Spring Arrives in Scotland. Renfrew Walks.

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Glasgow and The River Clyde's' two new swing bridges: one linking Govan and Partick and the other between Renfrew and Yoker/Clydebank provides new walking potential. The Renfrew walk along the River Clyde then up the eastern bank of the White Cart Water has existed for decades and I've walked and cycled it many times in the past. It used to go up Meadowside Street then along Fishers Road past light engineering works and then it curved behind Renfrew Car Breakers giving it a semi rural yet industrial feel. I didn't mind that but it might have put lone females, some dog-walkers, and families off as it was isolated yet hemmed in by high walls, woodland, and fences some of the way.

 Now this path feels more used as the new road and pedestrian bridge cuts out Meadowside Street and the high wall section and starts directly from this bridge, following the River Clyde downstream then the White Cart Water into Renfrew itself. At the old swing bridge....

.... this one here, above, beside Inchinnan Road, you can still follow the White Cart Water  further upstream as far as Westway before the path ends and swings inland where you can enter Robertson Park via Craigielea Road. At the other side of Robertson Park, on Inchinnan Road, beside the Jet garage is a broad strip of land that is as good as another park that lets you avoid any traffic noise on this pleasant green strip.

This is it looking in one direction with the Jet Garage and Inchinnan Road on the right and North Lodge Road on the left. A large Salvation Army charity shop is in this trading estate beside the Normandy Hotel and it is worth a visit.

Same strip of land looking the other way towards the Blythswood Trading Estate, The Normandy Hotel and the New Road down to the swing bridge. This makes a good circuit for dog walkers, joggers or cyclists. On foot, at an easy pace, it's a couple of hours circular walk with several variations possible. You can also include an extension into Paisley following the west bank of the White Cart Water then a bus back from there... or walk upstream along the River Clyde from Renfrew to Braehead. Also a good walk in this area. A quiet back lane also exists between North Lodge Road and Meadowside Street which cuts out the busier parts of Renfrew. That's the walking potential in this district. 

Here's the photos taken on the route. Path beside the River Clyde.

Looking across at Clydebank from the White Cart Water walkway.

There is also a sculpture trail along the White Cart Water. A bird of prey with a cormorant sitting on top. Having to dry their wings off after swimming underwater they love this high position, catching any breeze and also looking out for fish. Otters and seals have also been spotted here along with loads of bird life so this stretch is good for nature. Occasionally dolphins or harbour porpoise have been spotted as all three rivers here are tidal at this point. River Clyde, Black Cart, and White Cart. Of course you have to be fully aware of nature to see it move around you.

'The Observer.' Either a mirror or a smart phone. Stuff Nature. It's boring! Modern life as art. Inner world versus outer world. 

A fruit bowl. Taking it right back to art basics with this image. 

The tulips arrive in Renfrew Town Centre. Spring at last.

Assorted Spring Flowers.

Renfrew has some interesting period buildings. 100 year old public baths here... and still open in 2026.

Renfrew Town Centre.

Renfrew Town Hall with a lush tropical border consisting of tulips, daffodils, ferns and other head high foliage. Rather exotic for a northern town but delightful.

A lady lion. Two stone foot stools all that's left of the grand estate and house of Blythswood. This is where the golf course now stands.

History of Blythswood estate and house.

Cherry tree and gate.

Robertson Park Entrance Gate. Monkey Puzzle trees.

Park info signs.

One of several colourful murals in the park.

Flower border.

Tulip glory.

Tulip and fly.

Ra and Isis.

Plenty to see on this walk. Clydebank Boatyard and Cargo Ship.

Also on the Glasgow airport flight path. ( Which is actually in Renfrew/Paisley but only 10 to 15 minutes public transport travel from Glasgow City Centre.

Airbus A400M Atlas Cargo Plane. Military use.

Same plane descending to land. Also ships coming up the river occasionally so bags of interest here.

