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Falkirk
Booking Information
Cruise Bookings
Telephone: 07554 063911
Email: falkirkbookings@seagulltrustcruises.org.ukMarion Seagull Holiday Boat Bookings
Telephone: 01324 620768
Email: marionbookings@seagulltrustcruises.org.uk- FALKIRK: based in The Seagull Trust boathouse in Bantaskine Park, passengers come from the Falkirk, Stirling and Fife area and from as far north as Dundee.
The Centre was designed and built to incorporate all of the Seagull Trusts needs and it was opened in 1992. It has a lounge for guests and two spacious toilets equipped for people with special needs. The Centre is on two levels - on the car park level there is an entrance foyer, the furnished lounge with full height windows overlooking the dockside where guests can relax before boarding one of the Seagull boats; it also has a fully equipped kitchen. From this level a stairway and hydraulically operated wheelchair lift lead down to the dockside where, by means of a gently sloping ramp, our guests can board the canal boat.
BRANCH HISTORY
The Falkirk Branch was formed in 1982 with the aim of cruising on the Union Canal. After much fund raising, most of it locally in the Falkirk area, a canal boat was designed and built. It was named the “Govan Seagull” in 1984 and entered service with the Branch in 1985. Cruising originally took place on the Forth & Clyde Canal from Lock 16 at Camelon, to Bonnybridge while British Waterways prepared the Union Canal for the Govan Seagull.
Whilst on the Forth & Clyde Canal the Govan Seagull was moored in the open and became the target of vandalism. In an effort to combat this some of the perpetrators were tracked down and taken for a cruise, in order to explain what the canal boat was used for and who cruised on it. Subsequently the former perpetrators became unofficial minders for “their” canal boat - even to the alleged extent of throwing other vandals into the Canal when they were caught in the act!
In 1987 the Govan Seagull was transferred up to the Union Canal and moored at Greenbank, at the extreme West end of the Canal, while the Falkirk reception centre and boathouse was designed and built.
In 1992 the Falkirk reception centre and boathouse was opened at Bantaskine and provided secure accommodation for the Govan Seagull and extensive facilities for our guests and branch meetings.
Location
- The Reception Centre is located in Bantaskine Park in Falkirk; the Postcode is FK1 5PT. Its location is shown on the map below; this can also be downloaded by right clicking here. It is reached by a tarred road, suitable for the mini buses, which leads from Gartcows Road up to and over the Canal and to a spacious car park.
- Javascript is required to view this map.
- To use the branch map: Click on the blue icon for address details. Double click the icon to centre map on that location. Use arrows and + / - in top righthand corner to navigate map
Our Boat(s)
The Govan Seagull
A purpose built boat she is able to carry a total of twelve passengers comprising a maximum of 10 disabled people (of which no more than 6 can be in wheelchairs) plus 2 carers. The boat is fully equipped to accommodate disabled passengers having a powered lift to gently lower the passengers on board.
The Barr Seagull
The Barr Seagull is very similar to the Govan Seagull and was built in Falkirk. She is a newer model with better heating and an incorporated galley in the main cabin.
The Marion Seagull
Unlike traditional canal narrow boats, the Marion Seagull is three metres wide and this gives a wide, spacious and roomy feel to the accommodation and the large picture windows make it bright and airy. Accommodation on board sleeps a maximum of six people, (plus a skippers bunk) with two toilets, a shower, kitchen area with cooker, fridge, microwave and sink, a lounge/eating area and an open deck area in the bow. There is a lift in the bow to allow wheelchairs on and off the boat and another in the stern to lift a wheelchair up to the steering position. There is a mobile phone, and a television and video fitted in the lounge. The accommodation is centrally heated and there is a steady supply of hot water.
Downloadable Information
- Click on the attachment title to download the file
Attachment Size Day Booking Form 2010 (doc) 371.5 KB Marion Seagull Information (doc) 432.5 KB
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