The Kelpies

The Kelpies are two towering steel horse-heads beside the M9 motorway between Falkirk and Grangemouth. They mark the eastern entrance to the Forth and Clyde Canal where it meets the River Carron. Each sculpture rises thirty metres and weighs three hundred tonnes. They were designed by Andy Scott and completed in late 2013 before being unveiled in April 2014. The name comes from mythical water horses said to possess the strength of ten horses. The figures celebrate the heavy horses that once powered Scottish industry. They recall the Clydesdale draught horses that pulled barges, ploughs and coalships across the region. Andy Scott began with three-metre maquettes in his Glasgow studio, scanning them with lasers to guide the full-scale build. The project won praise from engineering bodies and drew nearly a million visitors in its first year. Newspapers described them as dramatic gateways and impressive landmarks for central Scotland. Visitors find the sculptures set within Helix parkland beside a new lock and basin. The stainless-steel surfaces catch the light and weather in changing ways. Smaller maquettes have toured galleries and parks across Britain and America. The site offers wide views over the canal and surrounding countryside. It stands as a reminder of both local legend and industrial heritage.