The Kelpies, Grangemouth

The Kelpies, two 30 metre high steel sculptures, suddenly rise up in front of drivers on the M9 near Grangemouth, in sharp contrast to an otherwise flat industrial landscape.

Designed by Scottish sculptor Andy Scott, the Kelpies occupy centre stage in the Helix, a 350 hectare parkland project built to connect 16 communities in the Falkirk Council Area of Scotland.

The sculptures, each made from 300 tonnes of structural steel, are a tribute to the tradition of the working horses of Scotland which used to pull barges along Scotland's canals and worked in the fields in the nearby area.

 

They are the largest public artworks in Scotland and the largest pair of equine sculptures in the world.
Kelpies are mythical aquatic creatures from Scottish folklore; supernatural shape-shifting water horses that are said to haunt the rivers and streams of Scotland.

 

















Nearby, the legacy of the working horses is evoked in stone, by Jim Carruth, Scotland's leading rural poet.

Echo the great beasts that work among us

unbridled in this kingdom between canal and firth

here to harness the river

and carry each weary traveller

Bow down your strong heads to taste the water

Stretch up your long necks to face the sun

I have read conflicting views of the Kelpies sculptures, some people are of the opinion they are not "art" and are a waste of money.

I'm no art critic, but I know what I like and I absolutely love them. I must go back and see them lit up at night!

Thanks for visiting, hope you've enjoyed the photos. 

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