{"id":2530,"date":"2022-10-22T01:40:19","date_gmt":"2022-10-22T00:40:19","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/www.christophersomerville.co.uk\/?p=2530"},"modified":"2022-11-04T17:04:33","modified_gmt":"2022-11-04T16:04:33","slug":"falkirk-wheel-and-rough-castle-stirlingshire-scotland","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"http:\/\/www.christophersomerville.co.uk\/?p=2530","title":{"rendered":"Falkirk Wheel and Rough Castle, Stirlingshire, Scotland"},"content":{"rendered":"<p><script type=\"text\/javascript\">function popwalk(walk) {var url = \"\/Walks\/amap.php?f=\"+walk; varwalkwindow=window.open(url,\"walkwin\",\"height=740,width=1030,resizable=yes,scrollbars=yes\"); if (window.focus) {walkwindow.focus()}}<\/script><br \/> First published in: The Times <a href=\"javascript:popwalk('Falkirk.jpg');\" rel=\"nozoom\" title=\"Click here to view a map for this walk in a new window\">Click here to view a map for this walk in a new window<\/a><br \/>\n<a href=\"https:\/\/farm66.static.flickr.com\/65535\/52368246217_36ffbce541_z.jpg\" title= \"Clyde puffer replica 'Maryhill' on Forth &#038; Clyde Canal 1\"><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/farm66.static.flickr.com\/65535\/52368246217_36ffbce541_s.jpg\" alt=\"Clyde puffer replica 'Maryhill' on Forth &#038; Clyde Canal 1\" \/><\/a> <a href=\"https:\/\/farm66.static.flickr.com\/65535\/52369606555_925025702c_z.jpg\" title= \"Falkirk Wheel (detail)\"><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/farm66.static.flickr.com\/65535\/52369606555_925025702c_s.jpg\" alt=\"Falkirk Wheel (detail)\" \/><\/a> <a href=\"https:\/\/farm66.static.flickr.com\/65535\/52369606520_1b12f49d01_z.jpg\" title= \"Falkirk Wheel in action\"><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/farm66.static.flickr.com\/65535\/52369606520_1b12f49d01_s.jpg\" alt=\"Falkirk Wheel in action\" \/><\/a> <a href=\"https:\/\/farm66.static.flickr.com\/65535\/52369185651_b34347bc53_z.jpg\" title= \"path to Rough Castle\"><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/farm66.static.flickr.com\/65535\/52369185651_b34347bc53_s.jpg\" alt=\"path to Rough Castle\" \/><\/a> <a href=\"https:\/\/farm66.static.flickr.com\/65535\/52369420313_bcac04a056_z.jpg\" title= \"lilia (Roman man-traps) at Rough Castle\"><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/farm66.static.flickr.com\/65535\/52369420313_bcac04a056_s.jpg\" alt=\"lilia (Roman man-traps) at Rough Castle\" \/><\/a> <a href=\"https:\/\/farm66.static.flickr.com\/65535\/52368246302_95de8818c2_z.jpg\" title= \"defensive ditch at Rough Castle\"><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/farm66.static.flickr.com\/65535\/52368246302_95de8818c2_s.jpg\" alt=\"defensive ditch at Rough Castle\" \/><\/a> <a href=\"https:\/\/farm66.static.flickr.com\/65535\/52369606325_2af27ef8bf_z.jpg\" title= \"lumps and bumps at Rough Castle\"><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/farm66.static.flickr.com\/65535\/52369606325_2af27ef8bf_s.jpg\" alt=\"lumps and bumps at Rough Castle\" \/><\/a> <a href=\"https:\/\/farm66.static.flickr.com\/65535\/52369420153_b0239545ba_z.jpg\" title= \"Clyde puffer replica 'Maryhill' on Forth &#038; Clyde Canal 2\"><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/farm66.static.flickr.com\/65535\/52369420153_b0239545ba_s.jpg\" alt=\"Clyde puffer replica 'Maryhill' on Forth &#038; Clyde Canal 2\" \/><\/a> <a href=\"https:\/\/farm66.static.flickr.com\/65535\/52369606585_6c8a634a14_z.jpg\" title= \"Falkirk Wheel and Visitor Centre\"><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/farm66.static.flickr.com\/65535\/52369606585_6c8a634a14_s.jpg\" alt=\"Falkirk Wheel and Visitor Centre\" \/><\/a> <a href=\"https:\/\/farm66.static.flickr.com\/65535\/52369606475_8e4fdd960f_z.jpg\" title= \"Union Canal at the top of the Falkirk Wheel\"><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/farm66.static.flickr.com\/65535\/52369606475_8e4fdd960f_s.jpg\" alt=\"Union Canal at the top of the Falkirk Wheel\" \/><\/a> <a href=\"https:\/\/farm66.static.flickr.com\/65535\/52369420453_02a0db4651_z.jpg\" title= \"Forth &#038; Clyde Canal\"><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/farm66.static.flickr.com\/65535\/52369420453_02a0db4651_s.jpg\" alt=\"Forth &#038; Clyde Canal\" \/><\/a><br \/>\n<a href=\"javascript:pwindow=window.open('\/Walks\/prn.php?f=2530','pwin','height=700,width=1000,resizable=yes,scrollbars=yes');\" title=\"Click for printable version\"><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"\/Walks\/print.gif\" align=\"right\"><\/a><br \/>\nThe Falkirk Wheel is a strange and beautiful object. This futuristic boat-lift on the Forth &#038; Clyde Canal was opened in 2002 to raise boats up to the Union Canal, which runs all the way to Edinburgh. <\/p>\n<p>The Wheel resembles two enormous birds side by side, each with a hooked beak and a hollow eye. From the canal bank below I watched, fascinated, as with a greasy whine and a series of loud clanks the bird heads tilted slowly backwards in unison and a big pink pleasure-boat rose with slow dignity to the upper level where it chuntered off and out of sight.