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BEGIN YOUR ADVENTURE AT FALKIRK
Our narrowboat hire base in Scotland at Falkirk offers short breaks or longer holidays to two of the best know cities in this beautiful country.
You can choose to spend a relaxing week cruising the British waterways from Falkirk to Glasgow or Falkirk to Edinburgh, or alternatively, you can explore major cities and lowland canals in Scotland in the opposite direction, heading east, on the Union Canal between Falkirk and Edinburgh. If you fancy a more strenuous short break you can reach one of these cities and return, or many of our guests enjoy a two week trip here to take in both of these sights.
Routes from Falkirk Canal Base
Based at the Falkirk Wheel, one of the most stunning backdrops anywhere on the canals, we are ideally suited for boat trips halfway between Edinburgh and Glasgow. Choosing Falkirk canal boat hire means that you can visit both of these historic cities in Scotland on your cruising route, time permitting.
Your canal boat holiday in Scotland can start by heading east to Edinburgh. Go up the Falkirk Wheel and the following three locks and then enjoy a relaxing cruise into Edinburgh on the long lock-free Union Canal.
The Falkirk Wheel is 115 feet high – the equivalent height of eight double-decker buses and offers visitors a real treat.
Canal boat hire from Falkirk then permits you to travel west to Glasgow. You will cruise along the Forth and Clyde Canal through various locks and swing bridges, meandering through pretty villages such as Auchinstarry and Kirkintillock to Cadder Village on boat trips before arriving at Glasgow.
All locks and swing bridges are operated by Scottish Canal staff, giving you a more relaxing cruise.
Please note that it is currently not possible to cruise along the Forth and Clyde Canal to the Kelpies monument due to work being undertaken on the lock system there (this work is due to be completed at the start of 2026). The Kelpies are approximately four miles from our Falkirk base, so can be easily reached by car / taxi.
Narrowboats available to hire from Falkrik
Below are the boat types that are available to hire for narrowboat holidays from this base. When you start your canal holiday search all the boat options and dates that closely match your desired departure date and party number will be presented to you.
Boat Availability
START DAYS: SAT 2.30PM – WED 9.30AM
Princess 2 Signature | Princess 4 Signature | Duchess 4 | Princess 6 Signature
START DAYS: FRI 2.30PM – MON 2.30PM
BASE INFORMATION
SKIPPERS’ GUIDE
Skipper’s Guides are your complete reference guide to boating on the Scottish Canals:
Click here to read more
HOTELS/GUEST HOUSES
Best Western Park Lodge Hotel, Camelon Road, Falkirk, FK1 5RY Tel. 01324 628331
Double / single rooms – £65. Rates include breakfast.
www.bw-parkhotel.co.uk
PUBLIC TRANSPORT
National Rail Enquiries:
www.nationalrail.co.uk Tel: 08457 484950
www.thetrainline.com Tel: 0871 244 1545
www.scotrail.co.uk
Nearest Airport: Edinburgh – www.edinburghairport.com Tel. 0131 333 1000
Nearest Railway Station: Falkirk High station / Falkirk Grahamston
Taxi/Minicabs:
- Bruce’s Taxis Tel: 01324 636000 / www.brucetaxis.co.uk
- Express Taxis Tel: 01324 622100 / www.expresstaxis.net
- Stenhouse Taxis Tel: 01324 551161
Approximate prices: (Prices courtesy of Bruce’s Taxis – subject to change)
- Falkirk train station to Falkirk: £8
- Edinburgh Airport to Falkirk: £48
- Glasgow Airport to Falkirk: £54
GROCERIES
Tesco, Asda, and Morrisons are all within a ten minute drive from the Falkirk Wheel. Alternatively, shopping can be ordered on-line through the tesco website and delivered directly to the Falkirk base. You will need to access the website, login on as info@capercailliecruisers.co.uk, using the password: Boatshopp1ng. It will need to be paid for on your own card – just remember not to save the card details to the account!
HOW TO FIND US
By train: Catch a train to Falkirk High station or Falkirk Grahamston station.
HOW TO FIND US BY CAR
From Edinburgh: Take the A8 for Glasgow and the West. At Newbridge roundabout take the M9 West for Stirling. Take the slip road off for Falkirk (Junction 5). Signs on the M9 indicate you should continue straight ahead for the Falkirk Wheel, but if you do not leave the motorway at junction 5 you will end up at the wrong car park. Once off at junction 5, follow the signs for the Falkirk Wheel/Mariner Centre, which will take you past Falkirk Football stadium and an ASDA distribution centre. This will eventually bring you to the Rosebank Beefeater restaurant at the Forth and Clyde canal. At the roundabout take a left and cross the canal (signposted for the Falkirk Wheel Service and disabled entrance). Immediately across the canal at the mini roundabout turn right. ***You will now be driving with the canal on your right-hand side and can follow the yellow AA Falkirk Wheel signs from here. At the second mini roundabout (with the Union Inn in front of you), go left up the hill and then take the first right. At the next mini roundabout, turn right to enter the Falkirk Wheel site. Park on the right, come down the hill, walk through the reception, turn right and our office is facing you.
From Glasgow: Take the A80 to the north of Castlecary and join the M876 towards Stirling. Exit at Junction 1 and follow the signs for Falkirk – (it is a severe left hand bend) and turn left at the junction. You will almost immediately come to a large roundabout and again follow the signs for Falkirk (straight through). Approximately 4 km on and you will see the new Falkirk Wheel Park & Ride area to your right and the new roundabout. THIS IS NOT THE CAR PARK YOU WANT TO BE IN. Continue to drive through into Camelon until you reach the Mariner Centre (on left) and a large roundabout about 100 yards further on. From here drive straight on towards Falkirk town until you reach the Rosebank Beefeater restaurant/Premier Inn on your right. At this roundabout go straight through then immediately right, you have now crossed to the correct side of the canal. Now follow instructions in previous paragragh ***(from Edinburgh)
Falkirk Reviews:
It was an amazing holiday would highly recommend it, the boat was lovely & clean and all the staff were great nothing was to much trouble. Will definitely be going back again. Many thanks to everyone for making our holiday special. 😀😁🤗
The staff are friendly and helpful. The narrow boat, Patsy, was clean and had everything on it that you needed. We had a blast cruising to Glasgow and back to Falkirk. Glad the locks were executed by the Scottish Canal staff. If we had to do them ourselves it would have been wee bit intimidating.
