On a lovely sunny and warm May day thousands of local people turned up at Lock 16, outside the famous Union Inn (also known as Auntie Kate’s) to watch the opening ceremony of the regenerated canal.
The ceremony was performed by a symbolic fish, seen here approaching the ribbon to cut it with it’s teeth, before it led the flotilla of boats on the three day journey from the East to the West.

The flotilla prepares to set off from Lock 16 towards the Saturday night halt at the Auchinstarry Basin near Kilsyth.

“White Wing” a traditional Scottish fishing boat waiting to enter Lock 16 and take her place in the flotilla.

The Forth & Clyde Canal is famous for being the place where Puffers were built.  Puffers were the mainstay of coastal shipping in the first half of the twentieth century and were frequently to be seen transiting the Canal from coast to coast.  They were, however, mainly to be found tramping from Glasgow to the Hebridean Islands carrying anything and everything needed to live in the outlying rural communities of Scotland.

This puffer, the “Wee Spark” is a one third replica of the original puffer.  Unfortunately the modern requirement for fixed bridges that have had to be built over the Canal does not give a full size puffer the room to transit the Canal today.

A small canal dayboat passing under the bridge that leads to Lock 16 in Camelon.

A view up the canal from the foot bridge at Lock 14.