Forth & Clyde Union Canal Kilsyth - Falkirk

An example of the signage along the towpath.

As Mrs B was away I took the opportunity to complete another leg of the canal walk.  After 2 gloriously blue sky days it was back to a grey cloudy one but never mind this walk is all on the flat.
I decided it was light weather gear today but when I stepped off the train at Croy it was a different world from home, very cold and very low cloud.
This time I headed straight to the Auchinstarry basin sticking to the main road. Last time I took the easterly cut off and today this would have meant a double back looking across the canal thinking I should be over there.

Cold grey start, cyclist in yellow at benches

A cyclist was already sitting on a bench enjoying a snack. Swiftly into stride, mainly to warm up, I was off heading east towards Falkirk. Workers in the hills were clearing land with fire, no grouse moors here. Some barges were puffing smoke, there is life in them after all.
With the low clouds the Campsies were not visible so focus on the path ahead. This stretch of the canal is as wide as any so far and indeed is more like a river than a canal. 

Typical walk terrain

On the left is marshland which at another time might be full of birds but apart from some long tailed tits nothing showing. I had to admit weather defeat and don my light fleece mid layer, hat and gloves, wimp.
There is really not a lot to say or see of this walk at this time of year. Just a long stretch of canal path with mainly open countryside and bare trees. 

However a surprise, I spot a shape in the reeds and it is a roe deer looking straight at me. As I go past it has no fear whatsoever and after staring it continues to feed. It must be so used to humans walking the path.
There are 3 canal locks over a short stretch, the first for many miles and a welcome distraction for me.

Tanker crossing the M90

Now the tranquillity is broken and I am very aware of the sound of traffic and I soon come to the culprit, the M90, which thankfully I quickly walk underneath and the noise soon disappears.
About half way along I talk to a fisherman, the first I have seen using the canal on my walk. He has had no luck but tells me summer is quite good. We discuss the section being drained at Linlithgow where a 27lb pike was relocated. I think it would have broke his tackle.

A more pleasing noise this time up above a V formation of geese are moving overhead. With today’s binos I cannot make out the type but a great sight and sound anyway.
Surprisingly there have actually been a few cyclists today, a more populated area or better weather? 
I now reach and pass through Bonnybridge, not a lot to say but apparently it is the UFO capital of Scotland. There is a Bonny water but no bridge until late in its history, why named? If you want provisions this is your place, a small Tesco, Greggs, can be seen. There is an excellent example of a Roman Fort on the Antonine wall around here but I did not see any signs pointing this out. 

A flag flies proudly in the wind, I believe it is at a statue of Robert the Bruce, it was on the other side so couldn’t pop over.
Moving on my next objective in a couple of miles time is the Falkirk wheel. Sadly this next 2 miles is the most polluted with dog dirt of any part of the walk, disgusting.

Reaching the Falkirk wheel I sight a blue flash and the first Kingfisher of the walk which just as quickly disappears. The wheel is under repair, dry dock time, with this walks progress through the Rough Castle tunnel barred because of this work. But, I didn’t find out until I got up to it, a few curses, then try to follow Google maps on the phone to find where it joins the canal again. Can’t get lost on a canal walk!!

10 minutes later back on track and now it is a straight canal walk until my finish at Falkirk High station. Turn left at the barriers and Falkirk High station is just there. Follow the path for Polmont and then Linlithgow, my last section which I will do over the next few weeks.

As always I enjoyed the outing but the weather reduced the longer views which did slightly disappoint. From Croy station to the end it was 12.87 miles. 
A nice reward was a pint of Knops Musselburgh Broke, a North Berwick brewery and a beer new to me so a good ending to the walk. Only one more leg to do.