Inventor James Watt was involved in early development work for the Forth and Clyde Canal. This year – 2018 – marks the 250th anniversary of work starting on this major engineering project, which spanned central Scotland.
You can read more about the canal and its eastern end, around Falkirk and Grangemouth (now home to the famous Kelpies sculptures and the Helix Park) in an article on The Falkirk Herald website.
You can also visit the Charlotte Dundas Heritage Trail, which runs from the Kelpies site along the new Queen Elizabeth II Canal (this new canal joins the Forth and Clyde at the Kelpies).
The Trail commemorates the creation of the world’s first practical steamboat a short distance from the site.
- Read more about the Forth and Clyde Canal on the Scottish Canals website.
- Visit the Helix site to explore the eastern end of the Forth and Clyde Canal.
- More on the Queen Elizabeth II Canal on the BBC website.
- Read more about James Watt and his work on canals and other great projects on the Education Scotland website (PDF).
Main picture: the Forth and Clyde Canal near Grangemouth and world-famous Kelpies sculptures.
James Watt 