A walk the other way past the old Renfrew Ferry ( now sadly no longer active) upstream on the River Clyde walkway to Braehead Shopping centre. 

They built airships at Renfrew/ Inchinnan during the early 1900s with the R 34 crossing the Atlantic Ocean twice and the first airborne stowaways. A man and a cat. This is in Clydeview Park near Braehead.

Airship Info. The age of airships is a largely forgotten and discredited age now but at one time, late1800s to 1930s, it was tipped to be the future of air travel- before the flight disasters and conventional aeroplane advancement. If I had to pick my top 100 films of all time three games, (but watched online as films, Cinematic playthrough in easy chunks.) would make the list. The Last of Us. (The first one.) Beautiful, poetic, funny, heart-breaking. A stunning road trip across a crumbling failed USA during all 4 seasons of the year. Exceptional open world landscapes. They made a film version- The Road. (2009.) which had more of a grim reality theme. Very dark. Grey and depressing throughout. I didn't like it.  The Last of Us ( 2013.) is much better, lighter, a love story... and the first time I thought  'This could easily take over from films as entertainment.' And it was good. Hyper real. A road trip masterpiece. One of a kind. The irony being if they made a proper film of this again... it would never be as good. Yet it's a game.

This is just a five minute taste of it. And a cracking video in it's own right.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aN9C1ehwrQ8&list=RDaN9C1ehwrQ8&start_radio=1

The other game I watched as a film, also released in 2013, was Bioshock Infinite. Amazing back story. The entire history of the USA for a start... including a floating airship city in the clouds based on the Chicago World's Fair when they rebuilt that entire city centre district within a few short years. No expense spared to transform it..... The 'Girl in the Tower waiting to be rescued' plot... but also a Gone with the Wind epic sweeping quality painted in big bold brush strokes but it works. A world as intricately detailed as The Lord of the Rings... or any other book classic. Not to mention an introduction to the multiverse and various quantum physics scenarios.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/World%27s_Columbian_Exposition.

 Suddenly a floating city state stolen/captured by an evil old nutter and his willing cohorts doesn't seem that far fetched anymore.  Add in the golden age of old Hollywood, a ruthless over the top police state, steam punk machines everywhere, blatant racism, and tyrant billionaires out of control ruling the masses.... and it seems right on the money. Could very easily be 2026. As predicted in 2013. Enjoy... or not.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LQNoSnTT2ec&list=RDLQNoSnTT2ec&start_radio=1

Can't say I don't give my readers a full immersive multi dimensional experience. Two songs. interesting visuals and history. All in one post.

Glasgow. Byres Road. The Lanes. University of Glasgow Campus.

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After a wander about the Partick shops and the bus station gable end murals next to Partick Underground we headed up Byres Road, another major shopping street that gets more upmarket the further up it you go towards the Botanic Gardens although we headed up it via the new buildings on the right of it belonging to the University of Glasgow. 

They are still adding new features currently in this area in spring 2026 so this plaza seating and this clock had arrived along with the cherry/apple trees, seen here, flowering right on cue for our visit. It was so nice and sunny we had lunch here. Not many other places to sit along Byres Road.... or in Partick.

 Health and Well Being building.

Math and Stats building. And more buildings here to come in the near future.

A selection of artwork here also on the various hoardings. This is just one of many.

We also had a look at a selection of old photographs in the adjacent Church Street as some of the older buildings here, featured in the last post, operated as a hospital for the area. Dealing with broken limbs in this one.

Nurses common room. Usually too busy, I'd imagine, to be in it much.

Hillhead District. Similar to neighbouring Partick but slightly more upmarket with the same red sandstone four storey tenements.

