Two Enjoyable Walks in Erskine New Town.

                                              ALL PHOTOS CLICK FULL SCREEN.

This is two very enjoyable walks that I've done in Erskine many times over the decades so I was slightly surprised that Alan hadn't been around them for many years. 

Both walks start from the car park at the end of old ferry road right next to the Erskine side of the Erskine Bridge next to Ferry Lodge, where until the early 1970s a ferry operated across to Old Kilpatrick. A couple of other smaller car parks for a few cars exist along old ferry road and a road strip/layby next to ferry lodge. On sunny weekends these fill up so best to arrive before 10:00am to get a place. Walk one is circular and starts from the Erskine side of Erskine Bridge at a sandy beach, seen above, At low tide you can walk along this shore line or a path a stone's throw inland runs along a green fence beside Mar Hall Golf Course.

Good chance of seeing some bird life, a grey heron here, and I have seen the occasional young seal and otter in the river as well.

Good views across to the Kilpatrick Hills and this was as far as the invading Romans got up the West Coast of Scotland. Warlike Celtic tribes and mountainous, heavily wooded terrain, meant frequent ambush tactics picked off any advance groups. Which is why the Antonine Wall stretched across Scotland at this point coast to coast as a deterrent barrier and lasted a mere 20 years or so before being abandoned altogether. The only tribes the Romans met travelling up ancient Britain that they failed to subdue, although admittedly the unhelpful landscape played a major part in that. And the Scottish Highlands are not exactly a rich prize for any invading force. What do you do with endless hills/ mountains/forest/lochs once you conquer them? Even today you can't get much to grow or farm above a thousand feet- except more trees. And even conifers struggle that high this far north.

The path then turns away from the river, opposite Bowling across the water, and heads inland between Mar Hall Golf Course and Erskine Golf Course and goes into a deep wood. It then turns left through this 'big wood' to come out at the old Compaq factory, now a Hewlett Packard refurbishment centre for old computers laptops etc....

This is it here and near the far end of this building and beside the large obvious concrete main car park to the left of this photo step over a small wire fence to gain access to the grounds of Erskine Hospital for Veterans. ( there is a gate further down going back towards the river direction.) An obvious well made path is then followed right, through woodland to the hospital buildings and then the main road leading down to Mar Hall is followed up to the roundabout at Ferry Road B815. 

This is the quiet road leading down to Mar Hall. Unless you want to see Mar Hall itself you walk up this road to the two roundabouts.

Although a hospital Erskine has always had a pleasant park like feel to it and is usually quiet and serene. A covid memorial here.

When you get to the two large roundabouts follow the pavements leading under the Erskine Bridge then turn down a path just before Old Ferry Road which leads you down to the car park again but avoiding any traffic. Total around a 2 hour walk at an easy pace.

Walk number Two is also circular. Starts at the same car park. This time take the path upwards on wooded ground that parallels Old Ferry Road then cross the A826 into a grassy level area with a large floodlit football pitch, seen below.

No longer used to the same extent so grassed over. Keep to the right hand side of this and make for the right hand side of the low housing. A good paved path runs parallel to the M898 Motorway leading onto the Erskine Bridge and once past the houses of Erskine march up the obvious grass slope to reach the summit of Craigend Hill with its covered over reservoir. This highpoint gives great panoramic views over the area.

View over Erskine and Erskine Bridge. As you can see here Erskine is one of the smaller and better kept new towns with loads of green pathways and walkways even through the middle of it. Town shops on the right here.

Dumbuck quarry direction here.

The Renfrewshire uplands. 'The shire' always to me as I read The Hobbit and the Lord of the Rings around 12/13  years of age and both books made a big impression that lasted. Forget, elf, orc, dwarf, goblin, etc...for me it was the ultimate adventure story across strange lands taking place in deep woods, hills, rural villages, towns, castles, caves, mountains, rivers, tunnels, ancient kingdoms and mysterious buildings. And as a teenager I had that all here within cycling or walking distance from my house... and I'm still doing it 50 years later.

Below Craigends Hill, following the tarmac service road down, is a farm with an attached community animal enclosure. Pot bellied pig...donkeys, horses in other field, Llama or Alpaca...

 A tarmac lane leads directly down from this small field that is blocked off from car entry so it makes a quiet walk past Park Mains High School in the right direction. Rashielee Road then leads down to the right to the roundabout then Kilpatrick Drive takes you down to the River Clyde again where you follow shoreline paths back to the car. 

An offshoot path signposted Newshot Island takes you to a rough beach where you can examine several mud punts abandoned here after being used to deepen the river in past times. Only accessible at low tide and the path ends at them. In the other direction, heading back to the Erskine Bridge, you pass the old Erskine Hotel and Erskine Harbour. Total around two to three hours walk.

