Grey Winter Weather. Lesser Known Paisley and Renfrew Walks

                                                  ALL PHOTOS CLICK FULL SCREEN.

It's been a run of poor weather ( grey skies, storms, heavy rain, just miserable all round) for about a month now so this is a walk I did with Alan late October/ early November when the trees still had leaves. We stopped first in Paisley, Seedhill Road, next to East End Park where he showed me some murals designed by local primary school pupils. After a think Alan decided, as it was a rubbish day, he would show me some of the lesser known delights of Paisley. Areas that I didn't know about.

So this mural wall came first.

Which was not far from the Anchor Mills building. Paisley was once a cotton, thread and textile powerhouse, exporting its products worldwide including the famous Paisley patterns, psychedelic looking shirts which the Beatles had on in photographs during the mid to late 1960s. The hippie era when Paisley was still a textile powerhouse and had a working dock area. Something we both explored years ago by kayak.

On the opposite side of the road was this unusual info board.

A neurodivergent communication board which left me baffled and increasingly confused after the top row.

Some of the old mills still stand in Paisley and this is one next to East End Park.

Using the trusty vehicular transport of modern times to get around and skillfully avoiding the heaviest rain showers we next headed to the Gleniffer Braes where, despite many decades of exploring this area, we found a new walk.  First we walked from the main car park across the upland plateau then crossed the deep cut burn to descend the Tannahill Way, (A local poet/ songwriter late 1700s) a tarmac ribbon running diagonally down to Glen Park. But before we reached Glen Park we found this lesser known ( and little used) faint path running left and back through the deep woods to the waterfall. In its heyday it would have been a well known established path but now it looked forgotten.

Fairly exciting when you follow a vague path with no idea of where it will lead. A Scottish jungle trail in this instance, running just above and parallel to the Glenburn housing estate in Paisley.

At its end we found this old gate, which could even date to the Victorian, pre/ post WW1 or WW2 period for all I know... or the 1950s/ 1960s. No idea. This took us up back onto the plateau area and back to the waiting transport.

It was back at the vehicle, looking down on Paisley's Stanely Reservoir, seen above, that I happened to mention that years ago I'd tried to find my way into it to visit the castle there. I had been unsuccessful as my attempt had started from the western end, where the castle was located.

It turned out Alan knew the way in, which was from the eastern end, near the high rise flats, where we parked next.  High rise flats above.

"Follow me." said Alan.  "Ah, wait a minute " I protested. " my balance isn't as good as it used to be."     " I didn't expect a circus act.!"

Turned out he was joking and the way in was easy, although remote and wooded, a trail running along the southern edge of the reservoir until eventually we reached the castle. 

 This used to be on an island in a marsh reached by a causeway but now due to the reservoir, completely cut off and abandoned.  Castle info here.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Stanely_Castle

After so long wanting to explore this reservoir area and the castle it was good to finally fulfill that ambition, although you would need a boat/ kayak to reach it and the window slits look small. An adventure for a younger explorer than myself. And it's probably not allowed anyway being a reservoir and an ancient monument.

It's also guarded by a flock of Canada geese, seen here.

Next up was Robertson Park in Renfrew and this entrance mural at the bike hub building

.Other side.

Then a walk from Renfrew's old swing bridge down the White Cart Water to the new Renfrew road and pedestrian swing bridge across the River Clyde. Nice reflections here.

Very still grey day. No wind at all.

Two sculptures along this path by a local artist. With no name on it this could be 'The Watcher' or 'The Narcissist' as it's either a mobile phone or a small vanity mirror. 

The Watcher. Riverside path.

'The Raptor.' A bird of prey sculpture with Clydebank's Titan crane and Clydebank viewed across the River Clyde.

I've been trying to eat healthily but sometimes fruit, nuts, spinach and brown rice is not enough. 'Why does the devil have all the really tasty food? ' I wailed. Just occasionally a guy needs a proper splurge.

Breakfast of champions. And it was fantastic! Apple and pork sausages. Yum yum.