The Forth and Clyde Canal, near Bonnybridge and Larbert

The Forth and Clyde Canal crosses Scotland, providing a route for sea-going vessels between the Firth of Forth and the Firth of Clyde at the narrowest part of the Scottish Lowlands. The canal is 35 miles (56 km) long and its eastern end is connected to the River Forth by a short stretch of the River Carron near Grangemouth. It passes through the Maryhill area north of Glasgow city centre, with a branch off to Port Dundas which was built to secure the agreement and financial support of Glasgow merchants who feared losing business if the canal bypassed them completely. The western end of the canal connects to the River Clyde at Bowling. Bonnybridge (Lowland Scots Bonniebrig) is a small town in the Falkirk council area, 6. ... Larbert is a parish and town of Stirlingshire, Scotland, Pop. ... Motto: (Latin for No one provokes me with impunity)1 Anthem: Multiple unofficial anthems Capital Edinburgh Largest city Glasgow Official language(s) English, Gaelic, Scots 2 Government Constitutional monarchy  - Queen of the UK Queen Elizabeth II  - Prime Minister of the UK Tony Blair MP  - First Minister Jack McConnell MSP Unification... The Firth of Forth from Calton Hill The Forth Bridges cross the Firth Satellite photo of the Firth and the surrounding area The Firth of Forth (Abhainn Dhubh [Black River] in Scottish Gaelic) is the estuary or firth of Scotlands River Forth, where it flows into the North Sea... Map of the Firth of Clyde and area The Firth of Clyde forms a large area of coastal water, sheltered from the Atlantic ocean by the Kintyre peninsula which encloses the outer firth in Argyll and Ayrshire, Scotland. ... The Scottish Lowlands ( an Galldachd in Gaelic ), although not officially a geographical area of the country, in normal usage is generally meant to include those parts of Scotland not referred to as the Highlands (or Gàidhealtachd), that is, everywhere due south and east of a line (the Highland Boundary... It has been suggested that this article or section be merged with Channel (geography). ... The River Forth meanders over fertile farmlands near Stirling The River Forth, 47 km (29 miles) long, is the major river draining the eastern part of the central belt of Scotland. ... Grangemouth petrochemical works, November 2006 Grangemouth is a burgh in the council area of Falkirk, Scotland, and formerly in the County of Stirling. ... Maryhill is a residential district in the northwest of the City of Glasgow. ... For other uses, see Glasgow (disambiguation). ... The River Clyde, looking eastwards upstream, as it passes beneath the Kingston Bridge in Central Glasgow. ...

It was designed by John Smeaton. Construction started in 1768 and after delays due to funding problems was completed in 1790. The Union Canal was then constructed to link the eastern end of the canal to Edinburgh. Between 1789 and 1803 the canal was used for trials of William Symington's steamboats, culminating in the Charlotte Dundas, the "first practical steamboat". The canal subsequently became a major route for Clyde puffers, many of which were constructed at Bowling. Portrait of John Smeaton, with the Eddystone Lighthouse in the background. ... 1768 was a leap year starting on Friday (see link for calendar). ... 1790 was a common year starting on Friday (see link for calendar). ... The Union Canal is a 50 km (31. ... Edinburgh (pronounced ; Dùn Èideann () in Scottish Gaelic) is the capital of Scotland and its second-largest city. ... 1789 was a common year starting on Thursday (see link for calendar). ... 1803 was a common year starting on Saturday (see link for calendar). ... The first practieal steamboat was built by the engineer William Symington,1764 - 1831, born in the lead mining village of Leadhills, Lanarkshire, Scotland. ... Paddle steamers - Lucerne-Switzerland This article is about the water vessel. ... The Charlotte Dundas is regarded as the worlds first practical steamboat, the first towing steamboat and the boat that demonstrated the practicality of steam power for ships. ... The Clyde puffer is essentially a type of small steamboat which provided a vital supply link around the west coast and Hebrides islands of Scotland, stumpy little cargo ships that have achieved almost mythical status thanks largely to the short stories Neil Munro wrote about the Vital Spark and her...

The branch within Glasgow from Maryhill to Port Dundas, showing Ruchill Church.

