West Highland Way Day Walk. Milngavie Dams and Town Centre.

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On a walk a few months back, in a different area, discussing the range of new long distance paths springing up across Scotland, around 20 now or thereabouts, Alan happened to mention that he hadn't done the West Highland Way, the first official long distance route in Scotland opened in 1980. It runs for 96 miles between Milngavie, a community just north of Glasgow to Fort William in the Highlands. Neither of us had done the full route although I've completed most of it as day walks, either bagging hills or just for something to do at low level when camping or staying in the glens over the decades. I have done the first section from Milngavie to Drymen as a proper walk ( sometime in the 1980s ) and remembered enjoying it... so fancied doing some of it again as part of a day walk. Milngavie town centre here.

 The 'out of sight, out of mind' attitude I mentioned a few posts ago also applies here as despite living very close to Milngavie, 5 mins drive away in a car, I've not thought about the West Highland Way more than a handful of times since the 1980s. Slightly surprising, since I've done numerous long distance back packing routes across France, Spain and Italy but I suppose that just highlights how much there is to do in Scotland, even within the Central Belt region. It was a June Sunday morning of mist and drizzle when we wandered around Milngavie town centre, a pleasant change after weeks of sunshine and hot temperatures to get a cool day. Cool days used to be normal in Scotland but not so much now.

I don't remember all these metal signs here the last time but like any place we go these days new walks suggest themselves. Also around ten years since I walked this one. Filed away in the brain for a future day trip. Main reason I haven't done any of Scotland's long distance routes is that when I did get a precious two weeks holiday off work each year I preferred spending it in other countries doing long distance mountain walks there in completely new areas.

Despite the drizzle we were enjoying the cool conditions with plenty to see in Milngavie. Parking can be awkward here which is probably why I'm not here more often though I drive through it all the time. Better to arrive by train or bus, or park on Mugdock Road beside Mudock Reservoir which is where we parked on this occasion though this too is a busy, popular car park so better to arrive early before 10am. If you like serious walking, 10 miles or so, you can park at Mugdock Country Park main car parks ( less busy) and walk down from there which makes a full day hike in great scenery.

We were happy with a 3 hour stroll. Knitted bee here.

More creatures.

The good thing about being a wet Sunday was the lack of people for photography as usually this is a busy shopping centre.

It's a pleasant place for the start of the walk and most long distance walkers will arrive here by train and get any extra supplies they need around the shops. 

 Being an upmarket suburb the shops here are an eclectic mix, from small art galleries to pound shops. (discount stores)

The West Highland Way is right in the middle of the main shopping street in Milngavie, not far from the train station which is very handy then runs up the right hand side of the Allander water.

There's a lot more signage and direction markers than I remember but that just makes it easy to find and feels more of a big deal setting off.

This first section is through pleasant deciduous woodland leading into Mugdock Country Park, not the 100 acre wood of Winnie the Pooh, alluded to in my previous post ( 4 posts ago) as a portal into another world but a 1000 acre wood that makes a great start to the journey. We followed a few hardy young backpackers into it, remembering when we were that age. The fleeting gift of youth.

Despite everyone having mobile phones now and GPS there's far more signage than there used to be. The Clyde Coastal path also crosses this area from the Clyde coastal resorts. I've done most of that route as day walks as well. Another fine long distance route. See my last post on Saltcoats for a glimpse of that walk.

The other reason we were here was to turn this first section of the West Highland Way walk into a circular day excursion so that included a tour round both Milngavie reservoirs. Mugdock Reservoir first, Greylag geese above....

....and Craigmaddie Reservoir. The rain was really heavy at this point but that's the great thing above tree cover... shady and cool on a too hot day... fantastic shelter on a wet one. We sat under the trees at this point, having lunch, watching folk get absolutely soaked a short distance below us in the strong gusting wind and rain yet not a drop or a breeze touched us. Raised umbrellas were getting blown inside out and rain- jackets were hastily unpacked... after everything else had been pulled out first. It was amusing to watch. Who says wood elves don't exist?

Fifteen minutes later the heavy rain had fizzled out and it was back to heaven again.

With the better conditions other creatures came out to play with a multitude of butterflies, bees, tiny frogs, newts, and dragonflies attracted by the cornucopia of flowers growing along the sides of the reservoirs. Humans walked on the sterile paths above, largely oblivious to these natural wonders fifteen feet below..

A bird family.

A human remembrance tree.

An enjoyable walk. We made it a circular one by following the West Highland Way from Milngavie up to Mugdock Country Park then coming out at Dumbrock car park on Mugdock Road ( where we parked.) round the two reservoirs, then down via Tannoch Loch and the Glasgow Academy green hollow to Milngavie town centre. Around 3 hours with one 15 min lunch.

