When Scottish poet Robert Burns visited Falkirk in 1787, he reckoned there was nothing remarkable about the town, with the exception of the tomb of Sir John De Graeme in the graveyard of the old church off the High Street, which he knelt at.

The tomb of Sir John De Graeme, a knight who fell at the Battle of Falkirk in 1298, is still there, complete with a replica of the sword he took into battle. But there are some things in Falkirk that are no longer there.

Atmospheric streets and wynds, like Silver Row and Horsemarket Lane, were swept away in the 1960s and 1990s to make way for shopping centres, and in some places the town's character has been changed for the worst. Interesting buildings of architectural merit were replaced with eyesores, and as a result the quality of life for those who lived in Falkirk must have gone downhill somewhat. For we all need pleasant things around us, buildings with architectural merit and a pleasing disposition.

Towns and cities in Scotland all developed and grew in different ways. Their lanes and wynds grew from the mercat cross like the strands of a spider's web, each and every one unique in its shape and form. But when a town is nibbled at, with bits removed to create things like shopping centres, a little bit of that special character and individuality is also removed, and you run the risk of making one town just like any other town. Certainly you would be hard pushed to tell which town you are in when inside most shopping centers.

But all is not lost for Falkirk. Many of the narrow lanes and wynds leading off the High Street still remain, although not all in their entirety, and much fun may be had exploring these passageways. For the visitor who has had his or her fill of major tourist attractions like the Falkirk Wheel and The Kelpies, both outside the town centre, wandering the streets of Falkirk is a most enjoyable experience, and I highly recommend it.