The Kelpies sculptures have been a huge success as a visitor attraction in Falkirk , bringing in thousands of visitors to the area .
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The Kelpies sculptures were open to the public in April last year. The Kelpies and The John Muir Way will also be unveiled by Kelpie artist Andy Scott. The artwork will be on display inside The Kelpies for three weeks afterwards for tour guests to admire.
Glasgow artist Andy Scott designed the Kelpies, with construction work on the 300-tonne, 98ft (30m) steel figures starting in 2013.
The Helix Park project has transformed 865 acres of land between Falkirk and Grangemouth.
Normal pickup point is Edinburgh city centre or the airport . Other pickup points can be arranged , subject to an additional fee .
Itinerary
5 hour private tour group day trip around Falkirk
Explore the famous Kelpies , the Falkirk Wheel and Callendar House
Take in unique views of the historic Callendar House and Park
Travel by luxury car
Small private group tour with a maximum of 4 people
Our tour of Falkirk features a visit to the world famous Kelpies , the Falkirk Wheel and Callendar House.
We stop for an hour at each location .
The Kelpies sculptures were open to the public in April last year. An exhibition of local schools kids artwork celebrating The Kelpies and The John Muir Way will also be unveiled by Kelpie artist Andy Scott. The artwork will be on display inside The Kelpies for three weeks afterwards for tour guests to admire.
Glasgow artist Andy Scott designed the Kelpies, with construction work on the 300-tonne, 98ft (30m) steel figures starting in 2013.
The completion of the £5 million venture marked a significant stage in the £43 million Helix project, which aims to transform 865 acres of land between Falkirk and Grangemouth.
Scotland has hundreds of castles old and new , some in ruins , some refurbished and inhabited . I have compiled a list of my top ten castles , now available as free ecards . I have been taking pictures of castles for over 10 years and each one offers a unique challenge . I have published a new set of castle wallpapers which can be downloaded to your mobile . These castles are in no particular order
1 Eilean Donan Castle Eilean Donan is an old favourite . It in a spectacular setting in the middle of 3 lochs and surrounded by mountains . Eilean Donan Castle is one
of the most photographed castles in Scotland , if not the
world . It is on a small island in the middle of 3 lochs .
On a clear day you can see the Isle of Skye in the distance
. The original castle was built in 1220 . It was destroyed
by 3 English frigates in the 18th century and totally
rebuilt in the 1920s by the Macraes . Send a free Eilean Donan Castle ecard
2 Stirling Castle
Stirling is on a rocky crag overlooking the town with great views to the Wallace Monument and Ben Lomond . Stirling was a vital crossing point during the Wars of Independence . William Wallace , Braveheart , won the battle of Stirling Bridge at the foot of the castle.
Send a free Stirlng Castle ecard
3 Dunnottar Castle
Dunnottar Castle is perched on a spectacular rocky crag on the east coast of Scotland 4 miles from Stonehaven . In olden days the castle was impregnable because of the sheer cliffs on each side . Send a free Dunnotar Castle ecard
4 Urquhart Castle
Urquhart is on the shore of Loch Ness in the Highlands of Scotland . The Grant Tower is the only part of the castle which is not completely in ruins . If you’re lucky you might see the Loch Ness monster as she swims up the loch for a snack around lunch time . Send a free Urquhart Castle ecard
5 Linlithgow Palace
Birthplace of Mary Queen of Scots . The fountain has been totally refurbished
6 Blackness Castle
Blackness Castle is long and narrow because of the shape of the rock on which it is situated and it is sometimes called ‘ the ship that never sailed ‘ . It guards the bay at Blackness and is only a few miles from Linlithgow Palace . Send a freeBlackness Castle ecard
7 Blair Castle
Blair Castle is the ancestral home of the Duke of Atholl and his own private army
8 Caerlaverock Castle
Caerlaverock Castle near Dumfriess is an unusual triangular shape
9 Castle Campbell
Castle Campbell is high on the hillside near Dollar and it has spectacular views over the Forth Valley
Edinburgh Castle dominates the Edinburgh city skyline with views over the
whole of the city . The one o’clock gun is fired every day
to wake up sleepy tourists Send a free Edinburgh Castle ecard
The Kelpies have become one of the top tourist attractions in Scotland .
Airport taxi transfers to The Kelpies in Falkirk can be booked in advance online or by phone on 07576-127097. We have a range of fixed price deals for transfers from Edinburgh city centre .
Falkirk to Edinburgh Airport from £30. Stirling to Edinburgh Airport from £50 . We specialise in long distance airport transfers to all the major cities of Scotland. Discount fares from Airport taxis Airport transfers Falkirk to Glasgow airport can be booked online or by phone on 01324-883305 . Ask for our cheapest quote for Edinburgh airport taxis to Falkirk and Polmont. A taxi from Edinburgh to Falkirk costs from £30 .
Advance booking , on 07576-127097 , is always advised for passengers requiring a taxi . Passengers who have booked a taxi from Edinburgh Airport should go to the dropoff zone in the centre of the multistorey carpark outside the terminal .
Journey times
Edinburgh Airport to Falkirk – 30 minutes
Edinburgh Airport to Glasgow city centre – 60 minutes
Edinburgh Airport to St Andrews – 60 minutes
Bookings – Phone 07576-127097
Quotes – Freephone 0800-6190575 24 hours
Fixed Price Special Offers
The hard work and dedication we show to all of our clients has enabled us to gain an enviable reputation in the local area of which we are very proud. This is due to the punctual and reliable services we provide to all our clients.
For more information about pick-ups and drop-offs at Edinburgh Airport , read our Edinburgh Airport guide .
