The Kelpies are two 30-metre stainless steel horse-head sculptures located at The Helix Park in Falkirk, central Scotland, designed by artist Andy Scott and opened in 2014. This guide covers opening hours, tour ticket prices, parking, transport, accessibility, and practical visitor tips for 2026.
These magnificent pieces of public art are among the highlights of a day tour from Edinburgh that also includes Stirling Castle and the Trossachs.
Last updated: May 2026. Viewing The Kelpies from the outside is entirely free and the park is open at all times, day and night. Guided tours allowing access inside one of the sculptures must be pre-booked and operate daily from the on-site Visitor Centre. Older guides may not reflect the current guided tour price of £9 for adults or the seasonal Visitor Centre hours.
Quick facts
| Detail | Information |
|---|---|
| Outdoor access (sculptures) | Free, open at all times |
| Visitor Centre hours | 9am–5pm daily (9am–4pm November–March) |
| Guided tour – adult | £9 |
| Guided tour – concession | £8.50 |
| Guided tour – child | £3.50 |
| Guided tour – 2 children free per paying adult | Yes |
| Parking | Pay-and-display on site |
| Address | Visitor Centre, The Helix, Falkirk, FK2 7ZT |
| Nearest train station | Falkirk Grahamston (approx. 2 miles) |
| Typical visit length | 1–2 hours |
The Kelpies opening hours
The Kelpies sculptures are outdoors and viewable at any time, free of charge, including after dark when the sculptures are illuminated from dusk until dawn. The Helix Park surrounding them is also open at all times.
The Helix Visitor Centre – which houses the café, gift shop, exhibition, and tour check-in – is open 9am to 5pm daily between April and October, and 9am to 4pm between November and March. Guided tours operate daily while the Visitor Centre is open; tour times are subject to availability and pre-booking is advised.
The Kelpies tour ticket prices
Viewing The Kelpies from outside is free of charge. A guided tour, which is the only way to see inside one of the sculptures, costs £9 for adults and £8.50 for concessions. The child ticket is £3.50, and two children are admitted free with every paying adult. Carers accompanying visitors with disabilities are admitted free to tours. Groups of 15 or more qualify for a reduced group rate; contact the Visitor Centre directly to book group tours. Dogs are not permitted on guided tours.
Tour tickets can be booked online in advance at thehelix.co.uk or purchased at the Visitor Centre on arrival. Pre-booking is strongly advised during school holidays and summer weekends. Tickets, once purchased, are non-refundable but can be transferred to a different time slot if plans change.
The Kelpies is not included in any city pass scheme. No English Heritage, Historic Scotland, or similar membership discounts apply.
Opening hours and ticket prices were checked on the official Helix website and last updated in May 2026.
How to get to The Kelpies
By car, The Kelpies are located beside the M9 motorway at junction 4 (westbound) or junction 6 (eastbound), between Falkirk and Grangemouth. Brown tourist signs direct drivers from both junctions. The postcode for sat-nav is FK2 7ZT. The Kelpies are approximately 26 miles from Edinburgh and 29 miles from Glasgow, making them a practical stop when travelling between the two cities.
By train, the nearest stations are Falkirk Grahamston (approximately 2 miles from The Kelpies) and Falkirk High (approximately 3 miles). Both are on regular services from Edinburgh (approximately 25 minutes) and Glasgow (approximately 25 minutes). A taxi from either station takes around 5–10 minutes.
Visiting as part of a guided day tour from Edinburgh: The Kelpies, Loch Lomond and The Trossachs full-day tour from Edinburgh includes a stop at The Kelpies alongside other central Scotland highlights. The tour departs from Charlotte Square, Edinburgh and is bookable via Viator: Book this tour here.
Parking at The Kelpies
On-site parking is available in two main car parks close to The Kelpies, both operating on a pay-and-display basis. Car Park 2 has 175 spaces including 5 blue badge spaces, and is approximately 0.2 miles (300 metres) from the Visitor Centre and 0.25 miles (400 metres) from the sculptures. Car Park 3, directly adjacent to the Visitor Centre, has 7 blue badge spaces available on a first-come, first-served basis when the Visitor Centre is open. Additional parking is available at Falkirk Stadium (FK2 9EE), a short flat walk from The Helix.
How long to spend at The Kelpies
Most visitors spend between one and two hours at The Kelpies, which allows time for outdoor viewing, a guided tour (approximately 25 minutes), the Visitor Centre exhibition, and a stop at the café. Visitors combining The Kelpies with a longer walk through Helix Park – which covers over 350 hectares with paths, a lagoon, splash play area, and adventure zone – should allow a half-day.
The guided tour itself lasts approximately 25 minutes and takes a small group from the Visitor Centre to the inside of one of the sculptures (named Duke, the Kelpie with its head lowered).
Accessibility at The Kelpies
The Kelpies and the surrounding Helix Park are flat and accessible. The path from Car Park 2 to the Visitor Centre and the sculptures uses level surfaces. The Visitor Centre is accessed via a ramp or steps with a handrail; the entrance is automatic and leads to a level floor. Three wheelchairs are available free on loan from the Visitor Centre; these can be reserved in advance by telephone or email.
The guided tour route is flat with level granite and timber board surfaces and a very shallow gradient. The entry door into the interior of Duke is 1,000mm wide. Once inside, there is seating available. Accessible toilets are available in the park; a Changing Places facility is located at the main car park. Carers accompanying disabled visitors are admitted free of charge to guided tours.
