and kingfishers over the water. Forth & Clyde and Union Canal towpaths. Pack : Today I carried my 30-litre Karrimor rucksack, filled with water, my spare waterproofs, a book and other odds and ends. 2004 1/2 mile: Yeaman Place. The canal's main freight was coal for the city of Edinburgh, and lime for the extensive building that took place during the rapid expansion of the city in the 19th century. Union Canal loop NCR 75, 754, 76 and 1 - Distance: 74.04 km - Elevation: 380 hm - Location: Colinton, Scotland, United Kingdom The concerning footage reveals, what used to be the towpath in Falkirk, has collapsed - allowing water to spill out of the canal. Find flats to rent in Canal Walk, Edinburgh EH3 with the UK's leading online property market resource. A shocking clip appears to show the Union Canal "emptying" after a path gave way following torrential rain. (See separate section on the Forth and Clyde Canal) The entire traverse of the lowlands of Scotland  from Bowling to Edinburgh) is about 69 miles long in total, and  the full restoration of these two canals - derelict for over 40 years - now allows us to enjoy a canal boat holiday journey in beautiful surroundings and experience the thrills of the Falkirk Wheel. There really is only one enjoyable way to walk from one side of Scotland to the other in the central belt – via the Forth & Clyde Canal. Linear: Bowling to Edinburgh Going from west to east may put the prevailing wind behind you, but the route works well in either direction. Union Canal 31 miles (50 km) Follow the Union Canal towpath from Falkirk to Edinburgh on this super, waterside cycling and walking route. The Union and Forth & Clyde Canals, Route 754 is an entirely traffic-free cycle path from Edinburgh to Glasgow. Researched and written by Jeannette Briggs. Similarly, three great aqeducts had to be built to carry the Union Canal over the Water of Leith in Edinburgh,  the Almond Aqueduct near the town of Ratho, over the River Almond and - the largest of the lot - the Avon Aqueduct which carries the canal over the River Avon near Linlithgow. Flowing rapidly west! Edinburgh Waverley station is on the East Coast mainline. This is a truly amazing feat of 21st century civil engineering - an imaginative solution to the problem that faced the canal restorers when they had to try and think of a way of lowering canal boats from the Union Canal down to the level of the Forth and Clyde Canal after some clever people had filled in the flight of 11 locks that used to do this job. The Forth and Clyde canal pathway runs between the Firth of Forth and the Firth of Clyde and is a 106-kilometre-long (66 mi) footpath and cycleway that runs across Scotland, between Bowling, west of Glasgow, and Lochrin Basin (Edinburgh Quay) in Edinburgh. They keep their own saddleback pigs for home-produced pork dishes and use locally caught game. The canal towpath makes up part of the long distance walking route, the John Muir Way. Bus • 7 min. Unfortunately the Avon Aqueduct is hemmed in with woods and undergrowth and this makes a "full-on" view of the structure very difficult. Scotland's Union canal stretches from Edinburgh to Falkirk, tracing contours around the hills it passes. You can enjoy the orgainised cruise here or book your canal boat hire from Black Prince Holidays who have a base here. More greenery to enjoy not far from the beginning of the canal at Edinburgh Quay. including 'Raft Races' 1/4 mile: Lower Gilmore Place . The towpath starts a few minutes from the castle. media caption Part of the canal's embankment near Polmont was washed away during severe weather Torrential rain and thunderstorms on Wednesday have created a 30 metre-wide hole in the Union canal. The Edinburgh and Glasgow Union Canal is a broad canal and is part of the Waterways of Mainland Britain. The future for the Union Canal could not have looked more bleak. Originally built to transport coal, the Union Canal opened in 1822 and played an important part in the commercial link across central Scotland before the railway was established in 1842. By the 1930’s the Union Canal was no longer used for any kind of transportation. Recent Photos. late-1970s Lower Gilmore Place. Distance 35 miles (56km)Classification Easy-moderateStart Edinburgh Quay, EH3Finish Falkirk Wheel visitor centre, FK1Duration 6-7 hoursRoute NCN route 754Map Forth and Clyde Map and AA Guide Scotland, OS Explorer 349, 350, OS Landranger 65, 66. It runs for 32 miles and ¾ furlongs through 3 locks from Union Canal Junction (where it joins the Forth and Clyde Canal (Main Line)) to Edinburgh Quay (which is a dead end). Ingenious solutions were proposed, and the canal was eventually placed in a new culvert and tunnel called the Roughcastle Tunnel It is Scotland's only contour canal - rather like the South Oxford Canal. The route follows National Cycle Network Routes 75 and 754 so is well signed throughout. If you like your trivia, the canal also has two rather deadly points of … Afterwards I made a short diversion to Uphall on the way back to Edinburgh. From there trains to Newcastle and beyond take less than 5 hours. Beyond the tunnel is the village of Glen, with its "Laughing" and "Greetin'" Bridge. Falkirk and Edinburgh - 1 week, 68 … Some sections are tarmac, but the towpath is narrow and muddy in places. The cheapest way to get from Grand Union Canal to Edinburgh costs only £24, and the quickest way takes just 4¼ hours. 