An almost level walk following the Forth & Clyde Canal towpath to Bonnybridge and then exploring the Antonine Wall and Roman Fort before a woodland walk reaches the top of the Falkirk Wheel, a marvel of modern engineering.
Good surfaced paths, roads with pavement, Antonine Wall and Roman Fort can be wet underfoot.
Bus (3) from Falkirk.
Falkirk Wheel, near Falkirk.
There is free car parking for the Falkirk Wheel just north of the Wheel and west of Falkirk, or there are regular bus services from the centre of Falkirk. From the car park follow the signs for the Wheel and after climbing a ramp up to the towpath turn right to follow this away from the boatlift. If you want to visit the Wheel at the start of the walk rather than the end, head left and then over the swing bridge - there is an excellent exhibition and cafe in the visitor centre and good children's play area on the far side of the basin.
Otherwise start the walk by following the towpath, soon leaving the built-up area behind. There are good views to the Ochils to the right and ducks, swans and coots can often be seen on this section which is popular with dog walkers, joggers and cyclists. Eventually the outskirts of Bonnybridge is reached, and some canalside houses passed. Ignore a path down wooden steps on the right but take the following route down to the right, a ramp next to a green bin. Descend to the road and turn left. Pass the shops and continue along the road signed for Antonine Wall for a short distance.
Before the road climbs look out for a turn to the left, after a garage, signed for the John Muir Way. This leads to a tunnel under the canal, go through this and bear left along Bonnymuir Place, following the road all the way to the end, past houses and industrial units. It then becomes a narrower road, goes up over the railway and alongside a wood. Eventually the Antonine Wall is reached on the left, go through the gate and follow the ridge of the old Roman defensive wall ahead. Built by the Roman emperor Antoninus Pius in AD 142 - 143, it marked the most northerly boundary of the Roman empire. Running for 37 miles it consisted of a high turf wall on which a timber fortification would have stood, and a deep ditch.
Walk east along the Antonine Wall. After the car park head along the surfaced track, which is an old Roman military road to reach the first of four information boards. Make sure you don't miss the lilia, deep holes which would have contained sharpened stakes and been camouflaged with brushwood as an extra deterrent to potential attackers. These are on the left side of the Antonine Wall after a deep dip where it a small bridge crosses a stream.
Just before reaching the trees growing across the Antonine Wall site, head to the right (south) to an information board about the large Roman Fort which once stood here. Walk over the causeway to the entrance of the site and cross straight through the fort to head down to a black metal gateway and onto a gravelled path. Follow this to the left following the signs for the Falkirk Wheel. Keep straight on ignoring a path for Rough Castle Community Woods.
At the next junction keep left, signed for Falkirk Wheel and ignore a later turning for Tamfourhill. Soon a junction is reached with views of the Falkirk Wheel ahead. Continue ahead towards it with good views over Falkirk and the Ochils in the background. At a junction turn left to head downhill and under the boatlift to return past the visitor centre building. To reach the car park or bus stop continue down and across the swing bridge, turn left and then back down the ramp.
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