A DAY IN FALKIRK 2 OCTOBER:

 A DAY IN FALKIRK 2 OCTOBER: 

                                   



We are slowly adjusting to the time zone and were up at about 0500. Our lodging includes breakfast and we had a 0800 booking so off we went at our assigned time. 

Breakfast was wonderful, a nice continental spread and then a hot menu was also available. Lynn had eggs and bacon while I had the porridge and a bacon bap. French press coffee. 

 

I think tomorrow I will have the beans on toast and porridge. 

The breakfast area has the ambiance of a quaint tea room. Rather lovely. I must remember to get some photos tomorrow morning.



After breakfast we went back to the room to gear up for the day. The plan was to find Poundland to pick up some items for our canal boat. Planning on visiting a pub for lunch and then a taxi back to the Grange Manor. We were expecting rain to start early in the afternoon. 



We took a taxi to the center of Falkirk and walked about. We found Falkirk to be lovely and quaint. Many of the homes had great little flower gardens. 

These knitted bollard decoration were fun to see in center of Falkirk 

 



We found Poundland in the Howgate Mall. Poundland had all the items we wanted and then some. 

 

With this task done we decided to make a change in our plans. Taxi back to the Kelpies and then walk back to The Grange Manor. This way we could visit the gift shop and have a hot dog. 

A note on the taxi service here in Falkirk. We have found it to be as cheap as the bus service and much more convenient. 

                 
This could be a classy fun scooter 

We got a taxi from the Howgate Mall to the Kelpies. There we picked up a couple items in the gift shop and went to the hot dog truck. 

The Kelpies Hot Dog was good as it came with grilled onions. We had it cut in half so Lynn could ruin it by putting ketchup on hers. 

           Nice info maps of the area at the Kelpies Car Park

                                      They are amazing

A pretty good hot dog, the sautéed onions and a very nice bun made them good. Not Iceland or Chicago worthy.  
 

The skies were starting to darken as we walked back to The Grange Manor. We checked in at Cooks, the Manor’s restaurant, and made a booking for 1700. 

Taking a bit of time, we organizing our clutter for picking up our narrow boat tomorrow. 

Yes, the rain has arrived and we have been in our room chilling and reflecting on the journey thus far. 

Soon we were off to Cooks to see what we fancied for an evening meal. A margarita flat bread was chosen and the portion was again very ample for us to share. 

Irn-Bru is widely celebrated as Scotland's other national drink, second only to Scotch Whiskey. 

Created in 1901 by A.G. Barr, it was originally called "Iron Brew" and marketed as a refreshing tonic for hardworking steelworkers. 
In 1946, the drink was renamed IRN-BRU because government regulations stated it wasn't actually brewed.
The distinct flavor comes from a secret blend of 32 different flavor notes and a tiny amount of ammonium ferric citrate (iron). 
 It famously outsells global giants like Coca-Cola and Pepsi within Scotland. 



We have really enjoyed are stay here at The Grange Manor and will give it a very high recommendation. 

 

In looking at the forecast I think we are in for some nice weather till Thursday. Wonder where we will be at that time as we honestly have no set plans. 



Time for a cuppa tea and prep a bit for tomorrow as visions of Beans on Toast dance in my head. 



A big Thank You to all for reading and following along and I hope you are inspired to go exploring this wonderful world. 

LONDON TO FALKIRK AND THE KELPIES

 LONDON TO FALKIRK AND THE KELPIES: 



 

 

 

Having sorta kinda slept as we are still adjusting to the local time, we were up nice and early to pack up and head to the station for some coffee and breakfast. 

Thoughts on the Crestfield Hotel are simply we liked it. Clean and Convenient are the best descriptors. The rate was quite reasonable at £130, which I feel is very good for London. Very close to underground and train service. We will be returning here after our canal journey.  One negative is there is no lift so one must schlep you bags up or down stairs. The front desk was more than willing to help but we managed on our own. 

 

                                      IYKYK, I like these 

, 

                          Cute train planter in Linlithgow 

              Here comes our Scottish Rail Train to Falkirk

                             Edinburgh Waverly Station

                                I love UK rail stations 


We got coffee and a pastry at Pret for breakfast. I should have gone to Greggs for a bacon butty and coffee. We do like the Pret sandwiches and got a couple for our train trip. 

There was a change in our tickets and we crossed the street to Kings Cross and waited for our platform assignment.  

Platform 8 and we are in coach B, yes all the way down the line. We boarded and stowed our bags and found our seats. 

Our rail fare was about £110 each round trip to Falkirk. This fare was an advance with a Two Together Rail Card. We enjoy rail travel and feel for these short trips much easier than air travel. 

We arrived in Edinburgh Waverly at Platform 1 about a minute early and found a departure board. Off to Platform 17 we went, and found ourselves there nice and early to await the arrival of our train. 

This is a short 33ish minute journey with several stops. We will be departing the train in 5 stops. 



Looking at the foliage here in Edinburgh, Fall has just started with few tinges of fall colors starting. 



Arriving in Falkirk using the car park map we searched for the Taxi Stand to no avail. I started to arrange an Uber, and the app kept indicating they were locating a driver. Soon a taxi arrived to drop off a passenger and we hailed the cab, canceling the Uber. The taxi driver told us there is no Uber in Falkirk and this was later confirmed by the front desk of the Grange Manor. 



Our lodging here in Falkirk is The Grange Manor. Per their website - “Built in the late 19th century for the management of the Earl of Zetland’s local estate, Grange Manor Hotel today is a county house retreat preserving many of its original Victorian features for a comfortable stay between Grangemouth and Falkirk.

Encircled by well-kept gardens and within walking distance of The Kelpies, our hotel has everything you need for a relaxing visit, while also being close to many of Scotland’s most treasured cities and attractions.” 

