The 600 tonne gondolas hold 500,000 litres of water, enough to fill an Olympic swimming pool.
How much weight can the Falkirk Wheel hold?
How does the Falkirk Wheel work? The wheel itself is 35 meters tall and raises boats by 24 meters. Since the Union Canal is 11 meters higher than the wheel, there are two locks that boats must pass through after the trip on the wheel. Each caisson or gondola holds 500 tons of water.
How long does it take for the Falkirk Wheel to rotate?
4 minutes
The Falkirk Wheel rotates at 1/8 of a revolution per minute, with one full rotation taking 4 minutes in total.
How big is the Falkirk Wheel?
The wheel has an overall diameter of 35 m (115 ft) and consists of two opposing arms extending 15 m (49 ft) beyond the central axle and taking the shape of a Celtic-inspired, double-headed axe. Two sets of these axe-shaped arms are connected to a 3.8 m (12 ft) diameter central axle of length 28 m (92 ft).
Is the Falkirk Wheel the only rotating boat lift?
The Falkirk Wheel is the only fully rotating boat lift in the world. The wheel was built as part of the £85.4m Millennium link project to reunite the Forth and Clyde and Union Canals in Scotland. The canals had previously been linked by a staircase of 11 locks which took nearly a day to pass through.
Can you stay overnight at the Falkirk Wheel?
Some overnight parking is available for a fee of £15 per night, with a £20 key deposit. Stays are limited to three nights per visit. The designated overnight area is not euqipped for power or lighting but 24 hours access is allowed to facilities in the New Port Downey Building.
Can anyone use the Falkirk Wheel?
Yes, use of the Wheel is free to all private pleasure boat licence holders. It is best to book your passage time ahead.
Can you walk between The Kelpies and The Falkirk Wheel?
This short walk connects the stunning tourist attractions of the Falkirk Wheel and the Kelpies equine structures on the historic Forth & Clyde Canal.
Is there a toilet on The Falkirk Wheel?
Are there toilets along the trail? There are toilets at The Helix 8am – 10pm and at The Falkirk Wheel open 10am-5.30pm.
Can you get a boat from Falkirk Wheel to kelpies?
There is no boat from the Falkirk Wheel to the Kelpies. If you look on the FAQs on the Scottish Canals website you can see what they say. There is a 5 mile walk between the 2 visitor attractions through Callendar Park.
What did Gordon Ramsay say about Falkirk?
Ramsay called the town a “s***hole” when a contestant suggested Falkirk might be of the “five cities in Scotland”. He responded saying: “I was born in Scotland. Falkirk is not a city. It’s a s***hole, I swear to God.”
How fast is The Falkirk Wheel?
The Falkirk Wheel turns using a system of gears, which allow the speed of rotation of the 1800-tonne structure to be carefully controlled. The central axle connects to the outer arms and slowly rotates the whole structure at a speed of ⅛ of a revolution per minute.
Do the Falkirk kelpies move?
No they don’t move but you can do a guided tour and go inside them.
How high does the Falkirk Wheel lift boats?
The world’s only rotating boat lift, The Falkirk Wheel links the Forth & Clyde Canal to the Union Canal 35 metres above.
Do boat lifts fail?
Besides the lift itself, there are several other ways a boat hoist can fail. The most common, according to the BoatUS Marine Insurance claim files, involves cables that fatigue and break, either because of misalignment, chafe, corrosion, or a combination of all three.
How much does it cost to use the Falkirk Wheel?
Adult £13.50. Concession £12.00 (anyone over 60, holding an Access Card, full time Student or Falkirk Council Tax Payer. We may ask to see proof of age or status) Child (5-15yrs) £8.00.
Is The Kelpies free to visit?
You can visit The Kelpies free of charge any time of the day, 365 days of the year due to their prime location in The Helix park. The area around the massive sculptures has been designed to give access for all, meaning everyone can come and see them up close.
How long is the walk at The Kelpies?
Explore this 1.8-km out-and-back trail near Grangemouth, Falkirk. Generally considered an easy route, it takes an average of 21 min to complete. This is a popular trail for walking, but you can still enjoy some solitude during quieter times of day.
How far apart are The Kelpies and The Falkirk Wheel?
about 4.5 miles
It’s about 4.5 miles.
Can you go inside the Kelpies?
The only way to get inside a Kelpie is on a Kelpies Tour!
The pinnacle of the tour is that you get to experience a Kelpie from the inside, and see for yourself the breathtaking engineering and design of The Kelpies.
Is The Falkirk Wheel worth it?
The Falkirk Wheel is a fantastic day out with a difference and accessible to everyone! With boat trips, a cafe, gift shop, children’s activity zone, water play park & mini-canal, waterwalkerz, canoeing, bike hire and woodland walks; there really is something for everyone!