Anderston to Partick Along the Clyde Walkway. Surprises.

                                              ALL PHOTOS CLICK FULL SCREEN.

A photo taken under the Kingston Bridge in Glasgow. I was originally intending to go to Partick for a walk but the unfamiliar bus I jumped on came first to the stop so I hopped on thinking 'this will take me there'... but it didn't. Instead it bypassed Partick completely near the Clyde Tunnel, diverting onto the Clydeside Expressway instead with the first bus stop to get off at Anderston close to Glasgow City Centre. Instead of being upset I just went with the flow and thought 'fine'. I'll walk from here back to Partick. Years ago I knew someone who motored down over 100 miles from the Scottish Western Highlands to visit one of the Firth of Clyde Islands with his entire family for a long weekend but the ferry was cancelled at the last minute. Instead of going to one of the other islands nearby or a mainland walk/visit in the area they went straight back home again. Over 200 miles in a wasted trip. I don't get that mentality at all. But then I don't have a family to deal with or consider so Serendipity has always been a very good friend to me.

And she was again on this walk. ( you are never alone with a goddess in your life :o) I was happy because at some point this year I intended to see how the new building project was coming along at Anderston anyway where they are constructing new apartments near the Kingston Bridge.

Around 20 levels/floors on the white tower and nine on the brown sets. Or 11 floors on the white tower depending on how large /or high the apartments are inside. That's one thing I like about living in a big city... it's ever changing.

 This new addition will complement the existing older set of buildings. seen here, which is Glasgow's International Business District, a large cube of multinational banks and offices near the city centre. 

It was also a beautiful day along the Clyde Walkway. The kind of early morning that made you feel great to be alive. The last time I remember doing this walk was on a still night with Anne, Belinda and her friends (twice, Two separate outings) and it is equally spectacular at night. If you get it perfectly still, as we did then, the reflections on the river are amazing and that is one area where we out compete Edinburgh with no large river flowing through that east coast city centre. Just a pity it's not a reliable occurrence here as nightly reflection tours along the River Clyde from the Suspension bridge to Partick would be a real winner. To see what I mean click here to open a separate window temporarily. You can also do this at the end of this post if you prefer. Probably better. Jesus! 2017. Where does the time go!?.... 7 years ago. I thought it was just a few years back !!! Video lyrics makes it even more poignant and truthful now. Wah!

https://blueskyscotland.blogspot.com/2017/11/reflections-glasgow-night-walk.html

  A beautiful still morning at Finnieston along the waterfront.

Glasgow already has dozens of new hotels, both along the Clyde Waterfront and in the City Centre district so a nightly reflection tour would be a major draw. Unfortunately it mainly occurs in the winter months when it's dark by 4:30pm and only occasionally do you get a perfectly still dry evening. Shame. But that's what makes it special. Courtyard and Campanile Hotels seen here at Finnieston. Radisson Hotel nearby out of shot.

Passing Newspaper land. Daily Record, Sunday Mail, etc. It's been well over a decade since I bought a newspaper however. I just mainly read yahoo news online now, when I'm checking emails. It's one obvious area where I can save money daily... which is doubly important now when the Labour government seems intent on hammering pensioners. I don't qualify for pension credit but I'm not well off either and as I live alone I might also lose the single persons rebate on council tax. Although I always vote SNP I never thought a Labour Government would be worse than the Tories for going after ordinary folk. But most MPs are very well off now. In the 1980s I had a job where I occasionally delivered letters to MP's. The Conservative MPs usually lived in grand detached houses or in the best exclusive districts. Many of the Labour MPs then lived in ordinary working class districts, several up tenement closes in poor areas. I was impressed by that... now they are all the same, many Labour MPs millionaires as well so completely detached nowadays from ordinary punters problems. ( and yet still faithfully claiming their own free heating allowance expenses every year.) I'm lucky in that I've always had a couple of 3 to 4 season sleeping bags, wool balaclava and gloves for hill-walking and will sit in them, only putting the heating on in the house if it drops below freezing though not everyone is healthy enough to do that as even I feel it in my chest after a while, breathing in cold air continually. So it's logical to believe that any money saved by the government will be cancelled out by increased hospital admissions from people having to choose between heating and eating. Eating wins my vote every time. Couldn't live without food so not much of a choice really. I get that some pensioners are well off with savings but many more are not and with the cost of living crisis still very much in evidence it seems a bad time to pack it in. Especially those on the old basic pension who might have just enough to be above pension credit but being really elderly need a warm house all through the winter.

                                 
Walking along the waterfront.

A splash of colour. Honeysuckle and clematis.

Clyde Arc or Squinty Bridge.

Route marker sign.

The Hydro and Park Circus Towers.

Apartment Complex at Finnieston.

A view across to the other bank. Unusual apartments. Unlike the city centre which can look fairly grubby in places with the usual nail bars, discount shops, rough sleepers, graffiti etc this walk highlights the modern side of Glasgow. More upmarket and happening. So it lifts my mood.

 Crowne Plaza Hotel.

BBC Scotland HQ and Bells Bridge.

Clydeside Expressway and the Hydro, looking back towards the City Centre.

Same overhead bridge view looking towards Partick, The Tall Ship Glenlee, and Glasgow Harbour.

 River Kelvin where it enters the River Clyde and Govan Old Church.

River Kelvin, Student Apartments at Partick and Glasgow Harbour in the distance.

West Village. More Student Apartments. University of Glasgow is close by. Ten minutes walk away.

Yorkhill and Partick Skyline. More new apartments here.

Glasgow Harbour Apartments and the shipyards of BAE at Govan.

And a brand new addition to Glasgow Harbour. Granary Quay.  Don't visit an area for a couple of years in any big city and changes occur. That's what I like about it.

Even the Expressway bridge near the Thornwood Bar in Partick had a makeover with bird murals in abundance. This is where I caught a bus home. Another interesting and enjoyable walk. Two to three hours duration.

Just watched Sambre: Anatomy of a Crime on BBC 4. An excellent six parter over three Saturdays about a male serial rapist that remained uncaught for 30 years with over 50 assaults and violent rapes in Northern France and Belgium from the late 1980s until 2018. A French Jimmy Savile  who was well connected, doing good deeds in the local community all that time and hiding in plain sight. Unbelievable stuff yet it happened. A hard watch for any women though... knowing it could easily occur again. Anywhere in the world... in any country.