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.

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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.