Where in the World?

Question: Where in the world does the largest equine statue on Earth also depict a dangerous mythical creature?

Answer: The Kelpies, Falkirk, Scotland

In 2014, Falkirk, Scotland got an addition to their city that’s impossible to miss—two giant horse heads standing nearly 100 feet tall. Forged from steel that glistens in the sun and moonlight, these two massive works of art are the largest public artwork in Scotland and the largest equine statue in the world.

So why the massive horse heads? This permanent art fixture, known as "The Kelpies," is a monument to the heritage of Scotland and the heavy horses that built its agricultural industry in the nineteenth century—particularly the Clydesdale draught horse. This large and strong breed was a powerhouse for plowing fields, pulling wagons, and hauling cargo, among many other heavy-duty jobs. Although the beautiful breed is now often used for carriage rides or fanciful performances, their stature and strength was a driving force behind Scotland’s industry.

In a feat of engineering, artist Andy Scott designed the Kelpies to tower over the Forth and Clyde Canal of Falkirk, where heavy horses used to work. Scott even modeled the Kelpies after two real-life Clydesdale icons, horses named Duke and Baron. The statues are located about halfway between the cities of Stirling and Edinburgh which makes for quite the sight for anyone traveling along the main roadway. Weighing 300 metric tons each, the massive statues certainly capture and celebrate the power of Scotland’s horses.

However, the statues also honor another important part of Scotland’s history—its folklore. The name of the installation comes from a mythical creature in Scottish lore—the kelpie—a magical horse-like creature believed to lure unsuspecting Scots to their deaths. Although appearing tame like an average horse, the mythical kelpie is not a benevolent creature. Throughout the centuries, almost every sizable body of water in Scotland came to have a story of a kelpie associated with it as they were believed to haunt the lochs, rivers, and streams. As the legend goes, kelpies would attract nearby Scots—especially children—towards them, but once the human mounted the creature, they would become stuck to its sticky hair and dragged into a nearby body of water. According to the lore, kelpies could also shapeshift into human form, and although they kept their hooves, they would appear on land as beautiful women and lure young men to their deaths. The sound of the kelpie’s tail entering the water was said to resemble the crack of thunder, surely making for a terrifying noise in the rural Scottish Highlands. Some even say kelpies possess the strength and endurance of 100 horses.

The Kelpies monument pays homage to both real horses and the lore of these horse-like creatures. So, whether you choose to see the statues as a Clydesdale or a Kelpie, the steel monument is a striking and one-of-a-kind display.

7 More Creatures from Scottish Folklore:

• Brownie: This kind creature is said to be much like a fairy, but they live in households and come out at night to perform chores and farming tasks. They are known to be mischievous and easily offended, so don’t make them mad!


• The Wulver: The Scottish version of a werewolf, this creature has the body of a man and the head of a wolf. Despite the frightening face, the wulver won’t harm you unless you get in its way, and it’s even known for dropping off food on the windowsills of the poor.


• Blue Men of the Minch: These blue creatures look like normal human men but are blue in color and live in underwater caves in the Minch, the waterway between Scotland and the Outer Hebrides. They have the ability to create storms and are often blamed for the shipwrecks that take place in the Minch.


• The Bean Nighe: Also known as the washer woman, legend goes that the Bean Nighe looks like an old hag and can be spotted at the edge of streams washing blood from the clothes of those about to die. Anyone who approaches the Bean Nighe is said to soon die.


• Selkies: The gentlest of Scotland’s mythical creatures, selkies are seals who live in the sea and shed their skin to take human form on land. They can live for many years as humans, and as long as they keep their seal skin somewhere safe, they can one day return again to the sea.


• Water Wraiths: Slightly similar to the Blue Men of the Minch, water wraiths were female water spirits with withered faces who are believed to drag humans down into the depths of the water. Green in color, the wraiths are often blamed for swimmers or sailors who drowned.


• Red Cap: A Red Cap is a dangerous and murderous goblin who haunts the abandoned fortresses and castles, especially those that were once the scenes of battles or other wicked deeds. If travelers take refuge in the castles, the red cap pelts them with stones and dips his cap in their blood—hence the name "red cap."



Visit the spectacular Kelpies statue as well as discover Scotland’s history, legends, and lore when you join us for our New! Scotland Revealed: Legends, Lochs & Highland Landscapes adventure.