Yesterday we went to see the Falkirk Wheel! We took the train out to Falkirk, had lunch, then took a bus out to the Wheel. (Well, not all the way there–it was just a local bus that took us near the Wheel. We had to walk the last bit ourselves. Eventually, they plan to have amphibious vehicles that ride from the centre of town out to the Wheel, give you a ride, then take you back. But they won’t be ready till August.)
It’s an utterly astonishing structure. We’d seen it already a couple of months ago, but only from a distance, as the approach roads and the Wheel itself wasn’t open then. But this time we went all the way up to it, watched it cycle round several times, and even took a ride on it ourselves!
Perhaps one of the most surprising things about it is how little sensation of movement there is when you’re on it and it’s going round. It’s very slow. Unless you’re watching the vistors’ centre and everything else as they glide by (and really, what’s the point if you don’t?), you’d never even notice you’d just risen or descended 35 metres
Alex didn’t appreciate it as much as we did, but he had a fun time toddling about anyway. And he even picked up some sum, which by this morning had already turned into tan. He has his mother’s skin…