Thursday 5 August 2021

New and Old Developments around Dumbarton. Mermaids Walk.

 

                                                   ALL PHOTOS CLICK FULL SCREEN

I'd arranged to meet Anne and Belinda in Dumbarton for an unusual but very varied walk that I thought they would both like. Not an early start but timed for the tide going out so a lunchtime arrival here. The River Leven in Dumbarton, above.

One big change we noticed from the last time we were here was new housing appearing on what was previously derelict land and a new riverside walkway. I have noticed over the past year that practically every parcel of waste ground or derelict land in my area has building works green lit on it- presumably to stimulate the economy as it's mainly outside construction work bringing in wages and job security plus much needed new housing. I will miss the old waste landscapes though as some plots have been vacant for over a decade or even longer turning them into fertile green oases (plural) and thriving natural wildlife havens in the middle of otherwise urban sprawls and handy locations for local kids, dog walkers, and visitors to explore. More on that aspect later on in this post.

 Levengrove Park came next which is always a well kept green jewel no matter the season.


Colourful borders, plenty of mature trees,wide green meadows, and an attractive shoreline esplanade walk.

 Arboretum and fountain next to the circular ornamental  garden...

Planting beds that change with the seasons. Mid summer display of lupins here....

 But what we were really here for was this..... Big Skies- Thick Mud...


Out in the River Clyde Estuary at low tide you can walk over a mile from dry land into the mud flats. You do need boots or wellies of course as you will sink in a few inches- ankle deep in a few places- but it is a totally unique experience of big skies, shifting cloud scapes and vast horizons. Obviously going that far out you have to be very wary of the tide as in certain places, like Pillar Bank, you can be standing on a full acre of firm sand a mile and a half off the shoreline yet have deepening water creeping in suddenly much closer to shore to cut you off completely but other than that it's ok.

 With the tide going out you can walk from Dumbarton to Cardross or further still, right on into Helensburgh itself along the various mud flats, shallow water, and sand, giving any birds a wide berth of course as they have to survive out here as well and earn a living from the seashore.


Crab dinner for a hungry gull. Looks more like a beak mark than mermaid teeth to me but I'm no expert in these matters.

The edge of the deep water shipping channel a mile from the shoreline with a rain storm coming in. Not a spot to get stuck fast in the mud hereabouts methinks. As the Prime Minister said of the recent 'Freedom Day' let up of Covid 19  restrictions in the UK. 'Use your common sense, people.' Wise words that also apply here for this mermaid walk.

 A sunken boat on the River Leven that failed to endure the relentless power of  the rising tides. The ebb and flow of natural occurrence pulled by the moon.

Returning back nearer the land and a different shore front walk in the local area.


Two recently restored wells in the park dating from the early 1700s and one of the first large scale drinking water projects in Scotland running a pipeline under the River Leven into the town centre from a natural spring on the opposite bank. Bearing in mind the River Leven was always a well used highway for boats of every size since medieval times, including Viking raiders learning the twisting water overland route to enter the secret vastness of Loch Lomond with its 23 islands and later a notable shipbuilding and export port in Dumbarton.

 An even earlier 1200s well discovered nearby from the same spring.

 The restored well in July 2021.

 On the edge of the park we had good views across to Dumbarton Rock and Castle which lies on the opposite bank of the River Leven. A popular bouldering and rock climbing venue it is not a place for the fainthearted or beginners however. As it was very handy I used to go here occasionally to climb or boulder on summer evenings as it's a scenic and impressive location often sunny, sheltered, and midge free but the good climbs start at HVS to E 10 or thereabouts and the grades seem extra hard as it's mainly vertical or overhanging walls. See person in blue in above photo to give it some scale. Even the boulder problems often have bad landings onto sharp rock and being black basalt the place has a natural polish and slippy texture so you have to be careful to avoid a fall. Good place to cycle to though along the river track network and around an hour from Glasgow on scenic green trails using that method of travel.

 We then walked round to see the new housing. They are probably nice inside but I have to say all three of us on this walk independently thought it could do with a splash of colour. Six floors high in some places but a plain brick finish overall. I know the developers or housing associations responsible for new builds are under all kinds of restrictions and budget constraints I'm not even aware of but I always think even minor splashes of colour lift the spirits.


There was a very tall red brick building in Dumbarton lying derelict from old industry until recently ( now sadly demolished) close to this spot and I've noticed in other towns that architects or developers often like to replicate notable local iconic architecture in new build projects in the same vicinity but to me, looking at it just now, it definitely requires an extra zing. Warehouse apartments are fairly trendy these days but usually that means refurbished old stock not newly built faux warehouses. A good set of professional rooftop coloured edges/ battlements or Templeton Carpet Factory zig- zags perhaps or a well thought out muted design feature to give it some kind of lift...especially as this is a showpiece river front location........ so I've added my own... :o)


 

Something like this perhaps... only better thought out. Hmmmm, I could do better myself....don't worry.....my first go at it.

