Monday 3 April 2017

Dalmuir Park. Old Kilpatrick. The Saltings. Bowling. Dumbarton. A Spring Slide Show Spectacular.

Hold up this week was not internet access but a week long trip up north with my friend John, hunting and chasing down some illusive Corbetts. I haven't had time to sort those photographs out yet however so here's some recent snaps of a couple of spring bike rides from my house, heading along various cycle ways and quieter tracks. It's my favorite bike ride along the River Clyde past Dalmuir and Bowling to Dumbarton taking in some varied and spectacular scenery.
                                                ALL PHOTOS CLICK FULL SCREEN
Dalmuir Park Pond. A medium sized park set on a hill with some nice features and good views from the grassy summit. This was the first day that really felt like proper spring weather- warm, scented and colourful. A park that always brightens this bike run so well worth a short detour off the cycle track and canal network to visit it.
Mixed trees around the same park seen from Mountblow district.
A short but lovely little stream drains the pond and has been given the ornamental garden look.
Very nice feature.
Ducks on the stream.
Also visited a local nature reserve under the Erskine Bridge. Worth another detour to explore this. One of the real strengths of this bike ride is its variety of different paths and alternative venues to visit, even splitting off into nearby Renfrewhire by cycling over the Clyde on a longer run to Greenock or Kilmacolm.
The Erskine Bridge near the Saltings with the sunlit Kilpatrick Hills behind.
The route is a green corridor snaking between industrial estates, small villages, extensive woodlands and sandy beaches, many of which are slightly off the beaten track and fairly quiet. The high towers here are crossing the hidden River Clyde, screened by trees.
Although close to Scotland's largest city, Glasgow, and semi industrial in feel there are moments of great beauty, solitude and wide open spaces here. A few sandy beaches exist on both sides. From this less well known one you can see the more frequented Erskine Beach where we pulled out the kayaks last year after paddling from Renfrew down to Erskine.
The wide open spaces along the Clyde as river turns into tidal estuary.
The deep water towers. The haunt of mermaids and mud men. A remote special place.
The Erskine Bridge Hotel and Erskine Beach.
Dumbarton Rock viewed from the Saltings nature reserve which can be explored by foot or cycle using a network of good paths.
Reaching Dumbarton and the Castle.
The famous rock, inhabited since the Stone Age as a seat of power, and the River Leven which drains Loch Lomond further inland.




Navigation Tower, Dumbarton, with Renfrewshire's rolling green hills as a backdrop.
Nessie pays a visit to Dumbarton.
Shooting directly into the sun after a rainstorm. Dumbarton Park View.
Bee on flowering gorse bush.
Tulips in Botanic Gardens.
Daffodils in Bowling Park.
Entering Bowling, where Forth and Clyde Canal reaches the sea. Canal boats and sailing boats create a lively mix here in this popular little oasis. A stop on the Glasgow to Loch Lomond cycle track which uses the canal tow path most of the way until it changes course here.
Bowling Harbour. Where canal meets sea.
An orange sunset over Erskine Bridge.
The A82. The road west to the islands.
Tulips in park.
More Tulips.
Cherry Blossom.
Blue flowers and war memorial. Bowling Park.

This guy is talented. Great graphics and a memorable song. Excellent mixture. Victorian London brought to vivid life in a five minute mini movie. First noticed this person's work for a similar tribute mini film of The Last Of Us a few years ago and I thought then he was an excellent songwriter and composer for stage or screen. Modern art some might say- capable of creating some wonderful touching moments and beautiful landscape settings that would grace any film.



























15 comments:

Linda said...

Gorgeous views in your photos! I feel as though I took a walk there myself. Thank you so much for sharing, and I hope you have a wonder filled week!

Anabel Marsh said...

Gorgeous tulips and sunsets!

Rosemary said...

Your bike ride took in some spectacular views and flowers - this is such a lovely time of year when everything still looks so pristine and fresh.

blueskyscotland said...

Cheers Linda,
The closest natural sandy beaches to Glasgow.

blueskyscotland said...

Hi Anabel,
Bowling Harbour is worth a wee visit if you haven't been and Dumbarton's Levengrove Park plus the castle makes a day of it with a nice walk up the River Leven to Balloch.

blueskyscotland said...

Thanks Rosemary,
I cheated a bit as the tulips and cherry blossom are old photos from last May in the parks but I wanted a collection of my best shots of spring colour in a slide show.

Linda W. said...

Love all the gorgeous flower photos. Looks like spring is blooming like crazy where you live.

Anonymous said...

Its strange that I feel I know the area even though I've never actually stopped! I've driven over the Erskine Bridge and along the road towards Loch Lomond hundreds of times on my way to the Highlands. Coming over the bridge was always a highlight as it was a sign we were nearly in the mountains. I can even remember the toll you had to pay. It looks a thoroughly grand urban cycle ride with loads of interesting stuff. More evidence that cities and suburbs have so much more to offer than you think at first glance

Neil said...

I came back from the Luss Hills by way of Helensburgh and Dumbarton at the weekend. The daffodils are spectacular. I am not a fan of towns but the towns down that way certainly know how to use flowers to brighten the place up.

blueskyscotland said...

Hi Linda W,
Always nice to see the flowers returning even though this winter has been a mild one.

blueskyscotland said...

Hi Andy,
It's an impressive structure when you walk underneath the support pillars of that bridge. I always try to visit the suburbs and parks of any town or city... met some good friends that way over the years as I'll talk to anyone.

blueskyscotland said...

Hi Neil,
Dumbarton is a scenic place with some real landscape highlights and good walks even though Helensburgh is the more popular day trip resort. Great history and scenery walking up the River Leven path from Dumbarton to Balloch. Great Western Road is a real life yellow coated five mile long urban highway at the moment.

Lux G. said...

I love that sea of flowers right there. Oh, so pretty! Gotta love Spring.

Ian Johnston said...

Some lovely Spring images here Bob - we're a week or so behind that here in Aberdeenshire!

Carol said...

Looks lovely. I'm going to be in cycling distance of all the Cumbrian Solway coastal nature reserves when I finally move (it's taking a while...)