We knew it was going to rain, and rain heavily, so we had an early start. Breakfast at 7.30 and on the road by 8.40. We had already made the decision that, if it was as wet as was forecast, we would take a direct route and not the meandering JMW cycle path.
Well, it was wet! So an easy run back along the railway line from yesterday (but bloody awful tree roots!) to Kirkintilloch where we picked up the Forth and Clyde canal. We basically stayed with that all the way to the Falkirk Wheel, leaving the JMW in Bonnybridge. It was a lovely path and despite the rain we had lovely views over the surrounding countryside.
So...we deviated from the John Muir Way again and headed as directly as we could, to the Macdonald Inchyra Grange Hotel in Polmont. The orange route is our actual route, the blue route is the JMW cycle route.
We stopped for a half an hour or so at the Wheel just to dry off, catch our breath and have a coffee
Then the last leg from the Falkirk Wheel. We left the Forth and Clyde canal behind and joined the Union Canal. Again, easy cycling with 2 tunnels this time. The first is just at the Wheel and quite ordinary but the second was something else. The Falkirk Tunnel, 630 metres long, beautifully lit, and in parts like a cathedral. What a feat of engineering. I did walk the whole length though as the pathway did seem a touch narrow!
Video inside the Falkirk Tunnel
Below is our complete route of the day
Macdonald Indra Grange Hotel
