Forth and Clyde Canal (Main Line)

The maximum dimensions for a boat to be able to travel on the waterway are 67 feet and 2 inches long and 16 feet and 5 inches wide. The maximum headroom is 9 feet and 10 inches. The maximum draught is 6 feet.
It has junctions with the Forth and Clyde Canal (Port Dundas Branch - Main Line) at Stockingfield Junction; with the Forth and Clyde Canal (Helix Cut) at Sea Lock Basin and with the Edinburgh and Glasgow Union Canal at Union Canal Junction.
Notable features of the waterway include Falkirk Locks, Maryhill Locks, Clobberhill Locks and Kelvin Aqueduct
Originally surveyed in 1726 but no action resulted; the route was resurveyed in 1764 and received its Act of Parliament in 1768. The canal was opened in 1790 but closed in 1963. It was restored as part of the 78 million pound "Millennium Link" project, which also includes the Edinburgh and Glasgow Union canal and was re-opened by the Queen on the 24th May 2002.
The navigational authority for this waterway is Scottish CanalsRelevant publications — Waterway Maps:
River Carron - Forth and Clyde Canal Junction Junction with the River Carron Navigation leading to the Firth of Forth |
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Sea Lock No 2 | ¼ furlongs | 0 locks | |
Sea Lock Basin | ¾ furlongs | 1 lock | |
Carron Cut Lock No 3 | 2½ furlongs | 1 lock | |
Carron Road Bridge | 5 furlongs | 2 locks | |
Abbotshaugh Lock No 4 | 1 mile | 2 locks | |
Bainsford Bridge Canal narrows for 290yds east of the bridge |
1 mile and 4¾ furlongs | 3 locks | |
Bainsford Lock No 5 | 1 mile and 5 furlongs | 3 locks | |
Falkirk Lock No 6 | 1 mile and 7¼ furlongs | 4 locks | |
Falkirk Lock No 7 | 2 miles and 1½ furlongs | 5 locks | |
Falkirk Lock No 8 | 2 miles and 2¼ furlongs | 6 locks | |
Falkirk Lock No 9 | 2 miles and 3 furlongs | 7 locks | |
Falkirk Lock No 10 | 2 miles and 3¾ furlongs | 8 locks | |
Camelon Road Narrows Possible site of an old lock No 11 |
2 miles and 4¼ furlongs | 9 locks | |
Camelon Road Bridge | 2 miles and 4¾ furlongs | 9 locks | |
Falkirk Lock No 11 | 2 miles and 5 furlongs | 9 locks | |
Falkirk Lock No 12 | 2 miles and 5½ furlongs | 10 locks | |
Falkirk Lock No 13 | 2 miles and 6¼ furlongs | 11 locks | |
Falkirk Lock No 14 | 2 miles and 6¾ furlongs | 12 locks | |
Falkirk Lock No 15 | 2 miles and 7¾ furlongs | 13 locks | |
Falkirk Top Lock No 16 | 3 miles and ½ furlongs | 14 locks | |
Falkirk Top Lock Winding Hole | 3 miles and ¾ furlongs | 15 locks | |
Union Inn (Falkirk) Canalside |
3 miles and 1 furlong | 15 locks | |
Union Canal Junction Footbridge | 4 miles and ½ furlongs | 15 locks | |
Union Canal Junction Junction of Forth and Clyde and Edinburgh and Glasgow Union Canals |
4 miles and ¾ furlongs | 15 locks | |
Union Canal Junction Railway Aqueduct | 4 miles and 1 furlong | 15 locks | |
Camuirs Burn Aqueduct | 4 miles and 3¼ furlongs | 15 locks | |
Rowantree Burn Aqueduct | 4 miles and 5¾ furlongs | 15 locks | |
Bonnybridge Aqueduct No 4 | 5 miles and 7¼ furlongs | 15 locks | |
Bonnybridge Lift Bridge | 5 miles and 7½ furlongs | 15 locks | |
Seabegs Aqueduct | 6 miles and 4¾ furlongs | 15 locks | |
Underwood Aqueduct | 7 miles and ½ furlongs | 15 locks | |
Underwood Lock No 17 | 7 miles and 2½ furlongs | 15 locks | |
Castlecary Lock No 18 | 7 miles and 7 furlongs | 16 locks | |
Castlecary Lock No 19 | 8 miles and 1¼ furlongs | 17 locks | |
Castlecary Bridge | 8 miles and 2½ furlongs | 18 locks | |
Cumbernauld Road Bridge | 8 miles and 3 furlongs | 18 locks | |
Red Burn Aqueduct | 8 miles and 4¾ furlongs | 18 locks | |
Wyndford Bridge No 14 | 9 miles and 1¾ furlongs | 18 locks | |
Wyndford Lock No 20 | 9 miles and 1¾ furlongs | 18 locks | |
Wyndford Lock Narrows | 9 miles and 2½ furlongs | 19 locks | |
Wyndford Lock Winding Hole | 10 miles and 1½ furlongs | 19 locks | |
