One of Scotland’s top five-star visitor attractions, The Helix, Home of The Kelpies, has launched exclusive private tours of the world-renowned equine structures.
Celebrating their 10th anniversary this year, the new bespoke tours of The Kelpies offer visitors "a unique and intimate experience".
Situated between Falkirk and Grangemouth, The Kelpies, standing at 30 metres tall and weighing over 300 tonnes each, were constructed as the focal point of The Helix Park in 2014.
Since their installation, The Kelpies have become an iconic symbol of Scotland, welcoming over seven million visitors from all over the world.
The newly launched exclusive tours of The Kelpies, which are led by an expert guide, offer an intimate experience of the immense sculptures.
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Visitors can see these striking structures up close, learn about the inspiration behind them, their significance to Scottish culture, the meticulous craftsmanship that brought them to life and the complexity of the engineering process. The bespoke tours culminate in an exclusive view of the structures from the inside.
The inspiration behind Andy’s Scott’s design, Clydesdale horses made a significant contribution to Scotland’s agricultural and industrial heritage. Modelled on two particular Clydesdale horses, Duke and Baron, Clydesdales were the power behind numerous local industries, agriculture and day-to-day transport. With the breed now listed as vulnerable by the Rare Breeds Survival Trust, and less than 900 Clydesdales left in Scotland, the Kelpies provide a lasting legacy to their tremendous contribution to Scottish working life.
Lesley O’Hare, Culture and Greenspace Manager at Falkirk Council, said: “Our guided tours of The Kelpies have always been popular, attracting visitors from all around the world.
"Our new bespoke private tours provide a magical, tailored experience with exclusive access and dedicated attention from our expert guides. This allows visitors to explore at their own pace and delve deeper into what interests them most about The Kelpies.”
The Helix, originally created as a space for the communities in the Falkirk area to come together, was awarded five-star visitor attraction status by Visit Scotland and won the ‘Best Visitor Attraction Experience’ at the 2023 Visit Scotland National Thistle Awards.
Opened in 2013 and operated by Falkirk Council, it features extensive pathways, a lagoon, splash-play areas, and a visitor centre.
READ MORE: Celebrations mark 10th anniversary of The Kelpies
It is estimated that The Kelpies at The Helix have helped to generate an additional £67 million in ‘visitor spend’ in the area.
Back in April, more than 10,000 visitors gathered at The Helix for a special one-off event, Kelpies 10, to celebrate the 10th anniversary of The Kelpies sculptures.
Clydesdale Horse demonstrations, performances by a number of pipe bands and family activities were among the events which took place at the sculptures on Saturday, April 27 to mark the anniversary.
The day culminated with the first evening concert to take place on the site, featuring Scottish singer-songwriter Callum Beattie, musician, DJ and producer Rebecca Vasmant with her Rebecca Vasmant Ensemble, and bagpipe band the Red Hot Chilli Pipers, who performed a set of their “Bagrock”, a fusion of traditional Scottish Music and rock/pop anthems. Evening celebrations also included a screening of Walid Salhab’s The Kelpies, a short anniversary film, and a fire show from Pyroceltica.
Speaking in the wake of the celebrations, Scottish Canals’ chief executive John Paterson said: “Scottish Canals had a vision to create a piece of art at the eastern gateway to Scotland’s historic Forth & Clyde Canal.
“The Kelpies pay homage to the working horses of Scotland which used to pull barges along Scotland’s canals and worked in fields in the area where they now stand. Now almost a decade on and these magnificent works of art are global waterways icons attracting thousands of visitors to Scotland each year.
“We are looking forward to the next 10 years as we continue to make better lives by the water.”
Falkirk Council Leader Cecil Meiklejohn added: “Since their original construction, The Kelpies have brought millions of visitors from Scotland, the UK and across the globe to witness these iconic structures that feature so prominently on our local landscape.
“The Kelpies 10 event has been a great way to celebrate their presence and ensure the interest that they generate continues for decades to come.”
To find out more about the exclusive tours of The Kelpies at The Helix, please visit: www.thehelix.co.uk
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