A rather bizarre social media post has been doing the rounds recently, claiming that the famous London Eye is set to be dismantled and moved to the bonnie banks of Loch Lomond over the 2024 Easter Weekend.
According to the post, the move will involve a ‘two-mile long convoy of sections that will be moving at 10 mph’, and ‘police have advised to expect some delays’. Sounds kind of plausible, right?
Well, it does until the post claims the landmark’s name will change to the ‘Loch Lomond Aye’. Then everything starts getting a little silly.
Okay, so it was always silly. But despite being pretty unbelievable, the post has still accumulated more than 7,000 comments, 36,000 reactions, 12,000 shares, and a feature on plenty of ‘real news’ websites.
So what is the truth?
The London Eye Stays Put… Or Does It?
As far as we can work out, the original post is based on truth, but pretty quickly spirals into madness.
The London Eye is currently subject to the Lambeth Council on whether it stays or goes, having only meant to be on the South Bank for five years. But the decision won’t be made until 2028, and there’s very little likelihood of it moving to Loch Lomond.
But despite this rather disappointing revelation, we thought it was a good opportunity to have a bit of fun and talk about all the best Scottish places the London Eye could go to.
Just imagine renting a motorhome and cruising Scotland, only to come across a 443-foot observation wheel that gives you 360 views of the Scottish landscape. The London Eye is the largest cantilevered observation wheel in the world, after all, and even in 2024, it still welcomes around 10,000 visitors daily.
So what Scottish locations deserve this kind of attraction and the attention that it brings? Let’s find out!
The Edinburgh Aye
Edinburgh would have to be our top pick to host its own London Eye, and this is proven by the success of the famous Christmas market that comes to Princes Street Gardens every November through to January.
As part of the Christmas market, a huge Ferris wheel known as the ‘big wheel’ is erected over New Town, lit up in gorgeous, bright colours.
Adding some flair and style to the Edinburgh skyline, we think it’s time for an even bigger wheel to become a permanent feature of the city, even if some people in Edinburgh aren’t that fond of change. After all, it can’t cause a worse reaction than the W Hotel at St James Quarter, right?
The Glencoe Aye
Who says a structure like this has to be in a city? The Glencoe National Nature Reserve is a beautiful place in the heart of the Scottish Highlands, complete with dramatic mountains, quaint lochs, and amazing wildlife.
Imagine if you could step into a gigantic observation wheel that gives you a full, 360 view of this kind of landscape. People would be flocking to it in droves!
The Fort William Aye
Also in the Scottish Highlands, the magnificent Fort William is becoming more and more popular for tourists who want a mix of modern Scottish life, old architecture, and amazing, natural scenery to boot.
Known as the ‘outdoor capital of the UK’, the ‘Fort William Aye’ could be the cherry on top of an already thriving tourist destination, giving you more than enough reason to pitch up in your motorhome and enjoy its delights.
The Isle of Sk-aye
Rubbish puns aside, we can’t help feeling that the Isle of Skye deserves a huge viewing platform like the London Eye to really appreciate its beauty.
Located on the west coast of Scotland, this is one of the most visited islands in the UK, complete with the infamous Fairy Pools, the Fairy Glen, Dunvegan Castle, and the incredible Claigan Coral Beach.
Who wouldn’t want a 360 view of the rugged green landscape, the sea cliffs, and the turquoise waters of the Atlantic stretching out into the distance?
The Loch Lomond Aye
To finish off, we’re going to second whoever started this story! Loch Lomond is an iconic Scottish destination that is surrounded by charming villages, rolling hills, and of course, one of the most famous lochs in the world.
Why not drive some more tourism with the ‘Loch Lomond Aye?’ It wouldn’t be too hard to get it up there. As one commenter has already shrewdly noted, both the high road and the low road are available!
