A town that is more of an inconvenience to travellers these days as they make their way over the Forth was once a very busy port and ship building center. Until the advent of the bridge the only crossings of the Forth downstream of Stirling were by ferry at the Queensferries and Kincardine, the slip-ways for both ferries can still be seen.

With the buidling of the Kincardine Bridge, traffic was able to make their way into the Kingdom without hindrance. Until the fairly recient past the bridge was able to swing open to allow shipping to pass upstream to Alloa. The bridge was tested once a week on a Sunday morning and I am told that many an employee of BP & ICI used this as their excuse for arriving late for work! Nowadays the bridge has been fixed into position and the port of Alloa closed. The height of the electricty pylons testify to the size of ships that once visited Alloa.

Beside the bridge on an old pier is an anchor which serves as a memorial to the Ship builders, Masters and crews of ships registered at Kincardine, some 108 of them have been known to have lost their lives in ship wrecks.

Kincardine Bridge

Kincardine sailors memorial