In 1963 the canal was closed rather than engineer a motorway crossing, and so it became disused and semi-derelict. Canal locks in the Falkirk area on the Union Canal near the connection to the Forth and Clyde canal had been filled in and built over in the 1930s. As part of the Millennium celebrations in 2000, National Lottery funds were used to regenerate both canals. A boatlifting device, the Falkirk Wheel, was built to connect the two canals and once more allow boats to travel from the Clyde or Glasgow to Edinburgh, with a new canal connection to the River Carron and hence the River Forth. The Falkirk Wheel opened on May 27, 2002 and is now a tourist attraction. Image File history File links Download high resolution version (1903x1410, 279 KB) Summary Summary Ruchill Church, Glasgow, seen from the Forth and Clyde Canal. ... Image File history File links Download high resolution version (1903x1410, 279 KB) Summary Summary Ruchill Church, Glasgow, seen from the Forth and Clyde Canal. ... For other uses, see Glasgow (disambiguation). ... Maryhill is a residential district in the northwest of the City of Glasgow. ... The halls stand next to the church tower. ... Motorway symbol in UK, France and Ireland. ... Canal locks in England. ... Falkirk (An Eaglais Bhreac in Scottish Gaelic) is a town in central Scotland. ... The Union Canal is a 50 km (31. ... A millennium is a period of time, equal to one thousand years (from Latin mille, thousand, and annum, year). ... This article is about the year 2000. ... A play here! sign outside a newsagent, incorporating the National Lotterys logo of a stylised hand with crossed fingers. ... The Falkirk Wheel The Falkirk Wheel, named after the nearby town of Falkirk in central Scotland, is a rotating boat lift connecting the Forth and Clyde Canal with the Union Canal, which at this point differ by 24 metres, roughly equivalent to the height of an eight story building. ... May 27 is the 147th day (148th in leap years) of the year in the Gregorian calendar, with 218 days remaining. ... For album titles with the same name, see 2002 (album). ...

The canal and its locks in the Maryhill area are frequently featured in the background of outdoor shots in the BBC television sitcom Still Game. Maryhill is a residential district in the northwest of the City of Glasgow. ... The British Broadcasting Corporation, invariably known as the BBC (and also informally known as the Beeb or Auntie) is the largest broadcasting corporation in the world, employing 26,000 staff in the UK alone and with a budget of £4 billion. ... A sitcom or situation comedy is a genre of comedy performance originally devised for radio but today typically found on television. ... Still Game is a spin-off sitcom from the Scottish sketch show series Chewin the Fat, telling the tales of two old Glaswegian men named Jack and Victor and their local community. ...

Locks

There are 40 locks on the Forth & Clyde Canal, as follows:

• 1 - ?
• 2 - Sea Lock No. 2
• 3 - Carron Cut Lock No. 3
• 4 - Abbotshaugh Lock No. 4
• 5 - Bainsford Lock No. 5
• 6 - Falkirk Top Lock No. 6
• 7 - ?
• 8 - ?
• 9 - ?
• 10 - ?
• 11 - ?
• 12 - ?
• 13 - ?
• 14 - ?
• 15 - ?
• 16 - Falkirk Bottom Lock No. 16
• 17 - Underwood Lock No. 17
• 18 - Castlecary Lock No. 18
• 19 - Castlecary Lock No. 19
• 20 - Wyndford Lock No. 20 (SUMMIT LEVEL)
• 21 - Maryhill Top Lock No. 21 (SUMMIT LEVEL)
• 22 - ?
• 23 - ?
• 24 - ?
• 25 - Maryhill Bottom Lock No. 25
• 26 - Temple Lock No. 26
• 27 - Temple Lock No. 27
• 28 - Cloberhill Top Lock No. 28
• 29 - ?
• 30 - ?
• 31 - ?
• 32 - Cloberhill Bottom Lock No. 32
• 33 - Boghouse Top Lock No. 33
• 34 - ?
• 35 - ?
• 36 - Boghouse Bottom Lock No. 36
• 37 - Dalmuir Drop Lock (constructed recently to take navigation below bridge)
• 38 - Dalnottar Lock No. 37
• 39 - Bowling Lock No. 38
• 40 - Bowling Basin and Sea Lock

Bibliography

• Lindsay, Jean (1968). The Canals of Scotland. David & Charles. ISBN 0-7153-4240-1.
• Brown, Hamish (1997). Exploring the Edinburgh to Glasgow Canals. Stationery Office. ISBN 0-11-495735-5.

David & Charles (also David and Charles) is a publisher specialising in illustrated non-fiction books. ...

See also

• Forth to Firth Canal Pathway

The Firth of Clyde to Firth of Forth canal pathway is a 106 kilometre (66. ...

External links

• The Forth & Clyde and Union Canals
• The Scotland Guide: Glasgow, The Forth and Clyde Canal - surveying the canal
• Falkirk Wheel
• The Falkirk Wheel - The Forth and Clyde Canal