Best narrowboat holidays on the Scottish Lowland canals

Canal boat hire on the Scottish Lowland canals from Falkirk

Drifters offers canal boat hire from Falkirk and we’ve published a guide to the best narrowboat holidays on the Scottish Lowland canals.

What are the Scottish Lowland canals?

The Forth & Clyde Canal links the Irish Sea with the North Sea, running from Bowling on the Clyde Estuary, to Grangemouth and the magnificent Kelpies on the Firth of Forth.

The Union Canal is linked to the Forth & Clyde Canal at Falkirk by the Falkirk Wheel, the world’s first rotating boat lift. At the other end it reaches Edinburgh, terminating at Edinburgh Quay in the City Centre.

Together these two canals make up the Scottish Lowland canals. They are quite different to the canals found in England and Wales. The Forth & Clyde is much wider and the Union Canal is a contour canal, with no locks or bridges that have to be opened.

The Forth & Clyde Canal first opened in 1790, providing a route for seagoing vessels between the Firth of Forth and the Firth of Clyde. The Union Canal, which opened in 1842, was built to bring coal and other minerals to Edinburgh.

Both canals were closed in the 1960’s until Lottery funding was obtained to fund their restoration, completed in 2001, and the construction of the Falkirk Wheel, which opened a year later. This magnificent structure, which replaces a flight of 11 locks, moves boats between the two canals in two giant gondolas, raising or lowering them 25 metres.

We offer canal boat hire from Falkirk, next to the Falkirk Wheel Boat Lift. Here’s a guide to our best narrowboat holidays on the Scottish Lowland canals:

Short breaks

Cruise to Linlithgow & back

On a three-night weekend break you could cruise the Union Canal to Linlithgow and back. The route begins by heading up through the first manned lock into the basin and going up the Falkirk Wheel. Then you’ll cruise through Roughmute Tunnel, followed by another two manned locks. You are now on the Union Canal where you will travel through the Falkirk Tunnel and cross over the Avon Aqueduct. After enjoying miles of peaceful countryside, you’ll reach the historic town of Linlithgow. There you can visit the beautifully preserved remains of Linlithgow Palace on the shores of Linlithgow Loch, the birthplace of Mary Queen of Scots. Linlithgow has some excellent eateries, including the award-winning Four Marys pub. The journey to Linlithgow and back takes around eight hours.

Boat to Winchburgh Marina & back

Follow the route to Linlithgow and continue on another two hours to the new Scottish Canals marina at Winchburgh. You can moor up for the night and explore the local area, including a choice of places to eat and shop. The journey to Winchburgh Marina passes through six locks (three each way) and the journey there and back takes around 12 hours.

Navigate to Ratho & back

On a four-night mid-week break you could continue on along the Union Canal from Lithlithgow and Winchburgh to the conservation village of Ratho. There you can visit the popular canalside Bridge Inn. The journey to Ratho and back travels 48 miles, travels through six locks (three each way) and takes around 16 hours.

Glide along the Forth & Clyde to visit Glasgow

From Falkirk, it’s a peaceful nine-hour cruise along the Forth & Clyde Canal to the City of Glasgow – perfect for a three or four-night short break. You’ll travel 22 miles and will pass through four locks. There are also four bridges that must be prebooked to be opened. This scenic route passes through Auchinstarry, the River Kelvin Valley with magnificent views of the Campsie Fells above. And the town of Kirkintillock. There are moorings at Applecross Street Basin, with access to Glasgow’s wealth of cultural centres, including the Hunterian Museum.

Week-long breaks

Travel through the Scottish Lowlands to Edinburgh

From our canal boat hire base at Falkirk, it takes around 12 hours to cruise along the peaceful Union Canal to Edinburgh Quay. Perfect for a week’s holiday, the trip starts with a passage through the Falkirk Wheel, and then passes through the lovely lowland villages of Linlithgow, Broxburn and Ratho. Visitor moorings are available at Edinburgh Quay, just a five-minute walk from Princes Street. From there you can visit the City’s many attractions, including Edinburgh Castle and Mary King Close, frozen in time beneath the Royal Mile.

Visit the largest pair of equine statues on the planet

At 30-metres high, the magnificent Kelpies stand at the gateway to the new extension to the Forth & Clyde Canal, by the River Carron. Based on the heavy horses that one plied the canal towpaths, these mythical water horses are an extraordinary site and form part of a new 350-hectare Helix park at the end of the canal extension at Grangemouth. Scottish Canals has launched the epic new Kelpies Experience allowing visitors to climb into the mouth of one of the statues. The experience involves ascending 25 metres using a series of ladders, cable crossings, suspended platforms and nets before descending, by abseil, or quick flight, a thrilling option that gives the feeling of free falling before gently lowering the climber to the ground. Lock repair works in 2025 mean you’ll only be able to cruise as far as Lock 16. You can turn your boat there and then moor up to walk for three miles down to the Kelpies. It takes just 15 minutes to cruise to Lock 16 from Falkirk Basin so you could add this excursion on to a trip to Edinburgh or Glasgow if you are out for a week. From spring 2026, you’ll be able to cruise all the way to the Kelpies. This journey is four miles and passes through 14 locks. So the journey to the Kelpies and back takes around eight hours.

Longer holidays

Navigate to Bowling & back

On a 10-day or two week break from Falkirk, you can cruise the Forth & Clyde Canal, following the Clyde Estuary all the way down to the old ship building village of Bowling in West Dunbartonshire. The route has a rich mix of industry old and new, as well as stunning views of the Clyde and relics of the ship building era. Along the way, you’ll pass through Auchinstarry, the site of a Roman fort, and Kirkintilloch, which dates back to the 13th century. The journey to Bowling and back travels 58 miles, passing through 48 locks and takes around 32 cruising hours. The journey from Lock 27 to Bowling Sea Lock must be booked in advanced and must be completed in one go. This takes eight hours. And you need to book it coming back as well.