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Pixar’s new blockbuster Brave film is set in Scotland and has been inspired by a number of Scottish castles, mainly Eilean Donan Castle and Dunnottar Castle. The film has made $66.7m (£42.8m) in its opening weekend, knocking Madagascar 3: Europe’s Most Wanted off the top spot. Brave is the first Disney Pixar animation with a female protagonist. Brave, which will close the Edinburgh International Film Festival later this week, is the the 13th consecutive Pixar release to open at number one. “Their track record is just unbelievable,” said Paul Dergarabedian, analyst for box-office tracker Hollywood.com.
“The Pixar brand just carries so much weight with the audience. It doesn’t matter almost what the story is about if it has the Pixar name.”
Brave’s heroine, who rebels against her family’s plans for her to marry, is voiced by Kelly Macdonald, of Trainspotting and Boardwalk Empire fame.She was born and bred in Scotland , as were most of the cast, which includes Robbie Coltrane, comedian and now chat show host Craig Ferguson and Macdonald’s Trainspotting co-star Kevin McKidd, better known to American audiences for his role in Grey’s Anatomy.
Send ecards of Eilean Donan Castle .
Eilean Donan Castle inspiration
Eilean Donan has inspired many artists and photographers down the years. Images of the castle have featured in countless calendars and postcards. It is one of my favourite castles in Scotland because of the huge potential it offers throughout most of the year.
VisitScotland marketing campaign
VisitScotland found out that Mel Gibson’s film Braveheart in 1995 brought a whole flood of visitors to Scotland , mainly from America.They have decided to try and capitalise on Brave to promote Scotland and bring a whole new generation of visitors to Scotland.
VisitScotland has launched its biggest ever global marketing campaign, working alongside Disney Pixar to reach millions of potential visitors across the world. The campaign will showcase every corner of Scotland through a new TV and cinema advert, a new website and extensive marketing and events activity in countries ranging from the US and UK to France and Germany. The TV and cinema campaign will reach around 80 million people in the UK and abroad and is expected to boost the Scottish economy by around £140m.
The campaign will see the airing of VisitScotland’s first TV advert in North America for ten years – thanks to a major funding boost by the Scottish Government. The timing of the campaign is crucial, with this market showing encouraging signs of recovery. The number of American visitors increased by 15% last year and it is Scotland’s biggest overseas market, with more than 400,000 visitors spending £311m every year.
UK audiences will also be treated to the new advert in cinemas and TV in a special UK version which will launch when the film opens in August.
The new 30-second advert, which is voiced by the BBC’s historian and presenter Neil Oliver, will be broadcast on some of the world’s largest networks and in cinemas before the film, taking creative inspiration from the theme “Scotland. Where legends come to life.”
First Minister Alex Salmond attends Brave premiere
First Minister of Scotland Alex Salmond has done his bit to promote VisitScotland’s marketing campaign with his attendance at the film premiere and a raft of press interviews.
The UK has hundreds of ruined castles. But some castles are more spooky than others. Here’s a list of the spookiest , most haunted castles in the UK , ideal for a visit at Halloween . If you’re brave enough to visit one of these castles , why not send a free Halloween greeting card
Edinburgh Castle
Edinburgh Castle commands the whole of the city centre , sitting on a volcanic rock . The castle is perhaps the spookiest in Britain because it has many ghosts. There is a drummer who only appears when the castle is
about to be attacked. A piper who disappeared in the
tunnels between the castle and the High Street comes back to haunt the dungeons. The castle is Scotland’s biggest visitor attraction with thousands of visitors each year.
This is one of the most picturesque and most photographed castles in
the world . Robert the Bruce took refuge here in 1306 . The
original castle was destroyed in 1719 when 3 English
frigates attacked the Spanish troops garrisoned there
. The castle was rebuilt in the 20th century . This castle is spooky because the spirit of
a Spanish troop is said to haunt the castle.
Craigievar
Castle
The Blue Bedroom is the haunt of one of the Gordon clan members, who
fell from a window. He had been pushed to his death by “Red”
Sir John Forbes, a noble. Several people heard the step of
the unfortunate Gordon climbing the stairs to the Blue
Bedroom, as if he was living the moment before his death
again and again.One of the
other ghosts is one of a musician, who is very selective (he
shows himself just to people with the name of Forbes). He
fell in the moat of the castle and drowned. Send free Halloween e-cards
This was the castle of the Stewart kings of Scotland from the 15th
century . In 1512Mary , Queen of Scots was born here .
Queen Margaret’s Tower at the top of the stair towers
, is said to be haunted by the Queen’s mother , Mary of Guise , waiting for the
return of her husband , James V .
In the oldest part of the castle, the double tower, there is a room
known as the Green Lady’s Room, because of the several
apparitions of this unknown woman with a baby. It is said
that she’s a member of the Burnett family, proprietor of the
castle.These
apparitions began after the discover of two skeletons,
during renovation work : one of a woman and one of a baby.
The baby is said to be the child of a man who preferred to
kill the baby and the mother to hide their
relationship.The fact
that the apparitions continue, even after the discover of
the bodies means than the two poor beings will never be able
to rest in peace.
The castle stands on volcanic rock overlooking the town of Stirling and
the countryside . Mary , Queen of Scots was crowned in the
old chapel in 1533 . The Pink Lady , a beautiful woman in a
pink silk gown , has been seen many times at the castle . It
may be Mary , Queen of Scots. Others say it is the ghost of
a woman searching for her husband who had been killed when
Edward I captured the castle . Free Stirling Castle e-cards
