The Kelpies Monument

Address: The Kelpies, The Helix, Falkirk FK2 7ZT, Scotland

Website: https://www.thehelix.co.uk/the-kelpies/

Hours: The park/grounds are open daily; visitor centre hours are seasonal - check official site

Admission: Free to view in the park; visitor centre exhibits/tours have charges - check site for current ticketing

The Kelpies are a pair of monumental horse-head sculptures in The Helix park near Falkirk, Scotland, created by sculptor Andy Scott. Each sculpture is approximately 30 metres high and is built from structural steel panels.

The sculptures represent stylised heads of heavy horses and reference the industrial and working-horse heritage of central Scotland; the two figures stand beside a canal and are a focal point of The Helix park. A visitor centre provides interpretation, a small exhibition and public facilities.

The Kelpies were commissioned as part of a land‑reclamation and park project and completed in the early 2010s; they are illuminated at night and are a frequent subject for photography and local visits.

The Kelpies are located in The Helix parkland between Falkirk and Grangemouth, beside the Forth and Clyde Canal.

• Height and construction: Each sculpture rises to about 30 metres in height and is constructed from structural steel panels.

What to See#

• The two horse-head sculptures: Two 30-metre-high steel horse-head sculptures that stand beside a canal and are visible from park paths and nearby roads.
• Visitor centre and park facilities: An on-site visitor centre with exhibition space, a walking route, and a café serving people visiting the sculptures and The Helix park.

The Kelpies are located in The Helix park near Falkirk. By car they are a short drive from Falkirk town centre (roughly 10 minutes); the site has a visitor car park and walking paths. Regular trains run to Falkirk High and Falkirk Grahamston from Glasgow and Edinburgh; from either station a brief taxi ride or local bus will get you to The Helix.

• Aim for golden hour or after dusk-the Kelpies are striking at sunset and are floodlit in the evenings, which gives dramatic photos and fewer daytime coach visitors.
• Use the main visitor centre/car park at The Helix for the easiest access, toilets and interpretive panels; it's the nearest formal entrance and the best starting point for the walks around the sculptures.
• Walk the Forth & Clyde Canal towpath for alternative perspectives and reflections; many visitors stick to the sculpture base and miss the scale you get from the canal side.
• Avoid midday coach traffic by visiting early morning on weekdays or later in the evening when school and tour groups have gone.