Near the top of Byres Road, between Hillhead Underground Station and the local library, on both sides of Byres Road, is the Lanes District. Set back off the traffic heavy main shopping street is an eclectic mix of bars, restaurants and independent shops, some of which you can see advertised here. It's a while since either of us, hill-walking friend Alan or I, had been in Byres Road or the lanes and I knew from fellow blogger Anabel , thank you, ( The Glasgow Gallivanter) that some new artwork had been placed in them since my last visit. That neither of us had seen. ( He used to be a hill-walking friend but I can't be motivated going up random hills nowadays on a list after 50 years doing just that and luckily he is that rare individual in hill-walking circles. Someone that enjoys a range of interests other than hills every week....

These were mostly Glasgow scenes. Finnieston Crane and the River Clyde, above.

Barrowland. Glasgow's famous East End ballroom and music venue, praised by bands worldwide for its unique lively atmosphere and enthusiastic audience participation. ( in a good way :o)

City Centre View.

Hummingbird mural. One I forgot from the U of G campus area.

Other side of Byres Road and more tucked away lanes to explore.

Restaurant wall mural.

Ashton Lane. Student bar hangout as the university is at the other end of it. It's years since I've been in a pub and I get all my clothes and everything I need from charity shops at a fraction of the price, as does Alan. I'd imagine it's students and a surrounding middle class neighbourhood that keeps places like this afloat year round as they are the only ones with spare money. I do ok but only because I watch what I'm spending and with costs rising daily; fuel, food and everything else, any money I do have is spent on things I really need. Essential stuff only. Any treats are usually under £5 that I buy myself. And I'm perfectly happy with that... most of the time. It's what I'm used to. Don't expect anything else.

Ashton Lane again. One thing UK wide that might be happening is less folk going to university and more young people training for trades/ apprenticeships, if they can get them that is. Rather than being saddled with £15,000 to £20,000 worth of debt and Ai mainly affecting middle class jobs you can earn a good wage as a plumber, electrician, bricklayer/builder, joiner or scaffolder. As these type of jobs are fairly safe from Ai due to their unpredictable complexity in each building entered and all you need is hard graft, drive, and ability to make a decent living at it. Future proofed for a few decades at least with in demand skills... until the robots improve a large amount... and become more human.

Still in Ashton Lane. I hit it lucky here as usually it's got students, tourists or delivery vehicles in the way of a good photograph any other time I've been down it.

Bar Brel.

I've never been in any of these places... or in any Glasgow or Edinburgh hotel, or in any  restaurant. The UK economy is perfectly safe in my hands.... leave it to me. I'll get it back to zero :o)

One of the reasons the Covid lockdowns didn't bother me much. If you didn't have children to entertain and keep amused, or someone die/end up ill in hospital, it was mainly a middle class and upper class lockdown. Visiting second homes, frequent trips abroad and eating out/ theatres etc. My life mainly went on as normal, Just quieter local walks alone. But it was Spring so still amazing. Just me and nature. As always. It wasn't all bad for rich folk either. Not being able to spend much outside on the house they just got richer in many cases.

And spring is here again after five months of winter. Mild but soggy and dull.

Ruthven Lane signs.

Who knows, maybe High Street banks, High Street shops, real money, and free car parks will linger on... for a few more years at least, just like paper books and vinyl records. Apparently Sauchiehall Street and Glasgow's 'Style Mile' is being studied at present to see if it can manage to rejuvenate it's once famous shopping district with 'mixed use facilities' to replace some of the abandoned stores there. Although more convenient one obvious downside of online shopping trends and retail parks. Seen a car park recently, for an Edinburgh city park that was £4:50 an hour to park there beside it. Max of 4 hours for £16 to £18 to walk your dog plus a stiff penalty charge if you stay longer. The future.. but here now. All over Edinburgh. Nearly every city street there you would want to park a car in has a parking meter.

Hopefully Glasgow will not follow Edinburgh any time soon.  No wonder Edinburgh is a  prosperous city!

Here endeth the Glasgow walk from the City Centre to the Botanic Gardens. On a nice day a very interesting and varied walk. Even on a dull day worthwhile. Plenty to see.