New waterfront path.

Dumbarton's new waterfront seen from a distance. As this view will presumably last for 40 to 60 years, unless climate change wipes normal society out altogether, I just feel it could have been more vibrant with good use of colour. Towns and villages throughout Ireland seem to manage it no bother, without any fuss. It's summer here and not raining but already it looks drab. Imagine if it looked like this instead....


 Ten year old buildings in Govan I really like. Just the sight of them instantly cheers people up in a similar post industrial, very historic, but generally rather drab looking area.

Even within Dumbarton itself , hidden away in the trees, later on in this walk, they have colourful modern houses.


 Once the scaffolding is taken down however it would probably cost far too much to do now... in retrospect. Another colour suggestion photo, above.

And a pastel tinted version which would not cost very much... done at the time of construction that is. A much better effort... getting the hang of it now.


 I consoled myself with a colourful dinner instead then settled down to watch Danish detective drama 'The Killing'. Thank you box sets and swapping. Grilled chop, pineapple rings, potatoes with butter slipped in, marrowfat peas, triangular egg with cracked black pepper, and cherry tomatoes. Art is everything in life! Mermaids rule!

To be continued.....in part two.













7 comments:

Anabel Marsh said...

Not sure I’d like to do the mudflats walk! I agree about the houses. The Mondrian flats in Maryhill are another good example of colour.

Rosemary said...

I enjoyed seeing the use of colour on those buildings in Dumbarton, they would look dull and boring without those bright colourful splashes.
I thought that you said that you couldn't cook! - triangle eggs are something completely new to me.

Carol said...

Hmmm - while I agree the new housing is drab, I really don't like that Govan housing - looks like a lego set to me!

Don't think I've ever seen 2-coloured irises before...

Think you have to be careful on mud - we have lots of nice, sticky mud in the Solway Firth here but you've got to be damned careful where you go. Very easy to get stuck and drowned.

I quite like climbing basalt in dry weather as it breaks nice and square to give me my favourite jug handholds - I know it's very friable though. I actually managed to get stuck on a crag (solo) a couple of days ago on mild, grassy Binsey. There was no way I could be rescued from such an easy hill - the embarrassment would have killed me - so, in the end, as I couldn't reverse the traverse I'd just done downwards, I realised I'd have to continue up... so I did. I made it in the end!

New housing is supposed to be mostly on 'brown' (used) land now according to protect the green belt and to prevent further urban sprawl. Not that developers always stick to the rules - especially not in the Yorkshire Dales where I came from!

Covid-wise, I can't believe the Government have further thrown us shopworkers to the wolves again. Just about no-one wears a mask into our shop now and they're from all over the country. It's getting seriously scary again and making me very grumpy and stressed! I can't understand how they think COVID is in decline - it seriously isn't!

blueskyscotland said...

Cheers Anabel and Congratulations.
When I looked them up I noticed you have the only named photos of Mondrian flats online. I think others, like me, may have posted photos of them but didn't know what they were called. I do remember taking some nice canal reflection shots there a few years ago but probably just called them canal reflections.

blueskyscotland said...

That's what we thought Rosemary, especially as over 100 towns and villages in Ireland have wonderful attractive murals and multi coloured buildings that rightly attract worldwide acclaim and tourists.
I don't remember saying I was a bad cook. I rotate around 30 tried and tested set meals I always enjoy that take under 30 mins to do but I.m not like masterchef standard as I rarely try anything new or experimental or time consuming as when I do I usually don't like it much. Not an adventurous cook but I always like what I eat which is why I cant understand any poor fish and chips shops we encounter on travels. Surely if you make stuff every day you should be good at it yet I've had some terrible ones in the Highlands and I'm not a fussy eater. Lake District chips are always the best due to stiff competition down there.

blueskyscotland said...

Hi Carol,
I was thinking of shop workers and bus and train drivers down there as I think its a bad move going mask-less and leaving it up to individual choice. Once again we've went with compulsorily masks indoors and on public transport which seems far more sensible as people know what's expected then as well as being safe.
Must be a different type of basalt you have as Dumbarton Rock is smooth, usually has sloping holds, and is as hard and unyielding as a block of iron. Unlike the boulders underneath it does not break off and is like climbing obsidian which is why it survived millions of years of ice erosion.

Carol said...

I was thinking of the basalt of Skye, e.g. the In Pinn etc. - I always found it nice in the dry providing it was handled gently (not my usual style of climbing!)

I think I'm going to move to Scotland - you have far more sensible Covid rules! As folk here had got completely used to mask wearing over the last year, I couldn't see why they would suddenly unfetter the population and let them do what they like. It's like they all think it's completely gone and forgotten! Even in restaurants, the chef and waiting-on staff aren't masked up. And they sit unmasked people right next to you. We went for a meal recently and got up and left due to that behaviour :-( Very scary indeed!