Another good outing. On a different topic I failed to watch a single tennis match during Wimbledon this summer and haven't done for years. What I have been engrossed in, and have been a fan of for the last 8 or so years is Woman's Football. I started watching it a few World Cups ago and was impressed then by the standard. It's free on TV, unlike the men's game, and I found it far more entertaining than the men's game. Only one in 30 has been a 0 0 draw at full time, last nights Spain vs Germany game- which was dull if you weren't supporting either team. Surprisingly, as a Scot, I've been right behind England's team for the last six years, as supporting the female Chelsea side on TV throughout the various seasons even before that I know most of, not only England's female players, but many in the top UK British and international players sides competing in the Euros. Which makes a big difference. Since Andy Murray packed in tennis I've not kept up with it so I only know the older tennis pros... and the younger ones, male and female, seem very interchangeable now, no one really dominating results to the same extent.

War memorial.

A close up view.

and for anyone that likes good music and excellent musicianship these two sisters always supply the goods over the last 10 years... and a nod to yet another Scottish long distance path.  The John Muir Way from Helensburgh to Dunbar. One coast to another. If you are not aware of them already you should rectify that.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AoMG0UtAVak&list=RDAoMG0UtAVak&start_radio=1

Saltcoats to Ardrossan Beach Walk.

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Saltcoats is a place with a lot of character and history I always like visiting. Like many UK seaside towns it has seen better times. From the late Victorian era up until the late 1960s a day, weekend, or two week vacation down the coast was a yearly ritual for many workers in towns, cities and villages during the industrial and heavy industry heyday. Then cheap air flights abroad happened and the bubble burst for coastal b&bs, guest houses and local shops and restaurants. Funnily enough I never went to Saltcoats much as a child, my parents preferring Rothesay on Bute, Millport on Great Cumbrae, Largs, Helensburgh, or Troon as they were hopefully quieter or perceived to be more exotic/ refined than 'kiss me quick' downmarket  Saltcoats. A bit like preferring sedate Lytham St Annes to the bigger, rowdier near neighbour Blackpool in England.

As a walker though what I like about Saltcoats in recent times ( the last 30 years) is its sizable (and up until now) free car park near the sea front. it's basic but still free toilets beside the car park, and its walking potential. In one direction you can walk or cycle to Stevenston and Ardeer along the low tide beaches, enjoyable winter or summer....

This is obviously during a  big winter storm a few years back.

Very impressive although they have tamed this esplanade section down a lot, thanks to loads of rocks dumped into the sea and a new concrete barrier. Shame. They have also closed off access to inland Ardeer with new fencing. Double shame. 

Ironically photographers and passing walkers get soaked far more in this new version as the old, admittedly badly broken, but immensely charismatic old esplanade produced wonderfully high vertical fountains that rarely troubled folk walking past. Now its like 300 enthusiastic large plastic bucket throwers all determined to get you one after another all the way along this section. And it still hits the overhead power lines of the nearby coastal railway track.

In the other direction you have the South Bay, a horseshoe stretch of sand between Saltcoats and Ardrossan which is the route Alan and I were walking today. Seen above.

But first, from the rock tower in the first photograph, we had to negotiate the boundary edge of the old swimming pools. Up until the 1960s this was a big draw for Saltcoats, a sea filled collection of open air pools, replenished by the tide that was very popular with gala days, swimming competitions, model yacht clubs, even mass baptisms. Nothing remains of the pavilion, changing rooms, lifeguard stations, the 7 foot deep diving section... only this white retaining wall and a long sweep of grand steps leading into the shallow end. I am glad I walked this stretch though. Not only was it a mini challenge as my balance is not as good as it used to be...

  ...but it gave me a better appreciation when I watched a short video I found later of Saltcoats in its prime. Hard to believe they used to hold diving competitions here in the seven foot deep section when now it's only around two feet in places, gradually in filled by winter storms, gravel, and boulders. 

After the swimming pool came the low tide walk across South Bay beach to Ardrossan. The town of Saltcoats here seen in the distance.

Our destination was one we had explored before, around six years ago pre covid. This low hilltop holding the ruins of Ardrossan castle, a swing park for children,  and a monument. 

Nearby was this elegant church. Barony St Johns, which unfortunately appeared closed and empty although the smaller building next to it on the left here was being used by the community. 

