The Kelpies
The Kelpies are two colossal steel horse-head sculptures, each 30 metres tall, standing beside the Forth and Clyde Canal at Helix Park near Falkirk, created by sculptor Andy Scott and unveiled in 2013 as one of the most striking pieces of public art built in Scotland this century. They're named after the shape-shifting water spirits of Scottish folklore but also nod to the real history of heavy horses that once worked the canals and farms of this region, hauling barges and pulling ploughs before mechanisation took over.
Seeing them up close is genuinely striking: the scale is much bigger than photos suggest, and the sculptures' heads are designed to appear to move and rear depending on the angle you view them from, giving a real sense of animation to what is, up close, an enormous feat of steel fabrication. They sit within the wider Helix Park, a green space with paths, play areas, and a boating area, making it easy to combine a visit with a longer walk or a family outing.
The Kelpies FAQs
Yes, viewing the sculptures from the park is free; only certain guided visitor experiences, when offered, carry a charge.
They're named after kelpies, shape-shifting water spirits from Scottish folklore traditionally associated with rivers and lochs, chosen to evoke both myth and the real heavy-horse history of the area.
Each sculpture stands about 30 metres tall, making them genuinely massive up close.
Yes, the Falkirk Wheel is a short drive away and the two are often visited together in a single day trip.
Yes, beyond the sculptures there are play areas, walking paths, and a boating pond, making it a solid family outing.
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