Sandwiched neatly between Edinburgh and Glasgow, Falkirk doesn’t all the time make it onto the traditional Scotland itinerary – which is a disgrace, since you’ll discover a complete string of surprising issues to do in Falkirk with youngsters.
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Residence to 2 of the nation’s most photographed trendy landmarks – the Kelpies and the Falkirk Wheel – you’ll discover loads of different household sights right here too, together with a wonderful free museum, a steam railway, and mile after mile of flat, buggy-friendly canal path.
It’s simple to go to from Stirling too, whether or not you’re hoping to squeeze just a few highlights right into a day journey, or spending a little bit longer within the metropolis. So right here’s my decide of the perfect issues to do in Falkirk with youngsters.
TOP TIP: Falkirk sits proper on the Forth & Clyde and Union canals, so just a few of those sights are linked by: towpath – helpful if you happen to fancy strolling, biking or scooting between them reasonably than getting the automobile out each time.
The Kelpies and Helix Park
You actually can’t speak about Falkirk with youngsters with out beginning right here – and it doesn’t matter what number of pictures of the Kelpies you’ve seen, experiencing them in particular person is unforgettable.
The Kelpies themselves are two monumental horse-head sculptures, every round 30 metres tall, rearing up on the banks of the Forth & Clyde Canal – they usually’re each bit as placing in particular person as in pictures, particularly if you happen to get blue skies or time a go to for nightfall once they’re lit up.
They sit inside Helix Park, an enormous stretch of inexperienced house linking Falkirk and Grangemouth, with kilometres of flat, paved paths that are perfect for little legs, scooters or bikes, in addition to some woodland and wetland walks.
Seeing the Kelpies themselves is totally free – you’ll be able to stroll proper up and wander across the base of each sculptures with out paying a penny.
In case your youngsters (otherwise you) need to truly go inside one, you’ll have to e-book onto a Kelpies Tour. These run a number of occasions a day, final round 25–half-hour, and take you up into the top of one of many horses to see the metal framework and listen to about sculptor Andy Scott’s design and the world’s industrial previous. Two youngsters go free per paying grownup (adults tickets price £9) which is a bonus.
When you’ve admired the sculptures, the remainder of Helix Park is arguably simply pretty much as good a purpose to go to with youthful youngsters. The Journey Zone playground has a lot for various ages, in addition to an accessible, sensory space, whereas the Splash Play zone is all the time tempting in hotter months (do pack spare garments).
There’s a café and present store within the customer centre if you happen to want a pit cease, although it does get busy at peak occasions, whereas you may also get ice cream and drinks on the Horsebox Cafe on the far facet of the Kelpies.
There are two automobile parks to decide on between, together with the larger (and busier) Kelpies Automotive Park which may be very near the Customer Centre, and which does shut in a single day. Or the smaller Helix Automotive Park is open 24/7 if you happen to fancy a really early (or late) go to, and it’s a straightforward and fairly stroll to the Kelpies from there. Each are paid parking.
The Falkirk Wheel
A brief hop from the Kelpies, the Falkirk Wheel is the opposite huge native landmark – and maybe my very own favorite, not least as a result of it’s distinctive.
The world’s solely rotating boat carry, it was constructed to reconnect the Forth & Clyde and Union canals, changing after the unique flight of 11 locks – it as soon as took over a day for canal boats to traverse, however now takes simply 5 minutes for the carry to show 180 levels and lift you 35m.
You’ll be able to watch it flip without spending a dime from the customer centre grounds; it lifts boats roughly each 45 minutes to an hour, so that you gained’t often wait lengthy to see the entire thing in motion. However one of the simplest ways to correctly expertise it with youngsters is to e-book a ship journey.
The usual tour lasts round an hour, takes you up via the wheel’s full rotation, alongside an aqueduct and thru a brief tunnel beneath the stays of a part of the Roman Antonine Wall – essentially the most northernmost level of the Roman Empire – earlier than turning round and coming again down.
Together with some fabulous views, there’s a working commentary explaining how the engineering truly works too, which (fortunately), you don’t want a level in engineering to grasp. At its easiest, the 2 gondolas all the time keep balanced as any boats displace the identical weight of water as their very own weight, in order one is lowered, the other one rises.
However whereas the 1,800-tonne boat carry can take hundreds as heavy as 100 elephants, it solely makes use of the identical quantity of power because it takes to boil eight kettles.
Save a while for the customer centre as effectively which has some extra background, together with numerous quirky information: the carry makes use of 14,868 bolts, for instance, all of which had been tightened by hand. I additionally liked discovering that they constructed a Lego mannequin to check the engineering and design rules earlier than constructing it.
