It’s been 25 years since the completion of the Millenium Link Project which reconnected Scotland’s lowland canals.

The £83.5 million project brought the Forth and Clyde and the Union canals back to life with The Falkirk Wheel at their heart, replacing the previous lock flight and allowing vessels to once again travel between the two waterways and all the way across the central belt between Edinburgh and Glasgow.

A series of events and community led activities will take place across the canals to mark the milestone anniversary.

Planned events, which will be led by Scottish Canals with the support from local communities, include heritage walk and talks, Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics (STEM) activities within educational establishments; a canal clean up; orchard and hedgerow restorations and opportunities to share memories of life on, and alongside, the canals.

George McBurnie, senior project manager, and John Paterson, chief executive, next to the Millennium Project commemorative plinth on the Forth & Clyde Canal. (Pic: Peter Sandground)

placeholder image — George McBurnie, senior project manager, and John Paterson, chief executive, next to the Millennium Project commemorative plinth on the Forth & Clyde Canal. (Pic: Peter Sandground)

The boating community is also being invited to create their own special events this summer, with boaters; gatherings and mini flotillas travelling along the lowland canals.

The Falkirk Wheel will also host its annual Revolution Festival later this month. This year’s event on Saturday, May 23 will have a sports day theme.

The popular family fun day is a regular event in the canal calendar, marking the anniversary of the Falkirk Wheel’s grand opening in 2002.

The two canals were originally built to provide an essential transport route across Scotland.

The Forth and Clyde Canal reaches from the Firth of Clyde at Bowling to the Firth of Forth at Grangemouth, while the Union Canal runs from Edinburgh to Falkirk.

A series of 11 locks used to lower the Union Canal to meet the Forth and Clyde.

Following the rise of the railways, the canals declined and eventually closed in the 1960s. They were left drained and neglected until the ambitious Millennium Link project began in 1999.

It was the largest canal restoration ever undertaken in Britain.

The Falkirk Wheel was created in place of the old series of locks, lifting boats from the Forth and Clyde to the Union Canal 35 metres above.

The wheel is the world’s only rotating boat lift and its iconic design is the result of a unique fusion of art and engineering, resulting in a piece of working sculpture.

In 2001 the two canals reopened, joined by the Wheel, and they are now thriving waterways, offering a wealth of social, economic and community opportunities.

John Paterson, CEO of Scottish Canals, said: “We are delighted to celebrate the 25th anniversary of the Millennium Link and all those who contributed to bringing the derelict Forth and Clyde and Union canals back to life.

"Through our continued investment over the last 25 years, the canals and The Falkirk Wheel are now vibrant green-blue spaces and valued national assets, unlocking billions of pounds in economic value for canal side communities.

"Our thriving, nature filled waterways are a powerful legacy of the Millennium funding from the National Lottery. This transformation has touched so many lives – 1.5 million people live close to a canal in Scotland. More than a quarter of the population.

"The canals now attract over 20 million visits per year and provide an active travel network for cyclists and walkers, alleviating our roads and getting closer to 20 minute neighbourhoods.”

George McBurnie, senior project manger, who joined Scottish Canals 45 years ago, reflected on his experience of the network’s transformation.

He said: “When I joined Scottish Canals – British Waterways, as it was then – the canals were redundant, derelict, unloved places that had lacked investment for many decades.

"It was through the Herculean efforts of a small group of canal associations and enthusiasts as well as the vision of staff at the time, that we managed to bring our Lowlands network back.

"I was part of the engineering team and a project manager at that time, and I’m now privileged once again to be managing our gate replacement programme on the Forth and Clyde Canal – the biggest engineering project since the Millennium Link.

"As one of several generations in my family that have worked on the canals, I look back with pride, and I look forward with great optimism for the future and longevity of our network.”

*If you or your organisation would like to host an event, please contact Scottish Canals via the website for them to share and promote your event online. Events will be added to the Scottish Canals website throughout the year.