History of the Forth & Clyde Canal

The Forth & Clyde Canal was the first of our beautiful, historic canals to be built in Scotland

A vision for Scotland

Visionaries who believed in a thriving and prosperous Scotland constructed the canal between 1768 and 1790, to support Scottish industry.  Reaching from Grangemouth on the Firth of Forth to Bowling on the River Clyde, the canal was used to transport goods and sea-going vessels from coast to coast.  Linking with the Union and Monkland Canals, the Lowland canal network prospered, and passenger services were introduced.

Decline and closure

The growth of the railways through the 1900s and changes in industry led to the decline in use of the canal, and by the 1960s the canal was closed to navigation.  Sections were filled in and concreted over, while other sections became wastelands or stinking dumping grounds.

We nearly lost our Lowland canals - but in the 1970s once again people with vision realised the value of our historic Scottish canals, and fought to protect and restore them.  In the mid 1980s the canals were formally recognised nationally, as Sheduled Ancient Monuments.

A new life - regeneration

A complex programme of restoration began, the £83.5m Millennium Link Project - the largest canal restoration in the UK at that time.  In 2002 the Forth & Clyde Canal was triumphantly reopened, once again fullfilling the vision of its builders, offering a route from coast to coast.

Today the canal once again plays an important role in Scotland's economy and social life - commercial vessels have given way to motor cruisers, narrowboats and yachts, holidaymakers and local canal societies.  The towpaths are busy too, as local communities make use of the accessible, attractive spaces, gettiing active outdoors or enjoying a fascinating learning environment.