Waterweb
A day ago , by Richard Lutz
RICHARD LUTZ is taking a slow meander along a hundred kilometre canal walk between two cities
Britain is covered by a spiderweb of manmade waterways. The one between Edinburgh and Glasgow weaves and winds through Scotland’s central belt.
It wanders under bridges
and nestles next to towpaths
and stretches over gorges
through autumn foliage cupped by blue skies
and it is speckled by falling leaves
overlooked by October’s trees
pushed on by no nonsense signs
transfigured by the absolutism of a black and white filter
Actually, this intercity route is two distinct waterways that link up Edinburgh and its cousinly rival Glasgow. They’re the Union Canal and the Forth and Clyde Canal.
They were completed between 1790 and 1822 to haul coal, minerals, freight and passengers between the east and west of Scotland. But… BANG…just as they were finished along came the railroads and there went their income and relevance. They became yesterday’s big thing. And hardly used. They slowly fell into disrepair.
as bumpy as a billiard table
But two decades ago, a big inject of Millennium money cleaned up the derelict network. And now the 100 kilometre route for walkers, cyclists, kayaks, canoes and barges is in great shape.
Especially accessible is the Union Canal section between Edinburgh and the town of Falkirk. It was built along geographic contour lines with zero degree elevation. It’s about as bumpy as a billiard table.
That means the canal is always 240 feet above sea level. And that means it’s a bit circuitous in order to avoid the curves and rills of the terrain.
But it also means no cranky locks nor pesky mechanics to maintain or repair. And it also means the adjacent towpath is flat.
So, this stretch at least is a slow sinuous meander through the centre of Scotland. It chugs past farmlands, through old towns-some scarred by dying industries and others blessed by history’s landmarks- past motorways and high rise suburbs, past horizons filled with the rounded edges and the razor ridges of northern hills that lead, eventually, to The Highlands.
aquaduct photo: Chris Heaton/ Geograph
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Tina Mara
Great pictures
Willy Kerr
Lovely photos, and always enjoyable to read your interesting articles.
Ena Thomas
Just what I was hoping for !!
John Knox
My favourite canal
Laurel Freeman
We just got back and were 3400 miles away from Glasgow. Quiz of the day, where were we?
Nick Dent
6 or so weeks ago we visited Falkirk to go on the Wheel and to see the Kelpies .. both terrific, especially the latter.
Bella Houston
Thank goodness for the beautiful countryside!
A. Campbell
Great shot
Robert Berne
Looks like a lovely walk
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