Grownup tickets price £17.95, youngsters aged 5-15 price £9.80. It’s effectively value reserving forward within the faculty holidays as sailings do promote out – you’ll have to arrive round quarter-hour upfront of your departure time.
In addition to the customer centre and a beautiful cafe, there’s additionally mini golf and a play space with a really enjoyable splash zone the place youngsters can steer mannequin barges alongside mini waterways, working mini canal locks and funnelling the water round. Good inspiration for future engineers.
Observe a strolling path
There are some beautiful walks across the Falkirk space, usually ranging from one of many larger sights so it’s simple to mix a few issues to do in Falkirk with youngsters in in the future.
The Falkirk 5 Path is a 5km round route working from The Falkirk Wheel through Union Canal, Lock 16 and Forth & Clyde Canal with six beautiful tiled benches to identify (or sit on) alongside the way in which.
There’s additionally a route connecting the Falkirk Wheel and the Kelpies – it is a longer one at simply over 5 miles, though it’s alongside a flat paved towpath, so it’s an excellent one if you happen to’re biking, or it’s doable in two hours or so in any other case (although you want a plan to get again to your start line).
Or AllTrails has some nice recommendations of different beautiful walks round Falkirk for households.
Callendar Home and Park
In case you’re in search of historic sights in Falkirk with youngsters, head to Callendar Home & Park – the property itself dates again to the 14th century, and through the years, everybody from Mary, Queen of Scots and Bonnie Prince Charlie to Oliver Cromwell have stayed there.
The present Georgian mansion has just a few architectural prospers from centuries passed by, together with the medieval tower home at its coronary heart and a few French Renaissance touches.
The working kitchen sees costumed employees discuss in regards to the type of meals that may have been served at grand events two centuries in the past – and typically even prepare dinner it. In case you’re an Outlander fan, these had been additionally used for filming in the course of the present.
Contained in the mansion, there’s a museum working via the home’s historical past from the medieval interval onwards, together with a devoted exhibit on the Antonine Wall and Roman Scotland – there are just a few interactive bits for youngsters to get caught into, together with dressing-up in case your youngsters fancy being a Roman soldier for the afternoon.
The encircling parkland is value simply as a lot of your time. Callendar Park covers round 170 acres, with woodland walks, an arboretum, and a Roman-themed play park, plus a piece of the Antonine Wall – learn on for extra about this.
There may be free parking dotted across the property together with free entry, and a restaurant (although be ready for this to be busy).
The Antonine Wall
Hadrian’s Wall in northern England tends to get a lot of the glory however the Romans additionally constructed an analogous wall throughout central Scotland within the 2nd century, marking the northernmost level of the Roman Empire.
Began in 142CE, the Antonine Wall was deserted a few many years later in round 165CE however the stays at the moment are a UNESCO World Heritage Website, a part of the ‘Frontiers of the Roman Empire’ together with Hadrian’s Wall and components of Germany.
Callendar Park can be one of many best locations to truly stroll a stretch of the Antonine Wall, though don’t count on to see a lot in the way in which of stone partitions as that was by no means what was used.
It’s largely an earthwork ditch and rampart working via the panorama now nevertheless it’s nonetheless enjoyable for youths to let their imaginations run wild, imagining themselves as Romans on the very fringe of civilisation (as they noticed it) being attacked by ferocious northern tribes.
There are some enjoyable exercise sheets to obtain and a play park path, or if you happen to’d wish to see one of many best-preserved forts from alongside the wall, head a little bit method outdoors Falkirk to Tough Citadel close to Bonnybridge.
Day journeys from Falkirk with youngsters
Bo’ness and Kinneil Railway
A 20-minute drive to the city of Bo’ness brings you to a correct heritage railway, run largely by volunteers, with steam and diesel locomotives hauling classic carriages alongside a ten-mile spherical journey beside the Firth of Forth.
And there’s the possibility to leap aboard and chuff via the panorama on one of many Bo’ness and Kinneil Railway trains – most have a steam engine which is all the time a success with youthful youngsters notably.
At Bo’ness Station itself, the Museum of Scottish Railways is free to enter for prepare ticket holders, and there’s additionally a free mannequin railway run by native volunteers too – the railway museum is barely open when the trains are working, often Tuesdays and weekends, though it does differ all year long.
The railway additionally runs themed occasions via the 12 months, together with Santa Steam Trains at Christmas and you may also discover occasions themed round different favourites like Thomas the Tank Engine, and even Hey Duggee. Do e-book upfront, notably for particular occasions, as seats are restricted and it’s not one thing you’ll be able to merely flip up and purchase on the day.
