search
23 June 2022 Cape Wrath to Hastings, Walk

Day 29: Craigallain Loch – Mugdock Country Park – Milngavie – River Kelvin – Maryhill – North Kelvinside – Glasgow (Youth Hostel)

13 miles – warm, cloudy, occasional sunshine

The northern entrance to Mugdock Country Park

A peaceful leafy start to the day through Mugdock country Park; however, little by little nameless industrial smells mingled with the elder, and the warning beeps of reversing lorries with the blackbird song. Milngavie (pronounced Mulgai – how do you get the one from the other?) encroached.

Where the West Highland Way finishes the Kelvin Walkway begins. More shops in sight than in the whole of the walk to this point!

I was totally – and unexpectedly – beguiled by the Kelvin Walkway. It runs from Milngavie town centre to the very heart of Glasgow with no more than a quarter of a mile of roads en route – some achievement. At the start it is a simple path by a river, a little overgrown in places but always passable.

The Kelvin walkway near Milngavie
The Bramble (rubus fruticosa), like most members of the rose family is supposed to have five-petalled flowers. In the Hastings Country Park six- or seven-petalled examples are not uncommon, but eight petals are quite unusual. I spotted this while talking to a lovely volunteer doing her best to keep the path open.

But I was was always aware of the urban sprawl, just in or out of sight, like a concrete and steel giant, collapsed after having been on a bender.

Limbs of the giant
Urban sprawl on the horizon.

But the deeper I walked into Glasgow, the more impressive the Walkway was. Glasgow seemed to be on two levels: up above were the streets and buildings, the cars and the people; below flowed the River Kelvin with a sliver of wild woodland on either side – and the Walkway. Walking along the lower tier, it was the bridges which struck me again and again. This is a magical route, of which this beautiful city should be proud.

Railway bridge west of Maryhill Station carrying the trains over the River Kelvin.
The roadbridge is almost indistinguishable, hidden as it is by trees. There is no access from the road, so the upper and lower levels of Glasgow exist completely independently here.
The incredibly impressive cast iron bridge carrying the Great Western Road (A82) over the Walkway and river.
The Great Western road itself near the bridge

Glasgow feels like the fulcrum of my walk: although only a third of the distance has been covered, the hardest part is done. The rest should play out slowly but surely

Roughly one fifth of the whiskies on sale at The Bon Accord, Glasgow, the pub at which I found rest.

Comments (1):

  1. Noa

    25 June 2022 at 17:01

    This shelf of Whiskies looks just like the place to be and have a rest, we are following your journey and are full of admiration! Lots of love and strength!

    Reply

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Related posts:
28 September 2022 Cape Wrath to Hastings, Walk

Day 88: ‘Elim’ – Brown Bread Street – Battle – Westfield – Three Oaks – Guestling Woods – Hastings Country Park – Hastings (East Hill – Old Town – Rock-a-Nore Beach)

23.1 miles – The shining perfection of a cloudless early autumn morning, the cloudy restlessness of a late summer afternoon,

read
28 September 2022 Cape Wrath to Hastings, Walk

Day 87: Southease – Firle Beacon – Alfriston – Wilmington Down – Jevington – Willingdon – Hankham – Herstmonceux – ‘Elim’

23.6 miles – Sunshine to the north and south but surly clouds and rain above; some shame-faced sunny moments brightening

read