An Erskine Walk. Craigends Hill.

 

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I thought I would start this one with a slightly elevated panorama of Erskine New Town, seen in detail above. Like many other new towns it started life as a small village that mushroomed after being earmarked as an overspill development. It now has a population of around 15,000 but the numbers are well hidden by green carriageways, roundabouts, and loads and loads of mature trees. Some of the other Scottish new towns started from a bare canvas, scenery wise, being built over high moorland, like East Kilbride, or in the middle of nowhere, like Cumbernauld..... but Erskine was already a winner, situated on lush low ground, complemented by a low ridge with various sculpted country estates and attractive farmland already on its doorstep and larger established communities like Glasgow, Paisley, Clydebank and Renfrew a short distance away by bus or car. Some of the other larger new towns I've visited look a bit tired or run down in a few areas 60 years after they were conceived, although new build houses have replaced old stock in some, like Cumbernauld.... but Erskine, maybe because it's smaller in size, has stayed well kept and looked after.

Erskine Bridge. I wasn't originally planing on going to Erskine itself but instead the plan was to be travelling further afield down the Clyde Coast but it looked decidedly murky over that way with darker skies and rain clouds so I was hesitating about going that far. Then I saw from the Erskine Bridge high point, seen here, a large ship in the distance further up river but moving downstream and that settled it- so I immediately headed for the Booden Boo car park situated directly under the Erskine Bridge. Then I waited.

It didn't take long for not one but two ships to sail past. The Deo Gloria... a Hopper Dredger operating under a Netherlands flag. 70 metres or 230 feet long. This was the ship I spotted from the bridge. That would have been impressive enough this far inland on the River Clyde but ten minutes later I hit the jackpot. Photography wise.

The BRO NYBORG an oil/chemical tanker registered out of Denmark, seen here passing Clydebank and the Titan Crane.

This was a bigger beast again. Twice the size in fact at 144 metres in length or 470 feet long.  

 It also had its own pilot boat/tug. The Greenock based tug the Anglegarth. Given that the Bro Nyborg looked as tall as a ten storey skyscraper and that a large oil rig had already managed to scrape the underside of the 45 metre 148 feet high bridge and given the River Clyde's shifting sandbars and not so deep 'deep water channel' that's always a wise move.

 The Anglegarth. It was already a very lucky start to the walk and I hadn't even set off yet.

Passing under the Erskine Bridge with plenty of clearance.

The walk itself was perfectly pleasant without being too spectacular. A flat path leads from the car park along the River Clyde in both directions. Downstream the path passes a small sandy beach then the Mar Hall Golf Course then into the Big Wood in an enjoyable circular tour already described here in detail on November 2020. This time I followed the path upstream towards Renfrew and Glasgow to reach Erskine Harbour.

 It's an enjoyable flat walk past the obvious iconic 1970s built hotel with good views but as I'd done it before, several times, I headed inland when the path turned away from the river as I fancied exploring new ground. 

   Slightly inland from the river, in June, a path network and clover meadows give an enjoyable twist to the scenery.

Blue (or purple) flag Iris here.

At this point I was turning back on myself  having walked a few km upstream along the River Clyde. Now I was doubling back inland to skirt the edge of Erskine's housing districts.

The Park Mains and Freelands cluster of housing I manged to easily avoid by sticking to green paths on the northern edge of the urban sprawl but I turned further inland at Rashielee/Bargarran as I fancied heading up to the low ridge/hill seen in the first photo.

This took me past a small shopping complex, seen here, then onto an elevated walkway...

....above the road system then I turned right at the end of this to follow more green wooded paths through half hidden housing, under an underpass, past Erskine Baptist Church to come out on a higher level. Like most new towns you can get slightly lost here but as long as you head roughly in the correct general direction you want to go you will get there. If in doubt consult the map or follow the grass verges beside the arrow straight road system rather than the maze of cul de sac housing- unless you know the area well already that is.

 

Another green grassy hill and a newer part of Erskine by the looks of it.

Although most of Erskine is flat pleasant walking... or cycling... when you do gain some height within it views are spectacular.

 A view of Clydebank and the Radnor Park hi rise flats from Erskine.

Bus stop. Erskine New Town. Bargarran area roundabout.

Dalmuir and the Kilpatrick Hills from Erskine. Slightly murky, hot and humid weather.

Eventually I arrived here... with a cat and a goose coming to greet me. Craigends Hill.

Craigends Hill sign. Part of the Erskine green path network.

 You know you are in the right place if you start seeing exotic beasts. I had no idea this place was here. Lamont Animal Farm. Situated right beside my hill of choice.

Llamas I think.

 

Assorted goats....

 Donkeys, goats and a pig...

Horses going up the hill...

 Timed it just right for the buttercups..... murky weather over where I was headed originally so yet another serendipity day. Yeehaa !

 Only a low hill but a very enjoyable one at this time of year. 

Erskine is similar to where I grew up in Nitshill in that anyone with a love of the natural world is well catered for............ as soon as you leave the front door. 

 Ten steps from your house and you are in the wilds....Completely! But that's the magic of Renfrewshire for you. 

 

The Golden Kingdom.            10:00 pm June sunset over the Erskine Bridge.