<\/p>\n<p>Time for a leg stretch. I set off west along the line of a remarkable Roman monument, the Antonine Wall. This earthen rampart was built between the Clyde and the Forth across the narrow neck of Scotland in AD 142-3, twenty years after Emperor Hadrian built his wall between Tyne and Solway a hundred miles to the south. <\/p>\n<p>A mile or so along the valley, the Antonine fortification of Rough Castle lay ringed by trees. At the gate a notice exhorted dog walkers: \u2019Cura ut canis excrementum in receptacula in area vehiculorum posita depones.\u2019 This dog latin wasn\u2019t too hard to decipher.<\/p>\n<p>Grassed-over lumps and bumps showed the location of principia (headquarters), granary, barracks and commander\u2019s house. Analysis of latrine waste shows that the soldiers ate a good mixed diet of bread, porridge, bacon, shellfish, cheese and vegetables. But it was a hard life in harsh conditions, the weather often foul, the discipline rigid. <\/p>\n<p>What\u2019s more, the Picts could be expected at the gates at any time. Just outside the fort the ground is pitted with dozens of little oval depressions. These are lilia, or pit traps. A sharpened stake was fixed in the bottom, the pit filled with rushes or decayed leaves, and the charging attacker was left to stumble in and skewer himself.<\/p>\n<p>I left the grassy old fort and followed the line of a Roman military road, flanked by an avenue of beech trees whistling in the wind. To the north, the far outlines of the Ochil Hills; southward, the jagged grey ramparts of the Bonnybridge fireclay mine\u2019s spoil heap, a reminder of this valley\u2019s industrial past.<\/p>\n<p>At Bonnybridge I climbed steps to the Forth &#038; Clyde Canal and sauntered back along the towpath to Falkirk, while moorhens skittered across the water and narrowboat admirals saluted me with beer glass in hand.<\/p>\n<p>How hard is it? 5 miles; easy; waymarked trail and canal towpath<\/p>\n<p>Start: Falkirk Wheel car park, Ochiltree Terrace, Falkirk FK1 4LS (OS ref NS 854804)<\/p>\n<p>Getting there: Bus 1 from Falkirk<br \/>\nRoad: Signed from A803 (Falkirk-Bonnybridge)<\/p>\n<p>Walk (OS Explorer 349): From turning circle behind Visitor Centre head uphill on paved path (\u2018Union Canal, Antonine Wall\u2019, then \u2018Rough Castle, Tunnel, Union Canal Viewpoint\u2019). Up to viewpoint between tunnel and top of Wheel. Return downhill to first fingerpost; left (\u2018Rough Castle\u2019);  follow \u2018John Muir Way\/JMW and \u2018Rough Castle\u2019. At Rough Castle (846799) follow clear track through fort and on west. 300m beyond fort, through gate (839797); on beside wall along track, then lane, then road. In 1\u00bc miles, on left bend by No. 5 and \u2018Bonnymuir Place\u2019 label (826801), keep ahead on path to tunnel under Forth &#038; Clyde Canal. At Bridge Street, right (824801); right along Main Street; in 150m right up steps to canal (827803); left to Falkirk Wheel.<\/p>\n<p>Lunch: Caf\u00e9 Falkirk Wheel<\/p>\n<p>Accommodation: Premier Inn Falkirk Central, Main Street, Camelon, Falkirk FK14DS (0333-777-7934, <a href=\"http:\/\/premierinn.com\">premierinn.com<\/a>)<\/p>\n<p>Falkirk Wheel: 01324-619-8888; <a href=\"http:\/\/scottishcanals.co.uk\/falkirk-wheel\">scottishcanals.co.uk\/falkirk-wheel<\/a><\/p>\n<p>Antonine Wall: <a href=\"http:\/\/antoninewall.org\">antoninewall.org<\/a><\/p>\n<p>Info: <a href=\"http:\/\/visitscotland.org\">visitscotland.org<\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>The Falkirk Wheel is a strange and beautiful object. This futuristic boat-lift on the Forth &#038; Clyde Canal was opened in 2002 to raise boats up to the Union Canal, which runs all the way to Edinburgh.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":2531,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[3],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-2530","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-walks","category-3-id","post-seq-1","post-parity-odd","meta-position-corners","fix"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"http:\/\/www.christophersomerville.co.uk\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2530","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"http:\/\/www.christophersomerville.co.uk\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"http:\/\/www.christophersomerville.co.uk\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/www.christophersomerville.co.uk\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/www.christophersomerville.co.uk\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcomments&post=2530"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"http:\/\/www.christophersomerville.co.uk\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2530\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/www.christophersomerville.co.uk\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/media\/2531"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"http:\/\/www.christophersomerville.co.uk\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=2530"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/www.christophersomerville.co.uk\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcategories&post=2530"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/www.christophersomerville.co.uk\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Ftags&post=2530"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}