A view of the island of Arran from Ardrossan Harbour. On top of this low hill we met a middle aged man walking his dogs and this is something Alan and I have both observed many times on walks that I should have mentioned far earlier in this blog. The generosity of spirit of people from working class backgrounds/ districts. It's something we've both noticed over many decades and it happened again here. Finding out we were visitors to Ardrossan this local immediately took us under his wing pointing out all the places of interest we might like to visit from the summit. It's not our imagination or any rose tinted view it is just a fact. Some of the most open, friendly, helpful people come from poorer areas. UK charity walkers raising funds on long distance hikes say the same. They always get better than expected donations from the communities least able to afford it. I'm also reminded of a book I read years ago of a religious hub worker in the 1930s Gorbals district, a notorious Glasgow slum. He said " despite the crippling levels of deprivation and lack of opportunity in this area he was astonished at how honest and resiliently stoic the majority of the residents were. " Given the unrelenting poverty over generations there should be far more crime in this area and far less optimism. They ask for very little and receive even less." he summed up.  

Any time I've been in Ardrossan in past decades the reason has always been trips over to Arran for rock climbing or hill-walking weekends. If coming by car a good safe fenced off car park right beside the ferry terminal is available for a modest fee which gets you parked without any hassle then it was straight onto the ferry and over to the island. The entire town was geared up for this vital connection and it's prosperity largely depends on it. Now seemingly, apart from a temporary brief month long interval, the new ferries have to sail to and from Troon, bypassing Ardrossan altogether. You would think before they built the new ferries they might have planned for that. Not the town itself but the people that commissioned the ferries as apparently the harbour at Ardrossan is unsuitable now. Apart from being massively over budget and many years late I did read somewhere that in the past few years alone, since covid, around 10,000 missed, cancelled, or interrupted ferry connections have occurred throughout the Scottish island fleet... one of the main reasons I've not been back to any of the Firth of Clyde islands for the last five years. Didn't want to risk any disappointment or sudden changes. Public services in general throughout the UK, not just transport related, are a poor shadow of what they were even two decades ago. It's got so bad with aging ferries and breakdowns Scottish island groups are looking at the Faroe Islands and their connected undersea tunnel network with great envy. Mind you Scotland is the only country that had vast oil reserves that didn't really benefit from it in any meaningful way. Unlike Norway no sovereign wealth fund for us...any profits went to private companies.  

A colourful mural in Ardrossan.

Part of Ardrossan Marina. A place new to Alan and I helpfully pointed out by our new local friend. We have also noticed, passing briefly through upmarket suburbs elsewhere on walks, a definite suspicion and guarded wariness in anyone we come across there, as if the only reason we could possibly be there at all is to steal the family silver or get up to mischief of some kind. It is a very noticeable difference between the two areas. Working class or affluent. On a recent trip to Bearsden in a car park there an old guy stared at us rudely for ages as we arrived through our respective car windscreens until we burst out laughing. He still stared at us unsmiling then shook his head, not for anything we had done, just that presumably 'we were not the right social class to share a car park with.'  It's usually more subtle than that, better disguised, but it's still apparent it's there in many cases. None of that with our new friend... and no hidden agenda from him either. Just simple generosity of spirit towards strangers. Something I have seen myself countless times. Thousands in fact. Mind you, that is a perception formed over the last 50 years of living, working, and exploring a wide variety of different districts in various towns and cities... as a white working class Scottish male. It may well be different for other nationalities, folk from different backgrounds, or teenagers, or females.

Ardrossan Marina walk.

Big balls sculpture at Ardrossan.

 

Flower Display in Ardrossan.

Sense Community Garden in Ardrossan. 

HMS Dasher memorial Garden.

 

Poppies and cross on return walk along the coastal pavement.

 

Great close up details on this cross.

Horses galloping on the sand. 

Saltcoats seagulls, All three murals by artist Tragic O Hara.

Including this one.

A natural sheltered rock garden in Ardrossan on the cliffs, covered in rockery specialists.

Including Moss Campion, seen here. Normally a tundra plant that prefers bare exposed ground and rock, growing on old lava fields, true arctic wilderness areas, sea cliffs, and Scottish Cairngorm plateau summits. Yet here as well.

The Arran Ferry leaving Ardrossan in happier times.  Seasickness tablets are available :o)

And a very good photo collection and short video of Saltcoats town and swimming baths from the 1900s to the 1960s. The change in the place is unbelievable. This link is well worth watching and so different  from today but Saltcoats is still popular with day trippers. Especially for a cheap and cheerful outing. Plenty of modern families enjoying the beach, the sand, the sun, and the fairground rides when we were there. Make Scotland Great Again? Never happen unless airlines disappear.

Look at the period photos in here though of a different world entirely.

 

 https://www.threetownsexplored.co.uk/saltcoats/history-of-the-saltpans-bathing-place/