Outing — Your View 2025

Mrs T is from Scotland (Corstorphine), so we go to Scotland with some level of regularity. On the right hand side of Scotland there's a bit of water (Forth of Firth) you need to get over if you want to explore that side. For ages getting over this bit of water was problematic. Luckily those enterprising Victorians made great efforts to fix the problem. Their fix is called the Forth Bridge.

Since the Victorians sorted the issue for their favourite mode of transport (trains), subsequent generations have rolled out additional fixes, the Forth Road Bridge and more recently the Queensferry Crossing. The road bridge opened in 1964, the toll was removed in 2008. The Queesnferry Crossing opened to traffic in August 2017, the queen came along a few days later on September 4th 2027 to formally open it 53 years after she opened the Forth Road bridge.

Google maps Forth Crossings — Google Maps grab of the crossings.

The road bridge, was closed for repairs and when it re-opened it was designated a public transport corridor. The Forth Bridge is for trains, the Forth Road Bridge is for public transport, pedestrians & cyclists and the Queensferry Crossing is for all other traffic. Anyway... this is about the Forth Bridge.

Barnardo's in partnership with Network Rail, Balfour Beatty & The Briggers run an event called Your View at the Forth Bridge. It's Barnardo's Scotland's biggest single fundraiser, click here if you fancy it.

The experience started (for us anyway) on Saturday 20th Sept with a 4 hour drive up the M61/M6/M74/M8/M90 culminating in a shot over the Queensferry Crossing.

Queensferry Supports — Queensferry crossing supports.

On the way up, I was a bit concerned that the weather wouldn't be great, but thankfully when we made our customary stop at Gretna Green the rain eased off, so we remained dry during our toilet & walk about stop. Mrs T drove there, I drove home. We went in Mrs T's car. Fin was camping with explorers, so it was Mrs T, Mitch and I on the trip.

It started raining again pretty much as soon as we got back in the car. It's another 100 miles from Gretna to the bridge, when we got to Motherwell, the rain eased off. Happy days. Back to the story. When you arrive at the bridge, you park up and head into the registration cabin. There's a friendly team waiting for you when you arrive. Once you're signed in a lady from The Briggers (the history group who've done amazing research into the construction of the bridge) give a presentation about the bridge, including a joining in section of heating & hammering rivets.

Summary

2,467m long
110m high
48.2m water to rail level
53,000 tonnes of steel
6.5-8 million rivets
240,000 litres of Forth Bridge Red paint

The old idioum about painting the Forth bridge is no longer true, they finished painting it in 2011, and it won't need doing again until 2036 thanks to some new specialist paint. Once you've enjoyed the presentation it's into the safety briefing where you get your hi-viz and hard hat. Then it's a short walk to the Alimak hoist for the 2.5 minute trip to the top. The hoist is pretty cozy when there's 15 of you onboard.

When you pop out at the top of the North cantilever the view is spectacular! You get the road bridge, the Queensferry crossing, North Queensferry harbour and the water stretching inland with mountains in the distance. The platform is a scaffold that spans the two towers of the North cantilever.

First View — The view from the lift exit.

There's two large platforms with a walkway between the two. There's contrasting blue planks underfoot which are stacked 3 high at the edges. There's a scaffold handrail all the way round. The two platforms provide you with splendid views in both directions inland and up and down the water.

On the second platform there's a raised section where the photographer takes your picture with the bridge & Inchgarvie island in the background. Best of all, the picture is included in the experience.

When you're up at the top you're free to wander about taking pictures, video calling your family & friends, enjoying the view etc. The guides are in the background to answer any questions or to provide reassurance if you're wobbly on your feet. Our guides on the day were scaffolders, so had insider info about how they put the platfoms in. It's awesome that you can just wander about taking in the views. There's no off limit areas, no don't touch signs, no restrictions, it's brill. The scaffold is attached to the bridge, so it does move a little in the wind and when trains pass over the bridge, nothing too naughty though. The weather was calm, with the wind you'd expect up high and occasional light gusts, nothing to worry about though. The sunset slot was sold out, but we were on the 1730 one, so when we were up there, the sunset was just starting.

While we were up there 4 or 5 trains passed under us, the bridge does move a little as the train comes off the viaduct and onto the bridge, it all adds to the fun while you're up there.

Photos don't do the experience justice. The views are breathtaking, being up there feels special, the introductory presentation before you head up begins to give you a sense of the effort that went into construction which makes being up there even more special. Obligatory selfie.

You get about 30 minutes up top, before you know it your time is up and it's back into the hoist for the 2.5 minute trip back down to ground level. When you get back to the bottom you turn in your hi viz & hard hat then exit via the gift shop. I picked up a pin badge, keyring & the pop up card. When I met up with Mrs T & Mitch, they had bought me The Briggers book & Mitch had the kids version. You've got to be 18 to go up, so both kids are not yet old enough. The team were kind enough to let Mitch & Mrs T watch the presentation and Mitch got to pump the bellows of the riveting demonstration.

Mrs T isn't afraid of heights but doesn't fancy going up, so the two times I've been up, I've done it on my own. It's a wonderful experience I can't recommed it enough. This year they did an ultimate experience that includes a stop at the bothy half way up for a drink and a biscuit and then a walk out over the forth on the track level walkway, there's only 1 of these trips on each of the three days they do it, unfortunately it was sold out when we booked the tickets (literally seconds after they went on sale!). Maybe next time...

Your View 2025

More outings

TruckFest 2025

Lancashire Steam & Vintage Festival

Blackpool - Ride The Lights 2025