Our present address is Polmont, Grangemouth - a B&B for 2 nights. I haven’t really done my homework here, I had no idea of the “Helix” project, tossing up whether to skip Stirling Castle this morn (Tuesday) and do bike hire around the Helix. But we won’t have another chance at Stirling. 

We are booked for afternoon tea on the Bo ness steam train at 2pm. Time is of the essence.

The Falkirk Wheel & Kelpies project was massive and is so interesting.

The Forth and Clyde Canal was reopened as part of the Millennium Link project in 2001, and included the Falkirk Wheel, a 100 feet (30 m) revolving boat lift which connects it to the Union Canal. By 2014, the Falkirk Wheel had become one of Scotland's most popular tourist attractions, second only to Edinburgh Castle among destinations that charge for entry.

The canals from there to Glasgow and Edinburgh have also become popular, but the final 4 miles (6.4 km) of the Forth and Clyde Canal from the Wheel to Grangemouth, descending through a flight of 12 locks and two single locks, was little used. 

The final part of the route to the original outlet at Grangemouth Docks had been obliterated by the construction of a motorway, a road, housing and factories. 

An alternative route was opened; it connected to the River Carron through a sea lock further upstream, but was not ideal, as the river was crossed by two road bridges and two pipe bridges below the entrance lock. This provided limited headroom when the tide was high, and insufficient water to enter the lock when it was low; an alternative route was therefore sought.

The opportunity to remedy the situation and to make the eastern end of the canal more accessible to the general public was provided by the Big Lottery Fund Living Landmarks programme. £140 million of funding was on offer, and in 2005 the Helix project was awarded one of the top four prizes, which kick-started the £43 million project. The plans included a new 950-yard (870 m) section of canal, which would join the river below the four fixed bridges at a new sea lock. A new tunnel under the M9 motorway would be constructed by cut and cover methods, and a lift bridge would be inserted into the A905 road. The plans also included the re-routing of two high-pressure oil pipelines which crossed the area to feed the refinery at Grangemouth.

The project was designed to transform under-used land between Falkirk and Grangemouth into a thriving urban greenspace called "The Helix". This includes a performance area, on which large-scale events can be held, facilities for watersports provided by the construction of a large lagoon, all surrounded by play areas and high quality pathways. The central area is known as Helix Park and the whole development covers some 350 hectares (860 acres). Access around The Helix will be provided by 27 kilometres (17 mi) of cycleways and footpaths.

The name ‘Helix’ comes from the distinctive shape of the project as it spirals down from Langlees to Laurieston and Polmont.