I could not describe it better, it is a lovely property.

 

 

Our room is located in the Garden Wing and we will be having breakfast with our stay. 

Since it was nearly 1600 (4:00pm) we decided to have an late lunch/early dinner. The restaurant on property is Cooks. 

 

We had their fish (haddock) and chips and nachos. Both were very ample portions and very excellently prepared. Lynn had her usual ginger beer and I was able to try the Hawkstone Lager.

 

 

 If you are familiar with the TV Series Clarkson’s Farm you will know from whence it comes. 

 



After our meal, we loaded our bags and walked to The Kelpies. This was an easy 15 min walk and this is why we chose this property. (Besides it looked rather KEWL) 

 



What are the Kelpies you ask?

                                               I hope we don't have this Narrow Boat Experience

                                                                           Had I Known

                                                            THE KELPIES< AMAZING

The Kelpies are a pair of monumental steel horse-heads between the Scottish towns of Falkirk and Grangemouth. They form the eastern gateway of the Forth and Clyde Canal, which meets the River Carron here. Each head is 30 meters high and weighs approximately 300 tonnes. They are the worlds largest equine sculptures.  

Yes they have names: Duke: Features the pose with its head facing downward. Baron: Features the pose with its head facing upward or back.

They pay homage to the working horses of Scotland which used to pull barges along Scotland’s canals and worked in the fields in the area where they now stand. The Kelpies are the result of a unique collaboration between the partners and Glasgow-based artist Andy Scott. Almost a decade in the making, the project has transformed 350 hectares of underused land between Falkirk and Grangemouth into an amazing parkland, visitor attraction and marine hub with the canal and The Kelpies at its heart. 

Yet there is also a dark side to the Kelpies. 

A kelpie is a dangerous, shape-shifting water spirit from Scottish Folklore that traditionally haunts the loss, rivers, and streams of Scotland.  


A kelpie usually appears as a magnificent, lonely horse—often black, grey, or white—grazing near the water's edge. A kelpie can be recognized by clues like reversed hooves, seaweed or kelp tangled in its mane, or skin that is constantly dripping wet. A kelpie can also transform into a human form, such as a hairy man or a striking woman, to trick unsuspecting travelers.


Unwary people who climb onto a kelpie's back find that their skin sticks fast to the creature's magical, adhesive hide. The beast plunges straight into the deep water, drowning and devouring its victims. 
In many folk tales, a child strokes the horse's nose, gets stuck, and escapes only by cutting off a finger while the other riders are dragged below. If someone manages to slip a magical bridle over a kelpie's head, the creature loses its power and can be forced to obey commands or perform heavy labor. Historically, these frightening stories served as cautionary tales to keep children away from deep, dangerous lochs and fast-flowing rivers. 

We stayed till after dark as they are even more dramatic, as you can see in these photos. 



We then walked back to The Grange Manor to have a cup of tea and finish and publish this entry. 











   

DENVER TO LONDON. AND THE CANAL MUSEUM

TO LONDON:

 

 

We left our Denver hotel with plenty of time to park the car, take shuttle to terminal, check our bags, and get to the club room. 

There was a glitch in our Parking Spot reservation but it was quickly sorted with some excellent customer service. 

Breezed through check in and security and then to the UAL Club Room. 



Our flight to London Heathrow was very nice being in Polaris Class. I had one of the best airplane food meals ever. It was a Bison Meatloaf with a spicy tomato glaze. This is a special entree prepared by the Denver UAL kitchen. 



We both got some sleep during the flight and soon we arrived at Heathrow. We went quickly through passport control and our bags were out in a timely manner. 

Off to the Underground we went. Taking the Piccadilly Line to Kings Cross/St Pancras station. 

Our lodging for the night here in London is the Crestfield Hotel. The rate was very good and the location is 1/2 a block from the train station. 

 

The room is small and typical for a small European hotel. Basic and very adequate for one night. We figure the small room will prepare us for the tight quarters of the narrow boat. I will l also mention there is no lift, no worries it’s all good.

  
We stashed our bags in the room and headed out to the London Canal Museum. The London Canal Museum has an area where you can see inside a narrowboat cabin and get a feel for the size. One can learn about the history of London's canals, the cargoes carried, the people who lived and worked on the waterways, and the horses that pulled their boats. There is a huge Victorian ice well once used to store ice imported from Norway and brought by ship and canal boat to be stored. This unique waterways museum is housed in a former ice warehouse built in about 1862-3 for Carlo Gatti, the famous ice cream maker, and features the history of the ice trade and ice cream as well as the canals. There exhibits on canal locks and the men who built the canals. 

 

 

There are also excellent displays of canal boat art work. Traditional canal boat art is called Roses and Castles. It features bright, hand-painted clusters of roses and other flowers alongside romantic, fairy-tale castle landscapes. Boaters painted the artwork on the their narrowboats themselves, specifically the cabin panels, doors, and functional items like water cans and buckets.The style started in the 19th century as a source of pride and identity for the working boat families.

 

 

The Museum does offer canal boat cruises based on different themes and the season.

 

 

The local pub named Millers was recommended as they serve good food. We did make a stop and had their fish and chips for £9. The portion was large and we could not finish it all. The quality was very nice and would definitely recommend and we will probably return. 

Next was making our way to St Pancras station to pick up our train tickets. The ticket collection machine directed us to the ticket office and we soon had our outbound and return tickets in hand. 



I should mention we will be traveling by rail to Falkirk on October 1 and then return by rail after our canal boat sailing. For us, rail is a fun way to travel about the UK as the service is usually quite good and the fares very reasonable. 

We are tired from our travels and will soon probably crash and have an alarm set for the morning.