If you wish to theme your time out round transport, save a while for the Bo’ness Motor Museum, which has some Bond memorabilia in addition to the automobile assortment
The Dunmore Pineapple
One other 20-minute drive away, that is in all probability essentially the most uncommon time out from Falkirk with youngsters however effectively well worth the brief drive if you happen to’ve acquired the time.
The Dunmore Pineapple is strictly what it appears like – an 18th-century summer time home constructed within the form of an enormous stone pineapple.
It’s a genuinely random little bit of Georgian showing-off, and whereas there isn’t a lot to “do” past admire it and take pictures, it makes for a memorable cease with youngsters who’ll admire one thing distinctly sudden, plus there are some beautiful woodland walks and a walled backyard to discover, the place as soon as pineapples had been grown.
Go to Stirling
Solely round a half-hour drive from Falkirk, you’ll discover sufficient to do in Stirling with youngsters to fill a number of days, with an entire string of enjoyable historic sights to slot in.
Stirling Citadel is the largest spotlight, with the royal palace constructed by James V, in addition to numerous interactive enjoyable within the Vaults, an opportunity to see the Nice Corridor and kitchens, the Chapel Royal, the gardens, nice views from the ramparts and partitions, and an entire lot extra – it is a improbable place to discovery a whole bunch of years of Scottish historical past in a single go.
When you’re within the previous city, save a while to go to the Previous City Jail – e-book onto one of many guided excursions led by a costumed actor, take a peek inside the previous cells and study extra about crime and punishment in Scotland, earlier than absorbing the wonderful views from the roof.
You’ll additionally discover two extra historic sights simply outdoors Stirling itself. The Wallace Nationwide Monument stands above the fields the place William Wallace led his troops to victory on the Battle of Stirling Bridge and tells his story – be ready for stairs as you climb as much as the crown.
Or the Bannockburn Expertise is a improbable interactive expertise taking you thru the battle the place Robert the Bruce defeated a bigger English pressure – it’s briefly closing on the finish of September for renovations and on account of reopen in 2028. You’ll be able to nonetheless go to the battlefield itself although.
For extra particulars and extra concepts of the perfect issues to do in Stirling with youngsters, take a look at my prime picks
Wet day choices
It’s value having a back-up plan or two in case the climate is unkind throughout your go to to Falkirk with youngsters, and there are many indoor choices for a wet day. Whereas they aren’t distinctive to Falkirk, they’re all the time helpful if you happen to want a break from sightseeing and outside adventures.
Wonderworld is a big indoor smooth play centre, good for burning off power regardless of the forecast is doing.
Xtreme Karting affords indoor go-karting for aged 8+, all the time a success with older youngsters and any adults who fancy a aggressive edge to the day.
Airthrill – Falkirk’s inflatable and trampoline park has numerous trampoline zones and actions for a variety of ages.
Cineworld Falkirk is helpful if you happen to simply want a few hours of downtime on the cinema with some popcorn.
Getting round Falkirk with youngsters
Falkirk’s huge sights are unfold out a little bit, so a automobile is the simplest method to cowl every part on this listing in a brief go to. That stated, the area has a powerful 800km or so of cycle paths, and the canal towpaths hyperlink the Falkirk Wheel, the Kelpies and Callendar Park in a single flat, largely traffic-free route – genuinely probably the greatest methods to see a number of sights in a day in case your youngsters are sufficiently old to cycle or ready to scoot just a few miles.
Falkirk additionally has wonderful rail hyperlinks, with two stations – Falkirk Grahamston within the city centre and Falkirk Excessive which is round a 15-20 minute stroll south of the centre.
Trains to each Edinburgh and Glasgow take lower than half an hour so it’s simple to go to each cities if you happen to’re basing your self in Falkirk, or make a day journey to Falkirk if you happen to’re staying in both of them. Trains additionally take lower than 20 minutes to Stirling.
Whichever sights you select, I’d enable a full day for the Kelpies, Helix Park and the Falkirk Wheel, and a second day if you happen to’re planning so as to add on Callendar Home, Bo’ness and Kinneil Railway, and anyplace else on this listing – there’s extra to Falkirk with youngsters than its measurement may recommend.
Disclosure: This put up comprises affiliate hyperlinks – any purchases you make are unaffected however I could obtain a small fee
Woodland stroll/Callander Home/Bo’ness station/Dunmore Pineapple photographs courtesy of Depositphotos, all others copyright MummyTravels
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