The Kelpies

The Kelpies is a monumental art installation by local sculpture Andy Scott, celebrating the importance of heavy horse power in central Scotland. In June 2013, construction began on two steel horse heads built from a tubular steel frame supporting this most complex and delicate sculptural form. The Kelpies are approximately 100 feet (30 meters) tall and are built using 926 individual stainless steel panels and weigh over 300 pounds each.

The sculpture was modelled on two Clydesdale heavy horses that were the backbone of the Industrial Revolution of the 1800s, but the original “kelpie” was a mythical water spirit that could change its shape to look like a horse. In Celtic legend, kelpies were cunning and dangerous, plaguing ships that traversed the seas around Scotland.

Their location at The Helix Park in Falkirk provides an impressive gateway to the Forth & Clyde Canal, which frames the Kelpies canal basin. Walking, running, and cycling paths run around The Helix Park, which is part of the wider site.

In spite of the Kelpies being a major landmark and visible from miles away, you need to get up close to enjoy their scale and ingenuity. In the dark they appear even more spectacular when illuminated.

The launch of the Kelpies involved a series of a spectacular audiovisual performances on 17 April 2014, with an audience of 12,000.