Running across the narrow strip of lowland Scotland between the Clyde and Forth estuaries – linking Glasgow and Edinburgh and the Irish Sea to the North Sea – The Millennium Link is within easy reach of many of Scotland’s most famous lowland visitor attractions. There are championship golf courses, Loch Lomond & The Trossachs, the Borders, ‘Braveheart’ country, castles ancient and modern, museums, art galleries, hills, mountains, lochs and coastal resorts all within a few miles of the canal. These pages also contain some information on Canal Facts and Environment.
Click on the map hotspots below or scroll down to find out more about the work that happened in that location:
West Dumbarton Central Glasgow East Dumbarton North Lanark Interchange Falkirk West Lothian Central Edinburgh
The £78m Millennium Link project is being managed by British Waterways, in partnership with a large number of organisations in the public, private and voluntary sector. The project has been driven from the outset by popular demand and enjoys widespread public support.
The cost of the restoration is being met from a varied range of organisations, including the Millennium Commission, the European Union, Scottish Enterprise and its network of Local Enterprise Companies and the local authorities across lowland Scotland.
City of Edinburgh
This is the final section of the Union Canal from the outskirts into the city centre of Edinburgh
The easternmost end of the Union Canal/The Millennium Link project offers perhaps the biggest challenge after the Falkirk Wheel and associated engineering works, for it is here that 1.7km of ‘new’ canal will have to be cut and a total of 8 bridges of various kinds built. The work has been divided into two phases.
Click on a project below for further information:
Seaforth Road/Gilmore Place, Lochrin Basin, Edinburgh
Wester Hailes, Edinburgh
In addition to the sites listed above, the towpath will be upgraded, accesses improved, dredging carried out and structural reinstatement work undertaken.
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City of Glasgow
Within the boundaries of the area managed by the City of Glasgow Council, the Forth & Clyde Canal passes from Clydebank in the west, through the north of the city itself and out towards Kirkintilloch. It also includes the branch off the main canal into Port Dundas.
Click on a project below for further information:
Blairdardie Road/Great Western Road, Glasgow
Cleveden Road, Glasgow
Duntreath Avenue, Yoker, Glasgow
In addition to the sites listed above, the towpath will be upgraded, accesses improved, dredging carried out and structural reinstatement work undertaken.
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East Dunbartonshire
This area covers from Bishopbriggs in the West, through Lenzie and Kirkintilloch to Twechar on the Forth & Clyde Canal
Click on a project below for further information:
Balmuildy Road, Bishopbriggs
Cadder Bridge, Bishopbriggs
Hillhead, Kirkintilloch
Townhead, Kirkintilloch
Twechar
In addition to the sites listed above, the towpath will be upgraded, accesses improved, dredging carried out and structural reinstatement work undertaken.
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Falkirk
This covers both the final stretch of the Forth & Clyde Canal and the beginning of the Union Canal, passing from Castlecary in the West through Falkirk to Grangemouth and, on the Union Canal from Falkirk to Muiravonside
The world’s first rotating boat lift, the Falkirk Wheel, will reconnect the Forth & Clyde and Union Canals at Roughcastle.
Click on a project below for further information:
Forth & Clyde Canal
A80 – Castlecary
Bainsford Bridge, Falkirk
Bonnyhill Road/Seabeggs Road, Bonnybridge
Camelon Bridge, Falkirk
Cumbernauld Road, Castlecary
Grangemouth Link, Grangemouth
Merer’s Bridge, Falkirk
Union Road, Lock 16, Falkirk
Union Canal
Lathallan Road, A801, Polmont
Vellore Road, Falkirk
In addition to the sites listed above, the towpath will be upgraded, accesses improved, dredging carried out and structural reinstatement work undertaken.
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Falkirk Interchange
The biggest and most challenging project along the length of the Millennium Link is reconnecting the Forth & Clyde and Union Canals at Falkirk. The Union Canal will be extended to the west by 1.3km and a new rail bridge has been built to take the Edinburgh-Glasgow rail line over the canal extension. Two new locks will be constructed to drop the level of the Union canal before it passes under the railway, through a tunnel under the Antonine Wall and out onto an aqueduct. The aqueduct will lead to the Falkirk Wheel, a major international design and engineering project in its own right and expected to become a new tourist attracting in the area. The wheel will take boats and passengers down the 24m to the level of the Forth and Clyde Canal. The contract for this work will be let in the Autumn of 1999 and work will be completed in late 2001.
Click on a project below for further information:
Bonnyhill Road, Tamfourhill, Falkirk
Tamfourhill 1, Falkirk
Tamfourhill 2, Falkirk
Tamfourhill 3, Falkirk
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North Lanarkshire
This area covers the stretch of the Forth & Clyde Canal which passes through North Lanarkshire local authority – from Twechar to Castlecary
Click on a project below for further information:
Auchinstarry
Wyndford Bridge
In addition to the sites listed above, the towpath will be upgraded, accesses improved, dredging carried out and structural reinstatement work undertaken.
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West Dunbartonshire
In this local authority area, the Forth & Clyde Canal stretches from the sea lock on the River Clyde estuary at Bowling to east of Clydebank, on the outskirts of Glasgow.
Click on a project below for further information:
Argyll Road, Clydebank
Dumbarton Road, Dalmuir, Clydebank
Erskine Ferry Bridge Road, Old Kilpatrick, Dumbarton
Kilbowie Road, Clydebank
Sylvania Way, Clydebank Shopping Centre
In addition to the sites listed above, the towpath will be upgraded, accesses improved, dredging carried out and structural reinstatement work undertaken.
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West Lothian
This area covers from Muiravonside to just west of Linlithgow to just beyond Ratho on the Union Canal
Click on a project below for further information:
Greendykes Road, Broxburn
M8 crossing between junctions 2A and 3, Broxburn
In addition to the sites listed above, the towpath will be upgraded, accesses improved, dredging carried out and structural reinstatement work undertaken.
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Other Works
In addition to the major discrete sites listed above, there are a number of smaller works which are being carried out.
Reinstating canal structures
A total of 121 structures (including locks, aqueducts, bridges, culverts and weirs) will have to be reinstated before The Millennium Link is fully navigable. Watson Stonecraft of West Calder are working in partnership with British Waterways to meet the tight programme of works.
Dredging
A 3 year programme of dredging is underway to improve the navigability of the canals. By the end of March 2000 over 100,000 tonnes of material had been removed from the canals and 40,000m3 of infill material had been removed from the Forth & Clyde Canal in the Clydebank area.
Towpath upgrading
Nearly 30km of union Canal towpath has been improved in terms of width, surfacing and drainage. Generally the towpath will be 1.8m (6 feet) wide and surfaced with whin dust giving a smooth surface for easy walking and cycling.
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