 If you have wonder and imagination.....

Portals... or doorways... exist everywhere in life.

P.S. I had a go at altering settings to make comments on the blog easier. Might work... might not...

Staying in Glasgow for Tourists in 2026.

                                                  ALL PHOTOS CLICK FULL SCREEN.

From practical experience I've thought for over a decade that new arrivals visiting Glasgow might prefer to stay in the Anderston/ Finnieston area of the city rather than the city centre itself... or if you have stayed in Glasgow city centre before and this here is a new area for you... maybe give it a try. Like most city and town centres these days online shopping, outlying retail parks and other methods of buying goods have impacted many bricks and mortar stores hard in the UK. Also numerous food bikes and others zooming everywhere in the pedestrian zone, city centre roads dug up for years, and various other things mean that I'm usually underwhelmed/ disappointed by Glasgow City Centre currently. And I do love my city. Mind you I am not a regular shopper. I get everything I need out of local charity/thrift shops often for a tenth of the price. I got the bus this time to St Vincent Street just before Charing Cross but you can also get off at Anderston Train Station for Glasgow's latest mural splurge under The Kingston Bridge. See above.

A map showing the footpath/ cycletrack from Glasgow City Centre to Balloch/ Loch Lomond, a small part of which I did on foot for this post. I am proud of Glasgow but no harm in cherry picking the best bits on offer within the city currently in late 2026.

I noticed on Facebook that new murals I had not yet visited had been painted under the Kingston Bridge crossing the River Clyde so this offered a good walk along the river waterfront to either Partick, The Hydro and Govan, or Byres Road and Kelvingrove. Each only a few miles away and this is a scenic walk, or bike run. 

These pillars always did look a bit drab, although I liked the primitive bare mega structure quality of them. Now many are getting a makeover. As the latest Batman film was being made under the bridge, mostly at night,  they had to remove some then repaint them again later afterwards. I've zero interest in the numerous superhero films coming out of Hollywood at the moment so seeing elements of that here didn't appeal much only puzzled me, even though the artificial snow, the black crashed bat mobile etc.. surprised me and so did the security guard guiding me away. It was only later I realised why that was...looking online. Apparently 100s of films/ TV productions have been made partly in Glasgow over the past ten years or so. It's pretty boring though most of the time as a spectator. I watched Brad Pitt film World War Z and Halle Berry film Cloud Atlas years ago but that mild interest only lasted 10-15 minutes each time. It was a doors open day in sunny September so I had plenty of other places to be that day. I prefer just watching the films.

Plenty to see mural wise.

They were still painting them using cherry pickers when I left. So loads I haven't photographed yet.

Made by the same group of local and international artists that do the murals at SWG3 near Partick.

This diving mermaid being my favourite here so far.

I like this part of the city as it looks like a modern city should look. Futuristic and clean. The Anderston Centre. True there are many fine old buildings and brand new hotels and banks in Glasgow city centre currently but I've seen them all before... in better nick.... without dug up roads everywhere. Walking west from here along the north bank of the River Clyde inspires me more. Marriott and Hilton Hotels located here.

New buildings going up all over the place, yet ironically less dug up roads, less food bikes, less rough sleepers and much cleaner. City Wharf here. A proud walk for me personally as I like showing off the better bits of my city. And this is a flat easy walk full of interest.

Lancefield Quay and the remains of an old river ferry landing dock. 'The horse ferry.' With a large tidal rise and fall on the river this ferry had to be elevated up and down to stay level and it dates from the horse and cart days, pre van or HGV delivery, and I found out recently my grandfather was a carter in the city and probably used this ferry with his rig. Glasgow could do far more with its river. Small slow low built passenger ferries going up and down stream under the bridges... as well as the current speedboat RIBs. They used to have one which went from the city centre down to Braehead and back giving plenty of time for sightseeing and photography. I've been on it several times in past decades and really enjoyed it. This walk is also spectacular at night with the light reflections everywhere on a still evening.. In wintertime when its dark by 4-5-6pm it's still safe enough with workers going home along it. The last ferry crossing on the River Clyde, (The Renfrew Ferry) only closed down for good a short time ago, replaced by the new swing bridge at Yoker.  I also used that one many times a year.

And this is where the hotels to stay come in. Radisson Red, The Courtyard, Moxy Hotel and a few others here all in Finnieston District. Finnieston Street. And right next to them 5 minutes walk away along the riverside path....

