Anyone know the Falkirk area

suzyb

I'm currently working on site in Carronshore near Falkirk. Commuting from home is way to far for me to do but I could possibly manage a park and cycle, cycling up to 10 miles.

So I wonder if anyone who knows the area could recommend anywhere safe I could leave the car. I was thinking on parking at the Union Canal picnic spot on the A801 but I'm wary about just leaving my car somwhere random like that in case I get back and find it gone or in pieces.

Can anyone advise?

wgwarburton

suzyb wrote:

I'm currently working on site in Carronshore near Falkirk. Commuting from home is way to far for me to do but I could possibly manage a park and cycle, cycling up to 10 miles.

So I wonder if anyone who knows the area could recommend anywhere safe I could leave the car. I was thinking on parking at the Union Canal picnic spot on the A801 but I'm wary about just leaving my car somwhere random like that in case I get back and find it gone or in pieces.

Can anyone advise?

Hi, not sure I can be much help, but I'll try...

Unless you have a particularly vulnerable car or are leaving it overnight I wouldn't worry too much about the area. There are a few dodgy parts but it's mostly pretty OK. I know what you are looking for is advice on which bits are OK, but they are too localised for me to be able to help, I'm afraid... sorry.
I take it getting the train isn't an option- there are lots of stations around Falkirk, but presumably you'd have to start somewhere inconvenient and change trains/stations in Glasgow or Edinburgh? I'm not sure which bit of Lanarkshire you're starting from.

Falkirk Council runs a Park & Ride near the Falkirk Wheel- that should be pretty close (maybe too close?) to your destination, and safe enough...?

Cheers,
W.

Station

I come into Falkirk from the West & the Park & Ride at the wheel is good - never more than a handful of cars there, CCTV and right next to The Wheelhouse which (I think at least) is a nice place to eat. I quite often park there after using the car to drop kids off at school, etc and then Brompton the last couple of miles into the hospital but recently I've been riding the whole way now my youngest can walk to nursery in a reasonable timeframe. I may revert to the Park & Ride plan one the clocks go back as the car park coincides with the street lights running out the the beginning of unlit national speed limit roads.

I wonder if that might be the wrong side of Falkirk for you though ? - could be a pain if you're having to drive through in rush hour. I'd possibly end up looping round on the motorway rather than go straight through if I couldn't think of somewhere to park on the other side.

suzyb

Nah train isn't really an option. It would take either several trains + cycle to get in and to cycle to a direct line station would be too far.

By car I can either come in from the M876 or the M9 although due to the roadworks on the A80 I've been taking the M9 route so far, up the A706 then onto the A801 before the motorway. it's not a bad journey until I actually get to Falkirk/Grangemouth area. if I stay on the M9 until the M876 it adds at least 4 mile onto the journey but coming off at the exit before (at Grangemouth) means bad traffic

Would be good if I could find somewhere just around there as the first part of the journey ain't bad.

The Falkirk wheel route sounds like it could be an option if not. According to bike hike it is about 5 miles from where I'm working but with an slightly longer alternate route. Only issue is that it will take me almost an hour to drive there before the cycle.

Applespider

How about if you came off at Polmont and found somewhere around there to park - it would add a few small hills to the route through to Carron and some distance?

I think there's some car parking (partly for a large-ish block of flats) near the Land and Sea chippie on Polmont Main St - access from Station Road. Not sure how long-term it is - I've only ever used it when stopping in at Land & Sea.

Have you looked at getting to the Falkirk Wheel via Hallglen, Slamannan Road and then the back road down to the Wheel?

suzyb

I noticed there is a co-op in Polmont that could be a possibility if there isn't any restrictions or the rail station has parking (I would imagine that will fill up with rail passengers pretty early though).

From there there seems to be a good route following cycle paths through Grangemouth then a short ride through Skinflats to Carronshore.

Will need to do a recce and check it out.

Applespider

Rail station does have parking (and I believe it's even free) but suspect it does fill up early. I know Falkirk is more or less full by 8am and they charge.

There are probably lots of routes from there over to Carronshore. Every time I take a trip back up, there's a new road/roundabout bypassing another bit of the town...

wgwarburton

Hi,
Yes, the Polmont station car park fills up early. It's up a steep hill, too!

Try down by the dry ski slope or along at the railway museum...?

Cheers,
W.