Falkirk Millennium Wheel

Scottish Country Dance Instruction

1- 8 All circle 8H round to left to places
9-16 All dance round in St Andrew's Cross formation with Ladies in centre RH and back with Men in centre LH
17-24 1s+3s dance RH across once round and each couple dances out to chase clockwise (Men leading) to opposite side
25-32 2s+4s repeat
33-40 1s+3s repeat but LH across and Ladies leading
41-48 2s+4s repeat
49-56 All Men dance R&L (1M+4M and 2M+3M to start)
57-64 All Ladies dance R&L (1L+2L and 3L+4L to start)
65-72 1s+3s in prom hold cross passing LSh and turn to left and cast back to own place
73-80 2s+4s repeat
81-88 All dance round in St Andrew's Cross formation with Ladies in centre RH and back with Men in centre LH
89-96 All circle 8H round to right and end advancing into centre with hands raised

(MINICRIB. Dance crib compiled by Charles Upton, Deeside Caledonian Society, and his successors)

Dance Information

Its significance lies in re-establishing the link between these two canals, a connection that had been absent since the 1930s. Operational since 2002, the Falkirk Wheel is a pivotal component of the broader Millennium Link project.

The initiative to revitalize the canals of central Scotland and re-establish the connection between Glasgow and Edinburgh was spearheaded by British Waterways. Support and funding were secured from seven local authorities, the Scottish Enterprise Network, the European Regional Development Fund, and the Millennium Commission. Early in the planning stages, the decision was made to deviate from the conventional approach of recreating a historic lock flight, opting instead for the creation of a striking 21st-century landmark structure.

Functionally, the Falkirk Wheel elevates boats by an impressive 24 metres (79 ft). However, it is noteworthy that the Union Canal remains positioned 11 metres (36 ft) higher than the aqueduct meeting the wheel. To bridge this gap, boats must traverse a pair of locks situated between the summit of the wheel and the Union Canal. Remarkably, the Falkirk Wheel is the sole rotating boat lift of its kind globally and is one of the two operational boat lifts in the United Kingdom, the other being the Anderton Boat Lift (2023).

Falkirk Millennium Wheel

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