The first thing that hits you at The Kelpies is the sheer scale of them. You can see their great steel heads rising above the trees long before you roll into The Helix park in Falkirk. Even having seen countless photos over the years, nothing quite prepares you for how enormous and imposing they feel in real life. We arrived in the late afternoon, the light just starting to soften, and it was one of those rare moments where reality genuinely outdoes the hype.
The Helix itself is a wide, open sweep of parkland stitched together with waterways and walking paths. There is a peacefulness to the place that feels a world away from the nearby roads, and once you are on foot it quickly becomes somewhere you want to slow down and wander. The Kelpies sit beside the canal, with green space stretching out around them, making it just as pleasant for a quiet evening stroll as it is for a full afternoon’s explore.
We parked up in the main car park near the visitor centre at FK2 7ZT. It is worth knowing before you arrive that this is not a campsite in any traditional sense. There are no hook-ups, no showers, no grey-water point and no waste disposal facilities for vans. What you do get is a safe, well-lit overnight parking area for campervans at £15, which felt fair for the location and the experience. The barrier to the car park closes overnight, but there is an exit-only gate if you need to leave during those hours. That gave us enough reassurance to settle in without feeling locked in.
The visitor centre itself is a solid little hub. There is a café for hot drinks and snacks, proper toilets, a gift shop and some exhibition information if you fancy learning more about the sculptures and the wider park. It is not flashy, but it is exactly what you want after a walk when your feet are tired and you need a brew and a sit down.
One thing to note is how popular the place is. On a sunny weekend it can get seriously busy. By mid-morning the following day the car park was already filling fast, and by lunchtime it was close to full. If you are planning to park up for the day, arriving early is the best way to avoid disappointment or the stress of circling for a space.
As evening crept in, the crowds thinned and the mood shifted. The Kelpies are lit after dark and seeing them illuminated against the fading sky was easily the highlight of our stay. The reflections in the water, the quiet hum of distant traffic and the low conversations of late walkers created a really gentle atmosphere. It felt special without being showy. We sat with a mug of tea, just watching the light change on the steel surfaces, and it was one of those simple travel moments that stays with you.
Sometime in the early evening, a friendly member of staff came around the vans to collect the overnight parking fee in person. It felt refreshingly simple and low-key. We paid our £15 there and then, had a brief chat about the park and our travels, and as a small, unexpected bonus we were handed a Kelpies bumper sticker along with the receipt. It is a tiny touch, but it made us smile and it is now stuck proudly on the back of the van as a reminder of this stop.
Overnight was calm and uneventful. You are not tucked into a wild lay-by here, but the park settles beautifully once the day visitors have gone. There was a steady trickle of people heading out through the evening, and after that it was mostly stillness, broken only by the occasional swan moving along the canal.
In the morning, the park came back to life with joggers, dog walkers and families drifting in for the day. It felt friendly and relaxed rather than hectic, and we enjoyed one last wander before moving on. The Helix is not somewhere you would base yourself for days on end if you rely on full camper facilities, but as a memorable overnight stop with one of Scotland’s most striking sights on your doorstep, it does the job brilliantly.
The Kelpies manage to be dramatic without feeling overworked, grand without being cold. They sit comfortably in their landscape, inviting you in rather than towering over you. As a vanlifer or road-tripper, it is the kind of stop that breaks up a journey in the best possible way. Practical enough, quietly welcoming, and visually unforgettable.
///ahead.salt.trick