Inside The Kelpies – what to see and do
The outdoor sculptures are the main draw. The two horse-head sculptures stand 30 metres tall, weigh over 300 tonnes each, and are clad in 900 stainless steel scales. They stand beside the Forth and Clyde Canal at the entrance to The Helix. The best viewpoint is from the plaza area in front of the Visitor Centre.
The guided tour is the only way to enter one of the sculptures and see the internal engineering. A guide leads the group through the history and design of The Kelpies, the working horses the sculptures commemorate, and the engineering behind their construction. The tour ends inside Duke (the lower-headed Kelpie), where visitors can see the steel framework and hear more about the build.
The Visitor Centre exhibition provides background on Andy Scott’s design process, the local history of horse-powered industry in the Falkirk area, and the mythology of the kelpie (a shape-shifting water spirit from Scottish folklore). Children’s activities including colouring sheets and LEGO building are also available.
The Helix Park surrounding the sculptures includes a lagoon with water activities, a splash play area (open seasonally), an adventure zone play area, woodland and wetland walking paths, and the Hide café. The park is free to access and popular with local families as well as visitors.
At night, the sculptures are illuminated from dusk in changing colours, controlled by Scottish Canals. Night-time viewing from the car park is free and available year-round.
Practical visitor tips for The Kelpies
| Tip | Detail |
|---|---|
| Pre-book the guided tour, especially in summer | Tours operate subject to availability and fill quickly during school holidays and weekends. Book online at thehelix.co.uk to secure a time slot and avoid disappointment. |
| Visit at dusk for the illuminated sculptures | The Kelpies are lit from dusk until dawn and are viewable from the car park without entering the park. The light show is free and requires no booking. |
| The sculptures are visible from the motorway | Visitors passing on the M9 can often see The Kelpies from the road. A dedicated stop adds approximately 1–2 hours to any central Scotland journey. |
| Dogs are not allowed on the guided tour | Dogs are welcome in Helix Park but cannot join the guided tour inside the sculpture. Plan accordingly if travelling with a dog. |
| The Visitor Centre café is popular at lunchtime | Arrive before 12pm or after 2pm to avoid the busiest period. Tables inside and outside are available. |
Frequently asked questions about The Kelpies
| Question | Answer |
|---|---|
| Is it free to visit The Kelpies? | Viewing The Kelpies from outside is free of charge at any time. The guided tour, which includes access inside one sculpture, costs £9 for adults. |
| Do you need to book tickets in advance for The Kelpies tour? | Pre-booking is strongly advised, especially during school holidays and summer weekends. Walk-up tickets are available subject to availability. |
| Are The Kelpies open on Sundays? | Yes. Viewing is free at any time. The Visitor Centre and tours operate on Sundays, 9am–5pm (April–October) and 9am–4pm (November–March). |
| Are dogs allowed at The Kelpies? | Dogs are welcome in Helix Park and the outdoor areas. They are not permitted on the guided tour inside the sculpture. |
| Is The Kelpies suitable for children? | Yes. Children aged 7 and under can visit free as part of a family group (two children free per paying adult). The park also has an adventure play zone, splash play, and child-friendly Visitor Centre activities. |
Things to do near The Kelpies
Falkirk Wheel – The world’s only rotating boat lift, connecting the Forth and Clyde Canal with the Union Canal approximately 2 miles from The Kelpies. Boat trips through the wheel can be booked on site.
Callendar House, Falkirk – A 14th-century house with a local history museum and café in Callendar Park, approximately 2 miles from The Kelpies. Free entry to the park; the house has paid exhibitions.
Linlithgow Palace – A ruined royal palace and birthplace of Mary Queen of Scots, approximately 9 miles east of Falkirk. Managed by Historic Environment Scotland; paid entry.
Stirling Castle – Scotland’s royal castle on a volcanic rock, approximately 15 miles north of Falkirk. Managed by Historic Environment Scotland; paid entry. See the Stirling Castle visitor guide for full details.
Wallace Monument, Stirling – A Victorian tower commemorating William Wallace, approximately 17 miles north. Paid entry; good views across the Forth Valley.
What to visit tomorrow – more landmark sculptures and monuments within two hours
Jupiter Artland, West Lothian – A sculpture park set in the grounds of a country estate near Wilkieston, approximately 30 miles east of Falkirk.
The Angel of the North, Gateshead – A 20-metre-high Corten steel sculpture by Antony Gormley, located beside the A1 in Gateshead, approximately 90 miles south of Falkirk.
Glenfinnan Monument, Lochaber – An 18-metre column on the shores of Loch Shiel, approximately 100 miles north, marking where Bonnie Prince Charlie raised his standard in 1745. Managed by the National Trust for Scotland; free to view from the roadside.
Crawick Multiverse, Dumfries and Galloway – A large-scale land art installation of standing stones, banks, and cairns created by Charles Jencks near Sanquhar, approximately 65 miles south-west of Falkirk.
Antonine Wall, Falkirk District – A Roman frontier wall from the 2nd century AD with preserved sections including Rough Castle Fort, approximately 8 miles from Falkirk. A UNESCO World Heritage Site; free to visit and managed by Historic Environment Scotland.
More Scotland travel
Other Scotland travel articles on Planet Whitley include:
- How to get to the National Monument of Scotland on Calton Hill.
- Review of the Royal Yacht Britannia in Leith.
- How to visit Newhailes House in Musselburgh.
- Guides to Edinburgh Old Town attractions: Dynamic Earth and St Giles’ Cathedral.
- Is it worth visiting the University of Dundee Botanic Garden?
