The weekly bus ticket I use for commuting to work is valid throughout Fife and also includes a few surrounding territories, one of which is the town of Falkirk. I had decided to use my pass to visit these additional areas at weekends, effectively giving me a free trip and allowing me enjoy a few beers should I so desire. The direct bus service between Dunfermline and Falkirk has recently been greatly improved but when I made this journey the weekend runs were limited and I had to change at Kincardine.
My home village of Cairneyhill is on the Stagecoach Glasgow bus corridor and there is a service every 15 minutes. They all stop in Kincardine and that was the simple part of today's journey. I had a little wander around the old town, famous for being a crossing point on the River Forth. The Kincardine Bridge dates from 1936 and originally swung open to allow shipping to head further upstream. This arrangement ceased in 1988. Another crossing to the west of the town was constructed in 2008 and named the Clackmannanshire Bridge, despite the entire structure being within the Fife boundary. I clambered aboard the Falkirk bus and an Indian couple in front of me enquired whether the service stopped anywhere near the Kelpies. More evidence that the spectacular sculptures are known worldwide. The driver answered in the affirmative and said he would give the guys a shout when the bus approached the relevant stop. I've visited the Kelpies several times and we often take overseas guests to see them. The metal art installation is just a short drive away, free to access and breathtaking in scale. Worth seeing in the dark when the horses are illuminated from within by a series of changing colours.
The bus pulled in at the Falkirk Stadium, from where a path leads into Helix Park - home of the Kelpies. The Indian visitors disembarked with enthusiasm and I made a mental note to research a circular walk that would take in the sculptures and perhaps other local points of interest. But this wasn't on my itinerary for today and the bus continued towards Falkirk town centre. For some unknown reason, this was actually my first time properly exploring Falkirk, despite living less than half an hour's drive away. I'd been in and out to football matches and the retail park on several occasions but today would be my first detailed look at the town centre. I had passed through the town previously on one of my canal walks but didn't have time to appreciate the sights, although I did manage to visit the excellent museum at Callander Park which is just a 10-minute walk from the High Street. My first port of call today was the historic Faw Kirk Graveyard, situated by the church that gave the town its name. The original Faw Kirk is reckoned to have been established around the 7th century and the current building has parts dating from 1450, although it was largely reconstructed in the 18th and 19th centuries. The kirkyard houses the tombs of two key figures from the Battle of Falkirk, where William Wallace was defeated by English forces in 1298.
Sir John de Graeme was Wallace's finest knight and his body is rumoured to have been carried into the burial ground by the great man himself. His resting place is a grand affair while a more discrete location marks the grave of Sir John Stewart of Bonkyll - a direct ancestor of James the sixth. I walked through the town centre past the impressive Steeple which stands 140 feet tall. I was keeping an eye out for a newsagents in order to buy my Saturday papers. Every large town has a WH Smith or similar chain on the High Street, doesn't it? Not so in Falkirk it appears. I eventually found an independent outlet to serve me. My dad is a retired journalist and I grew up surrounded by newspapers. I tend to buy a couple of Saturday publications, mainly for the supplements and magazines. That keeps me going in printed matter all weekend! I can't really foresee a long-term future for newspapers as circulations spiral downwards and the readership becomes ever older. Real ale pubs seem to be thin on the ground in Falkirk but there's a handy Wetherspoons with a decent selection of cask brews in good condition. I availed myself of three pints, relaxing with the papers before heading on my merry way out to Callander Park. This former estate is now council owned and Callander House hosts the town museum and a vintage tea room. Evidence of the Roman-built Antonine Wall runs through the grounds. As it was largely a turf bulwark, it hasn't survived to the same extent as Hadrian's Wall down south.
