Falkirk Hotels
Mini guide to Falkirk
Strategically situated between Stirling and Edinburgh, Scottish Falkirk has
been the scene for two major historic battles and has retained and restored
much of its heritage.
The huge Millennium Link project has revitalized the town's tourism potential.
Restoration of the Forth & Clyde and Union canals to working order in recent
years has encouraged leisure activities, from walking or cycling along the towpaths
to canal boat trips. The remarkable Falkirk Wheel is a spectacular feat of engineering
which transfers canal boats up and down a 100-foot drop at the interchange of
the canals. The entire boat trip takes about 40 minutes, and visitors disembark
at an enthralling high-tech Visitor's Centre.
The town and surrounding countryside has a good deal of visible history, going
right back to the remains of the Roman Antonine wall. The two major battles
fought here were in 1298, when William Wallace's army fell victim to the English
under Edward I, and in 1746, when Bonnie Prince Charlie's disintegrating force,
retreating northwards, sent the Hanoverians packing in one of its last victories.
While the industrial revolution took its toll on some of the town's historic
buildings, there are remnants of its feudal past still visible near the town
centre.
Falkirk has plenty of reasonably priced and quality accommodation. The town
also has a good selection of decent places to eat and drink, with a wide variety
of cafés, bars, restaurants and pubs.
Nearby, the historic aspect of the region is reflected in the cathedral at
Dunblane and the imposing castle at Doune. West lies Stirling, known for its
magnificent castle, the lofty Wallace Monument and the great blunt tower of
Cambuskenneth Abbey. Alongside the beauty of the hills and villages of the region,
there's a range of other diversions within a few hours drive, from the wonderful
island refuges of Inchmahome in the Lake of Menteith and Loch Leven Castle by
Kinross, to the atmospheric Castle Campbell in the Ochil Hills. There is a wide
range of outdoor activities: the area is traversed by the Glasgow-Loch Lomond-Killin
cycleway which has well-managed forest tracks ideal for mountain biking; the
hills of the Trossachs provide great walking country; and the West Highland
Way (Scotland's premier long-distance footpath) winds along the length of Loch
Lomond up to Fort William in the Highlands.
Falkirk is just off the M9 at junction 6 (A904). There are regular trains to
Edinburgh and Stirling from Falkirk Grahamston Station, while local and long
distance buses run from the bus terminal at Callender Riggs. The nearest international
airport is at Edinburgh.
www.falkirk.gov.uk
Selection of hotels in this region:
Antonine Hotel | | Inchyra Grange Hotel | |
Click below for a
full list of hotels and online booking
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