The Crowne Plaza Hotel, Bells Bridge, an Imax Theatre, ...Glasgow Science Centre, Glasgow Tower ( when it works) Festival Park...I spotted Dolly Parton here one time fixing my bike near her tour bus. Think she lives in it at times while on the road. Saves hotel bills and fan intrusion. Got a quick wave and a smile and waved back but didn't speak to her. Too busy repairing a puncture and celebrities deserve a break from attention, just like the rest of us. More my parents taste in music anyway. I like Miley though. Great singing voice and some good songs already. Probably get even better with age.

The Armadillo, seen here, The SECC, .... Crowne Plaza hotel....

The OVO Hydro... all a short distance apart. Most cost money though. 30 minutes walk further on up the same flat scenic river path you have the Tall Ship Glenlee and The Riverside Museum. ( Transport through the ages and an indoor period street.) Keeping the moths firmly enclosed in my pockets I carried on to the next set of murals at SWG3 a set of painted railway arches and a painted lane behind them. On Eastvale Place/ Pointhouse right beside the Clydeside Expressway.

Fish Bus. SWG3 Eastvale Lane.

Loads of new artworks here which change frequently in the back lane, every six months or so. SWG3 Yardworks. Art venues, small galleries, music etc...

Assorted Devils...

If the Statue of Liberty stood in the River Clyde this is probably what it would look like. Someone would find a way to get a traffic cone up there.

Superhero stuff.

Utility street box. I liked this one. I bought a pack of 3 pair walking socks last week. Been buying them for 30 years. Always the same type.... good quality. Thick and padded. This time twice the price yet half the padded thickness. JCB £7 a pack. Several other things from local Morrisons. Underwear etc. Twice the price- nothing like as good as even last years product was. I came out looking like these clouds. Such is modern life in 2026. Less is more.

The Radisson Red at Finnieston looks red straight on.... doing up the old rotunda tunnel entrance here. This used to be the original late 1800s tunnel entrance going under the river with a matching rotunda on the Govan side. My Dad took me under it as a child before it closed down for good. Full of dripping water, dark stairs, a few rats, very atmospheric and another river crossing that horse and carts could use- the Amazon delivery drivers of that time period. 

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Glasgow_Harbour_Tunnel_Rotundas   Also in this link under references. 'Inside the long abandoned tunnel under the River Clyde' is a short BBC video showing what it was like in the old pedestrian tunnel. ( click maybe later.)

You can still walk/ cycle under the modern Clyde tunnel via the gated pedestrian entrance but that is equally creepy and disturbing. Few tourists ever attempt it. I would not recommended it unless going in a group/ with friends. Could potentially be dodgy depending on who else is walking through it at the same time. Feels like entering a prison. Even most Glasgow residents avoid it if they can. Driving under it in a car is very easy though.

Same building yet it turns green from another angle. Bar on the roof visible in both photos.

To finish this easy walk I went up Sandyford Street next to the mural lane at Eastvale Place then turned left into Yorkhill Park under Yorkhill Hospital. A green corridor that took me out at Partick. River Kelvin above.

West Village Student Flats. And in Partick you have modern buildings, old period buildings, Dumbarton Road and Byres Road independent shops. Byres Road lanes and bars district, The University of Glasgow Campus and Hunterian Art Gallery (free to get in.) Kelvingrove Museum and Art Gallery (suggested donations box entry) Kelvingrove Park, (free) Botanic Gardens ( free) Kelvin Walkway ( free gorge walk) U of G Modern art Gallery and C. R. Macintosh House. Oran Mor church venue, Cottiers church venue. Dozens of bars, clubs etc. Hundreds of shops... all of which currently appear to have bucked the trend of online shopping habits.  It's a busy vibrant place with bags to do. Bus, railway and underground hub in Partick also. 5 to 15 minutes ride into Glasgow City Centre if you really want to see it in all its glory. But you don't have to. This post is an alternative to that. 

I find music I haven't heard before in all sorts of different places. This 4 minute song just seems to perfectly suit the crew of The Normandy as they explore the star systems of deep space. Keeping up the modern theme. No Light No Light.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TGvCKZ04oFk&list=RDTGvCKZ04oFk&start_radio=1

Duntocher to Bearsden... and Beyond. A Fringe Walk.

                                                   ALL PHOTOS CLICK FULL SCREEN.

Walking friend Alan and I jumped on a number 2 bus From Glasgow to Faifley on the north west outskirts of the UK's 3rd largest city. A good 'fringe' walk can be had here running from Duntocher ( Get off the no 2 just past the A82 large Clydebank roundabout as it climbs the hill towards Faifley. Walk up the quiet and serene Cleddans Road and immediately find yourself surrounded by beautiful farmland scenery. With Clydebank and District Golf Course on one side....