2006-07 c.1 mile: Around Merchiston. Then the canal enters a country park which leads to the very impressive Avon Aqueduct,  This is 810ft long and 86ft high and it is the second largest and highest aqueduct in Great Britain. Scottish Canals' Union Canal Linlithgow Union Canal Society Water of Leith Walkway I hope that you have enjoyed this brief introduction to the delights of the Union Canal, and that your eyes have been opened up to see the possibilities of a new canal holiday journey all the way from Edinburgh to Glasgow or visa-versa by using both the Union and the Forth and Clyde canals. The Lochrin Basin is another example of redevelopment and regeneration on a grand scale and it has made a huge difference to this area of Edinburgh. This pleasant and leisurely cruise covers the Union and the Forth and Clyde canals between Edinburgh and Glasgow in Scotland. The canal now approaches the town of Linlithgow which has a canal centre and the famous 14th century Linlithgow Palace, the birthplace of Mary Queen of Scots and a favourite home of the Scottish Stuart Kings. More of this later. The Union Canal, Edinburgh. The scenery is industrial as the trail leaves the historic city, but soon opens out into a beautiful, scenic ride, passing over spectacular aqueducts and under pretty bridges, through the towns of Broxburn and Linlithgow with its palace, to Falkirk. Along the route, you’ll pass interesting sights on the canal … Built between 1818 and 1822, the Union canal was designed by Hugh Baird and was originally used for transporting coal before competition from the railways caused it to close to commercial use in the 1930s. Mike Harvey, who shared the video said: "Union Canal rapidly emptying near Linlithgow. It was built so that it curved around the hills, rather than take a more direct route, which would involve the construction of many more locks to  raise and lower canal boats. 0.3 miles from Union Canal #29 Best Value of 2,951 places to stay in Edinburgh “ We decided to stay in the Malmaison Edinburgh City due to its location, its 2 minutes from a tram station for a great connection to the airport, in the city near plenty of Bars, Restaurants, Shops and Galleries… The Union Canal, full name the Edinburgh and Glasgow Union Canal, is a canal in Scotland, running from Falkirk to Edinburgh, constructed to bring minerals, especially coal, to the capital.It was opened in 1822 and was initially successful, but the construction of railways, particularly the Edinburgh and Glasgow Railway, which opened in 1842, diminished its value as a transport medium. At times it runs along the towpath of the Union Canal, a wonderful wildlife corridor and recreational space. Just beyond this point you reach the infamous Falkirk Tunnel which was cut through bare rock and is not lined - so is rather wet with lots of interesting stalagtites hanging down. The Union Canal was originally opened in 1822 and is 32 miles long. All bike routes in Edinburgh are open as usual during the current lockdown. See a variety of apartments to let in Canal Walk, Edinburgh EH3 from top letting agents. However many bike paths are busier than normal, and maintaining social distancing can be difficult at times, especially on some of the narrower paths (the Union Canal towpath is particularly problematical in this respect). ". There's a canal museum at the Linlithgow Canal Centre too. This of course speeded up the passage of goods carried on the canal from Falkirk to Edinburgh. The towpath starts a few minutes from the castle. There are 3 ways to get from Edinburgh to Union Canal by bus, taxi or foot. These were superb feats of Victorian civil engineering, and the Avon Aqueduct is the second longest in Britain, after the more famous Pontcysyllte aqueduct on the Llangollen Canal. In the distance... more. 2006 1 mile: Gray's Loan / Ashley Terrace. It was built so that it curved around the hills, rather than take a more direct route, which would involve the construction of many more locks to raise and lower canal boats. The unique Falkirk Wheel boat lift bridges the 35 metre vertical gap between the two canals. ScotRail operates the overnight Caledonian Sleeper. ... then returned by country roads. The bar has Scottish cask ales and more than 20 single malts. One of the many bridges that cross the Union Canal. Find the travel option that best suits you. Restaurants near Re-Union Canal Boats, Edinburgh on Tripadvisor: Find traveller reviews and candid photos of dining near Re-Union Canal Boats in Edinburgh, United Kingdom. Select an option below to see step-by-step directions and to compare ticket prices and travel times in Rome2rio's travel planner. There is a 6mph speed limit on this path: watch out for pedestrians. Edinburgh is well-connected to the rest of Scotland, and has regular services to other major UK cities. It gives boaters an exhilarating ride, and those who navigate it rate it as highly as a trip across the Pontcysyllte Aqueduct for adrenalin-inducing thrills. Linlithgow Palace is the magnificent, late-medieval birthplace of Mary Queen of Scots, situated by a loch in beautiful surroundings. The Union Canal was originally opened in 1822 and is 32 miles long. The Canal Museum at Linlithgow has a tearoom and the town has a good selection of eateries. About 8 miles from Edinburgh city centre, the Bridge Inn on the canal at Ratho is an 18th-century pub with plenty of atmosphere. Scotland's Union canal stretches from Edinburgh to Falkirk, tracing contours around the hills it passes. The staging post marking this division is still visible, next to an original milestone - these were placed at half-mile intervals along the canal, each giving the distances to Edinburgh and Falkirk. Or you can head along the Union Canal towpath for … A walk near Union Canal, starting from Winchburgh, with pictures and plotted on a map. ... east-north-east, along the Union Canal. Thousands of people were employed here in the extraction of paraffin from the locally mined oil shale, and this was a vital industry before the invention of electric light because paraffin was the only substance in the oil lamps used by everyone to light up their homes. It is more impressive from towpath level. After leaving the elevated section of the Union Canal above the Falkirk Wheel, you reach what was another obstacle to the restoration work just beyond Falkirk, in that the new section of elevated canal had to be joined up with the existing section. 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