As stated earlier, I had previously explored the extensive museum galleries. I found the exhibition on the Antonine Wall fascinating. Upstairs was a comprehensive section on the industrial heritage of Falkirk and the wider area. This kind of thing is also right up my street. I quickly revisited these rooms then headed down to the basement to learn more about the history of the house and step inside the preserved Georgian kitchen. A couple of people wandered in behind me and immediately a guide in full maid regalia stepped out of the shadows. Thus began a talk on the role of the kitchen and suddenly the room was flooded with more visitors - a coach party I suspect. It quickly became apparent they were mostly fans of the popular Outlander TV adventure series which is broadcast worldwide. The show is set in Scotland and has attracted a huge following, some of whom make a pilgrimage to visit the filming locations. Callander House is one of those places. Whatever floats your boat I suppose. It also gives the country a significant tourism boost and it was clear that several people in the assembled group were from overseas. Local history was woven into the dialogue and the guide mentioned the presence of an ice house nearby. There was also reference to the huge Carron Ironworks that dominated the industrial landscape of this corner of Stirlingshire until the 1980s.
I made my way across to the location of the old ice house - another one ticked off. I followed a circular trail that took me past the Forbes Mausoleum, looking rather forlorn and covered in graffiti. William Forbes was a local businessman who earned a vast fortune and became the biggest landowner in the county. His descendants controlled Callendar House until the 1960s. The Forbes tomb is still family owned and therefore outside the care of the local authority. Its location in a remote corner of the park has made it a target for vandals. Apparently the Forbes have had the structure cleaned up on several occasions, only for the damage to occur again. It's also a difficult one to call as the paint removal process can cause damage to the stonework. I truly fail to understand the mindset of the vandal. Wanton destruction purely for the sake of it. Tragically, these actions usually take place in the perpetrator's own backyard thereby fouling the nest in horrible fashion. Lowlife of the highest order. Time to return to the town centre, grab a bite to eat and plot my next move. I decided to walk up to Forth Valley Hospital on the edge of Larbert, about 3 miles away. From there it isn't far to the hamlet of Torwood which has a number of historical sights nearby. It was an uneventful stroll, following main roads and I could have saved time and shoe leather by jumping on a local bus. The hospital was opened in 2010 and apparently has a nice restaurant. I intended to sink a pint on the return leg and the Station Bar in Larbert town centre was a possible destination. I wandered up to Torwood and walked out to the ruined castle which was well signposted. I wanted to find the mysterious Blue Pool that apparently lay around a mile distant, but map details were sketchy.
Dead reckoning it was then! After a couple of fruitless forays, I found a path that seemed to lead in the right direction. Unfortunately the rain had started to pour and I hadn't brought my waterproof poncho. Having come this far, it seemed like a massive cop-out to scurry for whatever scrap of shelter I could find. Onward I trudged. I had read the pool lay in a clearing and when I came across a power line passing through a gap in the trees and a handy break in the wall to my right, it looked worthy of investigation. After 50 yards, I more or less stumbled upon the circular pond. Obviously man-made, the water is indeed a curious shade of turquoise and it certainly looks deep. I didn't have time to dally as I was in the process of being soaked to the bone. After a few quick photos, I began the return trek. Later research revealed the pool to be a remnant of the mining industry. I couldn't help thinking if I'd taken a bus to the hospital I would have escaped the worst of the weather. Another item on the list was the Tappoch Broch. There are many examples of these Iron Age structures in the Highlands but they are rare in lowland Scotland. I had already seen the signs for the broch but it was a miserable experience tramping over open ground in the downpour. Once again, I adopted the attitude that I'm here already and - moreover - I was already wet, so how much worse could it actually get. Tappoch is well worth seeking out. The layout of the broch is easily discernible and a surviving staircase and gateway are the highlights. Back at the hospital, I decided just to catch the bus home. The Stagecoach services to Fife pass through here and it's within my travel zone. The Station Bar down the road would have to wait for another time. I have since returned and enjoyed a couple of pints within the historic Victorian interior. I've also sampled the hospital food and can confirm it's worth stopping by if you're looking for reasonably priced nosh. The hospital grounds contain a network of woodland trails set around a lake so it looks as if I'll be bussing it out here again at some point in the future.
Comments