Go East >The Forth and Clyde Canal - Kirkintilloch to Falkirk
Click here to view the photographs of this section of canal
Continuing east from Townhead Bridge, the canal passes under another new bridge carrying the Kirkintilloch bypass road, and then over the Luggie Aqueduct. This single arch was originally built over the Luggie Water, then a railway line was also built through its arch, above the Luggie Water but below the canal. The railway has since gone, but the aqueduct has been well restored, and the path through underneath has a railway track pattern on it.
The unusual Luggie Aqueduct in Kirkintilloch
Kirkintilloch's other bridge, Hillhead Bridge, is an old 1930s swing bridge, now back in working order. Hillhead was where Kirkintilloch's "inland harbour" was when the canal was working. Shortly beyond the bridge, the canal leaves Kirkintilloch, the last large town for a good few miles, and heads towards Twechar.
At Auchendavie, a huge water main was built across the canal only 4ft above the water, stopping boats from getting past. This was one of the easiest blockages to clear - a replacement main was driven through under the canal bed. A little further on is Twechar where there is a lifting bridge which was until recently fixed low over the water. The original plan for removing this obstruction was that it should be restored to working order, but the Millennium Link website describes the work as "replacing the mechanical and electrical operating equipment, replacing the bridge structure and reinstating the control system", so it doesn't sound as if there is actually much of the original bridge left at all! There is evidence of quarrying all along the winding stretch from here to Auchinstarry.
The Forth and Clyde Canal Society have a boat, the Gypsy Princess, based at Auchinstarry, and she cruises west to Craigmarloch and Wyndford Lock. Craigmarloch was also the destination of the "Queen" pleasure steamers that sailed along the canal when it was in use, although there is little evidence of them there now. The canal's main water feed enters at Craigmarloch, and there is a stables block nearby too.
The next section of canal as it crosses Dullatar Bog, is very wide and very straight. The canal builders sank a great bank into the marsh on the towpath side, but on the offside the canal is allowed to reach its own level. This area was recently threatened by the proposed new M80 road, which would have cut right through it, but fortunately that threat is now gone. The canal here is amazingly remote - there are points here which are miles from the nearest road bridge - yet still not far from some of Scotland's most built up areas. Contrasts like this can probably be best enjoyed by sailing or walking the whole length of the waterway.
At the east end of the bog, the canal shrinks back to its more normal size, and finally bends again. The long summit pound comes to an end at Wyndford Lock, and round another corner is the reason why the canal became derelict. Back in 1963, the canal was closed to navigation so that the A80 dual carriageway could be built across it without the expense of a lifting bridge. The authorities are probably now wishing they hadn't bothered - the dual carriageway had to be raised by nearly 10ft to take it over the canal on a new navigable bridge, which caused major disruption to the road, and cost more than ten times what it would have cost to provide a proper bridge in the first place.
Beyond the new A80 bridge is another similar one which carries the old Glasgow to Stirling road. A "flight" of three locks follows, two out in the open and one in a patch of woodland. The third one down, Underwood Lock, now has a new canalside pub, Underwood Lockhouse beside it, which as the name suggests, is a converted lock keeper's cottage.
Underwood Lock (17) with new canalside pub. The people are the participants of
a 1995 walk along the canal from Underwood to Grangemouth
A mile or two beyond the lock is Bonnybridge, the first town on the canal for many miles. The bridge here may not be the bonniest on the canal, but it is certainly interesting - it is a new lift bridge which elevates the deck of the road vertically to allow boats underneath. An interesting stretch of the Antonine Wall can be found by going south of the canal here, and it is possible to do a good circular walk taking in the canal towpath and the Roman wall from Lock 16 to Bonnybridge.
The stretch of water from Bonnybridge to Lock 16 on the outskirts of Falkirk makes a pleasant, if rather featureless, walk or sail, ending up at the Union Inn, so called because the Union Canal used to join the Forth and Clyde here.
Access Points
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