The pace of change in the 19th century was so great that by the time the major canals were all finished, their role as a transport route was already being overtaken by the railways.
Unravel the story of each canal. Begin with the engineering feats involved in building these significant waterways. Discover over 200 years of history. Continue on into the present day as the use of the canals continues to evolve.
Find out more about the engineering successes and financial challenges of building this great waterway which crosses Scotland from coast to coast.
For such a short canal, there is a lot of history here, with a turbulent story including delays, funding dilemmas and damage when a dam burst.
Follow the history of the canal that was designed to provide an important commercial route from the Forth estuary in the East to the Clyde in the West. It’s no accident that the canal takes a similar route across country to the Roman Antonine Wall.
Explore the story of this contour canal, with its carefully planned route from Edinburgh to Falkirk, a vital element in Scotland’s lowland canal network.