Roadside verges bursting to life with colour and flying insects on the other. This is a walk we did in June 2026. It also follows the line of the Antonine Wall, a second buffer zone constructed across central belt Scotland from Old Kilpatrick to the East Coast, but even with that the Romans couldn't subdue the Celtic Highland tribes from frequently attacking it. Built of earth ditches and wooden ramparts not much is visible today on this section of it. Duntocher (goldenhill park) Bar Hill ( Roman Fort ) Croy Hill and Calendar Park in Falkirk have the best visible remains.

Six spotted burnet moth. A day flying jewel as it is iridescent in flight and unmistakable. A winged ruby dancing and flashing over the wild green meadows.

A dung beetle with small dung ball. This is Paradise for them.

Sexton beetle arrives at an animal corpse. It buries said corpse, a mouse or something small sized then it plus the mites on its head help pump preservatives into the body to slow decomposition until its young can feed and leave... restarting the life cycle. Is not nature thrilling....

Feral Cat. It likes a crunchy treat now and again.

Flying snacks are a better challenge...and totally tasty. Worth the extra effort.

Still walking beside the golf course, deep in the countryside yet only few fields away from Glasgow's sprawling urban outskirts, in this case Drumchapel. The minor Cleddens Road is tarmac but only goes up to a farm or two and does not see many cars on it. A delight to walk.

Further up fields of horses are encountered.

On green fields that rise slowly up in gentle ridgelines until they soar dramatically to meet the steep wall of the Kilpatrick Hills in the distance. Seen above.

Remarkable considering Drumchapel is one of Glasgow's big four council townships, same as Pollok is, 30,000 to 40,000 plus residents living in each one, (where I grew up) yet the landscape here is still intact, as it once was around Nitshill, instead of the way it looks now, (farms and fields there replaced by numerous new housing developments, more urban sprawl zones replacing abandoned field systems where sheep, cows, pigs and horses no longer wander. Yet here it is... still unchanged since the 1970s.

You follow the lane straight on passing no farms until it turns into a dirt one. Keep going straight and follow path down then up, still skirting the northern edge of Drumchapel. (Editors note. 'Fellow walkers. A caution here.... Never go into Drumchapel!!!!!!!!! :o)

So it is straight on, (never go down to the right!!!) until you reach the main footpath through Garscadden Wood. Follow this, still skirting Drumchapel, on the Drumchapel Way/ Garscadden Way footpath until you reach this small dam at Stonedyke on the boundary with Bearsden...

Then Colquhorn Park. In Bearsden...

Then visit the park pond, almost buried under mid June vegetation. The 'cream season' for me.

Coot and youngster.

From here you have a choice. Coming by bus you are free to return differently. Route one : you can take the path down the Kinfauns Drive side of Drumchapel but safe in the trees, still a green walk, then cross Drumchapel Road and near Essenside Avenue to go under the railway via a short tunnel then across canal to reach Trinley Brae (a green balcony trail found below Mace Road in High Knightswood) then end with a walk through Knightswood Park and the adjacent Wee Park. (Found beside the golf course beside Clarion Road. ) A 3 to 4 hour walk at an easy pace... with a lunch stop halfway round.

Route two involves Rubislaw Drive past St Germains Loch to reach the woodland paths beside Ravelston Road in Bearsden ( Cairnhill Woods) via Maxwell Avenue which woodland paths followed will bring you out either near Anniesland Cross ( bus and train hub) or walk further on through The West of Scotland Science Park, or Dawsholm Park then/or Maryhill Park. Ending on Maryhill Road. ( Bus and train hub. 3 to 5 hour walk.) Both walks linking up a necklace of pleasant green spaces running between or beyond/ above the urban sprawl.

A great day out exploring the wild margins of the city.

Is where you often find the quietest, most unexpected places.

And a tasty meal for me when I returned. 

Anyone who has not heard of this young singer, violin street player and her equally talented parents and family is really missing out. I think they are both/all brilliant yet I'd run a mile away from Britain's got talent, The Voice, X Factor type shows as I prefer zero judges antics and comments. Just the performers. I can make up my own mind if they are good... or not. Karolina Protsenko. Been a fan over the years since believer came out. Found loads of new songs/tunes/ bands through her and Alex Goot music that I've never heard before. And this is one. A violin duet. 1000 years. Growing up in public with a gift /curse of real commercial talent/fame is never easy so I hope she is happy finding her own path and a newly independent life as a professional musician and singer/songwriter. She has the knowledge and ability to do well. Hopefully. Already made a million busking on the street thanks to savvy parents.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0yYkwxMrZNY&list=RD0yYkwxMrZNY&start_radio=1