Famous for the rail bridge built in 1890 over the Firth of Fourth. 

On east coast of Scotland, the capital is Edinburgh but smaller than Glasgow. There are 3 sections  to the country…. Border area near England, central belt is 65-70 miles across Scotland at this point and the Highland which is 2/3 of the total area of the country.

Barley is grown for whiskey but there is not enough so have to import it from Ukraine (before the war there) Hungary and Poland. 

At Stirling….had to be taken by intruders before they could take the rest of the country. It is famous for the Castle and battles. From 1315-1707 Scotland was independent.  Britain took it for next 300 years but got it back in 1999.

2-3000 castles in the country with 1500 still standing, atleast in part.

There is a military castle there and one in Edinburgh.  From the early 12th century….. 1000 years being built and rebuilt several times.   It has a royal palace, royal chapel, great hall (built 600 year ago). It is built on flat plain on top of an extinct Volcano. Part of it was covered in gold leaf. That came off over time. Now it is painted yellow. 

William Wallace 6’6””

150 year old houses as we leave the town are worth 500,000£ or 940,000 CAD

Falkirk Wheel began with 2 canals, from east to west, one (no locks necessary) from Edinburgh, 4th of Clyde  from Glasgow 1890 started 

Circular (was later filled in) 1 miles across radius had 11 lochs … reopened for millennium, rotating big wheel raises  35 metres to the Union canal. It takes only 5 minutes. The wheel raises boats by 24 metres (79 ft), but the Union Canal is still 11 metres (36 ft) higher than the aqueduct which meets the wheel. Boats must also pass through a pair of locks between the top of the wheel and the Union Canal. The wheel is the only one of its kind in the world. 

In the 1960s the canals and its use were abandoned til now. It will take 3 years to restore canals etc. The “Wheel” was built for the Millenium but was not opened to 2002. 4th of Clyde canals from Glasglow are being replaced. 

Going into a barge that rides the wheel. 24metres above …100 metres thru tunnel, 

Archimedes, part of identity… operation of the weight. Object replaces exact weight of water. 250 tons of water is evenly balanced with other  600 tons in total with both boats, water and people.  It uses only enough energy to bring 8 kettles to boil. Tunnel is under the Antonine wall (built by the Romans) is the name of other boat. The canals were started in 1770 and opened 1790. 1822 they were linked.