Craigmarloch Basin | 11 miles and 4¼ furlongs | 19 locks | |
Craigmarloch Bridge No 15 | 11 miles and 6 furlongs | 19 locks | |
Auchinstarry Winding Hole | 12 miles and 2¾ furlongs | 19 locks | |
Auchinstarry Basin | 12 miles and 6½ furlongs | 19 locks | |
Auchinstarry Bridge | 12 miles and 7¼ furlongs | 19 locks | |
Auchinstarry Bridge (demolished) | 12 miles and 7¾ furlongs | 19 locks | |
Twechar Bridge | 14 miles and 4½ furlongs | 19 locks | |
Twechar Aqueduct also called Shirva Aqueduct |
15 miles and 1¼ furlongs | 19 locks | |
Tintock Aqueduct No 9 | 15 miles and 7¾ furlongs | 19 locks | |
Auchendavie Aqueduct | 16 miles and 3½ furlongs | 19 locks | |
Hillhead Road Bridge | 17 miles and 4½ furlongs | 19 locks | |
Luggiebank Road Winding Hole | 17 miles and 4¾ furlongs | 19 locks | |
Luggie Aqueduct No 11 | 17 miles and 5¾ furlongs | 19 locks | |
New Lairdsland Road Bridge | 17 miles and 6¼ furlongs | 19 locks | |
Townhead Bridge | 17 miles and 7¼ furlongs | 19 locks | |
Kirkintilloch Marina | 18 miles and 1½ furlongs | 19 locks | |
Kirkintilloch Footbridge Unusual footbridge |
18 miles and 2 furlongs | 19 locks | |
Glasgow Road Bridge | 19 miles and 2½ furlongs | 19 locks | |
Hungryside Bridge | 20 miles and ½ furlongs | 19 locks | |
Cadder Bridge | 20 miles and 6¾ furlongs | 19 locks | |
Balmuildy Bridge | 21 miles and 5 furlongs | 19 locks | |
Lambhill Bridge | 23 miles and 5 furlongs | 19 locks | |
Lambhill Railway Aqueduct No 12 | 24 miles and ¾ furlongs | 19 locks | |
Halloween Pend Aqueduct | 24 miles and ¾ furlongs | 19 locks | |
Stockingfield Narrows | 24 miles and 4½ furlongs | 19 locks | |
Stockingfield Junction Junction with the Port Dundas branch |
24 miles and 4¾ furlongs | 19 locks | |
Stockingfield Junction Aqueduct No 14 | 24 miles and 5 furlongs | 19 locks | |
Maryhill Road Aqueduct No 15 | 24 miles and 7½ furlongs | 19 locks | |
Maryhill Top Lock No 21 | 25 miles and ¾ furlongs | 19 locks | |
Maryhill Lock No 22 | 25 miles and 1¼ furlongs | 20 locks | |
Maryhill Lock No 23 | 25 miles and 1½ furlongs | 21 locks | |
Maryhill Lock No 24 | 25 miles and 1¾ furlongs | 22 locks | |
Maryhill Bottom Lock No 25 | 25 miles and 2¼ furlongs | 23 locks | |
Kelvin Aqueduct (eastern end) | 25 miles and 2½ furlongs | 24 locks | |
Kelvin Aqueduct (western end) | 25 miles and 3 furlongs | 24 locks | |
Cleveden Road Bridge | 25 miles and 5¼ furlongs | 24 locks | |
Gas Board Aqueduct No 17 | 25 miles and 5¼ furlongs | 24 locks | |
Stobcross Rail Aqueduct | 25 miles and 7¼ furlongs | 24 locks | |
Temple Lock No 26 | 26 miles and ¼ furlongs | 24 locks | |
Temple Rail Aqueduct | 26 miles and ¾ furlongs | 25 locks | |
Lock 27 PH (Glasgow) Canalside |
26 miles and ¾ furlongs | 25 locks | |
Temple Lock No 27 | 26 miles and 1 furlong | 25 locks | |
Temple Road Bridge | 26 miles and 1½ furlongs | 26 locks | |
Howth Drive Bridge | 26 miles and 2½ furlongs | 26 locks | |
Old Farm Road Bridge | 26 miles and 4½ furlongs | 26 locks | |
Westerton Footbridge | 27 miles and ¾ furlongs | 26 locks | |
Clobberhill Top Lock No 28 | 27 miles and 3¼ furlongs | 26 locks | |
Clobberhill Middle Lock No 29 | 27 miles and 3¾ furlongs | 27 locks | |
Clobberhill Bottom Lock No 30 | 27 miles and 4¼ furlongs | 28 locks | |
Clobberhill Lock No 31 | 27 miles and 6 furlongs | 29 locks | |
Clobberhill Lock No 32 | 27 miles and 6½ furlongs | 30 locks | |
Great Western Road Bridge (north) | 28 miles and ½ furlongs | 31 locks | |
Great Western Road Bridge (south) | 28 miles and ¾ furlongs | 31 locks | |
Bard Avenue Footbridge | 28 miles and 2½ furlongs | 31 locks | |
Boghouse Top Lock No 33 | 28 miles and 4 furlongs | 31 locks | |
Boghouse Middle Lock No 34 | 28 miles and 4¾ furlongs | 32 locks | |
Boghouse Bottom Lock No 35 | 28 miles and 5¾ furlongs | 33 locks | |
Boghouse Lock No 36 | 28 miles and 7¼ furlongs | 34 locks | |
