Callendar Park and House are owned by Falkirk Council and make an excellent railway day out via either Falkirk High or Falkirk Grahamston.
But first, a canal tunnel:
We got the train to Falkirk High station and started with a couple of minute detour up to the start of the Falkirk Tunnel, where Union Canal and towpath travel nearly more than 600m underground.
But this wasn't today's plan so we backtracked, walked a short distance along Slamannan Road and stepped into Callendar Park woods along a track at the west gatehouse. The moment we passed through the gate a peregrine falcon curved overhead, low and relaxed.
Into the woods.
We started by heading uphill, the opposite direction to Callendar House, to reach these views:
This painting was made from this same spot in a previous year:
Then meandering back downhill along forest tracks big and small
Walking along the remains of the Antonine Wall under beautiful beeches:
Reaching pond and park:
And to Callendar House:
The café first:
Coffee and cake and we did some sketching. I started this miniature painting:
And this view out a window on the other side:
After the café, the museum:
Next, the 2nd floor galleries:
where this really really interesting exhibition runs until March 2025.
"In this exhibition we want to celebrate Dunmore Pottery. Often viewed as art pottery, in reality it had a foot in both the industrial and the art pottery worlds. Situated in Airth this fascinating pottery merged the need for mass production, to be financially viable, with the ability to produce ‘on trend’ pieces and highlight the artistic genius of its owner. As well as being business savvy Peter Gardiner, the owner of the pottery, was also a technically astute potter with an ability to produce glazes and colours that still amaze us today.
To help us understand and appreciate Gardner’s work we have commissioned artist Steph Liddle to respond to the collection and make her own work as an exploration of form and glazes inspired by Dunmore."
I remember having freshly made mince pies in this beautiful space with my mum and my brother one childhood Christmas time.
And the ground floor gallery:
where you can currently see lots of my work. Read all about it and see all the images in my companion blog post here - https://landscapeartnaturebirds.blogspot.com/2024/12/artful-exhibition-callendar-house.html
Artful exhibition runs until 11th January
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Trains to Falkirk High are very frequent along the Edinburgh Glasgow line.
Check before your journey at - www.scotrail.co.uk
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Thank you for reading my Scotland By Rail blog. Spread the word and let me know about your own favourite railway days out.
Leo du Feu
ScotRail Community Rail Champion
December 2024
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