ALL PHOTOS CLICK FULL SCREEN.
As a full week of good warm weather had been predicted for early July my thoughts soon turned to a few favourite, easy to reach, walks I'd enjoy at this time of year. First up was Dumbarton and Levengrove Park. Dumbarton and The Lang Craigs, above.
25c predicted today and only 30 minutes drive in the car with The River Leven and the River Clyde bordering two sides of this fantastic park ( free car park right beside it.) so a good spot for any cool breeze wafting off the water.
Not only a large open park with sweeping grass meadows running down to the seaside (River Clyde Estuary here) but with an ever changing and stunning flower and ornate tree garden as a centrepiece. A real gem of a place
And at this time of year... a hedonistic delight... and the nearest Scotland gets to a tropical paradise... or heaven on earth. Yet so easy to reach. And cheap. Bus and Train available. Another solo visit this time.
Happy dog with a ball.
A beautiful park and well maintained.
A day of sunshine and infrequent humid showers but gentle rain falling so just the job for cooling the air. Levengrove Park and Dumbarton Rock.
After visiting the flower garden I continued on down to the waters edge and followed the coastline path west towards Castlehill and Ardoch.
Levengrove Park Fountain.
The hot weather seems to have prompted my taste buds to try new things. 35p packet soup. B and M store. Very tasty. Not exactly filling but memorable. I'd get it again just for the taste alone. 5 minute cook time.
I'd get all three of these again at the Lidl store. Mango and Coconut Ice Cream. Green Tea and Lemon Ice Cream and Dragon Fruit Ice Lollies. All three excellent. A scoop of each one in a bowl together making an enticing mix of different flavours. Explore the world with Lidl and Aldi.
On the path to the Havoc Grasslands.
Which is a pleasant coastal strip of wild flower meadows and buttercup lawns. Shoreline birds, assorted insects, fox and feline await.
Some parts full of lush dog roses, above.... The perfect scent... treasured above all others.
....and in some places waist to head high sweetly scented blooms, beloved by bee and butterfly...and frankly containing some hideously deformed tiny crawling creatures... on the edge of sight.
Some parts open and empty. A buttercup meadow.
And in some parts .. a horrible hidden world awaits. Of damselflies and secretive stealthy little hunters. (Look closely for them, above.)
The return walk goes inland at either the havoc road exit ( football pitches. car park. caves. tarmac road) or carry further on to sewage works area then via an inland path over railway line then up through woods to the western edge of Dumbarton. Both routes then return via Cardross Road A 814 on pavements back to the park and car.
I was inspired by the beautiful gardens here so much I thought I would replicate the exotic tropical theme in my evening meal.
Boiled rice, Uncle Ben's Sweet and Sour pineapple with sweet pepper mix. Garnish of golden sultanas and raisins. Superb. A great day out.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9IoaKGENB1k&list=RD9IoaKGENB1k&start_radio=1
and a real tropical Eden. A unique moving painting. Beautiful and fitting.
2 comments:
I think Dumbartonshire looks after its parks better than Glasgow! This weather is something else.
Yes, I know many of the Glasgow parks, for the last five years, have been less maintained with brambles, thistles and weeds noticeable in many park beds and borders that were perfect before that. Dumbarton did get a large lottery grant a few years ago and it's only when you see well maintained flower beds- as here- you really see a difference. Why I prefer spring and autumn. Cooler temperatures and a heat situation in summer now that can only get worse. 28c up here is still better than London's 36C.
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