We were last here at Easter 2016 (although Kevin can't remember being here before!) We drove up from Darlington and, although it is cold, we enjoyed blue skies for most of our journey. The site overlooks the Ochil Hills and the view is everchanging.
It is so good to be away at last after the pandemic interrupted our holidays and weekends away. We have also had some windy and wet weather this year which stopped us getting away in February. We're looking forward to two lovely weeks in one of our most favourite parts of the world.
Today we have had a rest day after two busy days of holiday preparation and travel. We went for a walk this afternoon and discovered a cycle path which we should investigate next time. We had our usual homemade Sunday lunch and then binge-watched 'The Split' (BBC).
Today we visited the Falkirk Wheel which opened in 2022. We had pre-booked tickets so we could experience travelling up on a canal boat from the lower canal to the one above via the Wheel. I won't pretend to understand the physics of it all, but I could admire the creative engineering minds that designed it. When travelling inside the wheel, you hardly notice that it is moving at all. It is the world's only rotating boat wheel. It links the Forth and the Clyde canal systems by lifting/lowering the boat 35m using the same power it would take to boil 8 kettles!
Afterwards we drove to Helix Park to see the famous 'Kelpies'. Each of the two horses heads are 30m high, and the sculptures are made from structural steel within a stainless steel cladding. They were designed by sculptor Andy Scott and completed in 2013. 'Kelpies' are mythical, transforming creatures and represent the role of horses in Scottish industry when they were used to pull wagons, barges, coal-ships and ploughs. They are quite spectacular and, even though they are made of steel, you still get a sense of movement in the manes and heads because of the poses chosen for the sculptures. They must be wonderful to see when lit up at night.
Today we got our first rain as we travelled to one of our favourite sites in Aberdeenshire. It took us about three hours (with a short stop), and we arrived mid-afternoon. The site is a good one having maintained it's high standard since we were last here about three years ago. We got set up and settled in as the rain got heavier.