Dunreath Avenue Bridge | 28 miles and 7¾ furlongs | 35 locks | |
Kirkwood Avenue Footbridge | 29 miles and 1¾ furlongs | 35 locks | |
Argyll Road Bridge | 29 miles and 7½ furlongs | 35 locks | |
Seaforth Road Footbridge | 30 miles and ½ furlongs | 35 locks | |
Seaforth Road Covered Footbridge | 30 miles and 1 furlong | 35 locks | |
Seaforth Road and A8014 Road Bridges | 30 miles and 1¼ furlongs | 35 locks | |
Boquhanran Railway Aqueduct No 21 | 30 miles and 6 furlongs | 35 locks | |
Boquhanran Road Aqueduct No 22 | 30 miles and 6½ furlongs | 35 locks | |
Trafalgar Street Footbridge | 30 miles and 7½ furlongs | 35 locks | |
Dalmuir Drop Lock and Bridge Constructed during the restoration of the canal to get the navigation under an existing bridge |
31 miles and 1¼ furlongs | 35 locks | |
Duntocher Burn Aqueduct | 31 miles and 4¼ furlongs | 36 locks | |
Farm Road Bascule Footbridge | 31 miles and 4½ furlongs | 36 locks | |
Ferry Road Swing Bridge | 32 miles and 5¼ furlongs | 36 locks | |
Erskine Bridge | 32 miles and 6 furlongs | 36 locks | |
Dalnottar Lock No 37 | 32 miles and 6¼ furlongs | 36 locks | |
Portpatrick Road Bascule Footbridge | 33 miles and 2¼ furlongs | 37 locks | |
Bowling Lock Wharf | 33 miles and 5¾ furlongs | 37 locks | |
Bowling Lock No 38 | 33 miles and 6¼ furlongs | 37 locks | |
Bowling Lock Basin | 33 miles and 6½ furlongs | 38 locks | |
Basin Bascule Footbridge | 33 miles and 6¾ furlongs | 38 locks | |
Basin Railway Bridge | 33 miles and 6¾ furlongs | 38 locks | |
Bowling Basin | 33 miles and 7¼ furlongs | 38 locks | |
Bowling Basin Sea Lock | 33 miles and 7¾ furlongs | 38 locks | |
The Bay Inn A five minute walk over the railway bridge from the basin mooorings, then east along Dumbarton Road. |
34 miles and ¼ furlongs | 39 locks | |
Clyde Canal Junction Junction of the River Clyde and the Forth and Clyde Canal |
34 miles and 1 furlong | 39 locks |
- Youtube — associated with Forth and Clyde Canal
- The official reopening of the canal
- Facebook Page - Union Inn — associated with Union Inn (Falkirk)
- Public House
- Lock Twenty Seven Public House — associated with Lock 27 PH (Glasgow)
- Public House
- Bay Inn — associated with The Bay Inn
- Public House
Wikipedia has a page about Forth and Clyde Canal
The Forth and Clyde Canal is a canal opened in 1790, crossing central Scotland; it provided a route for the seagoing vessels of the day between the Firth of Forth and the Firth of Clyde at the narrowest part of the Scottish Lowlands. This allowed navigation from Edinburgh on the east coast to the port of Glasgow on the west coast. The canal is 35 miles (56 km) long and it runs from the River Carron at Grangemouth to the River Clyde at Bowling, and had an important basin at Port Dundas in Glasgow.
Successful in its day, it suffered as the seagoing vessels were built larger and could no longer pass through. The railway age further impaired the success of the canal, and in the 1930s decline had ended in dormancy. The final decision to close the canal in the early 1960s was made due to maintenance costs of bridges crossing the canal exceeding the revenues it brought in. However, subsidies to the rail network were also a cause for its decline and the closure ended the movement of the east-coast Forth River fishing fleets across the country to fish the Irish Sea. The lack of political and financial foresight also removed a historical recreational waterway and potential future revenue generator to the town of Grangemouth. Unlike the majority of major canals the route through Grangemouth was drained and backfilled before 1967 to create a new carriageway for port traffic.
The M8 motorway in the eastern approaches to Glasgow took over some of the alignment of the canal, but more recent ideas have regenerated the utility of the canal for leisure use.