A Magical Day at Bowling. Autumn tree colours. Reflections. Ships and Kayaks.

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Not all my visits to Bowling, a small village on the River Clyde between Clydebank and Dumbarton, have been wonderful. Sometimes during the busy summer months I was glad to leave it. Too busy, too popular, no feeling of personal space or freedom on a walk... but in certain conditions. No wind. A sunny morning. Night time temperatures falling to zero degrees and ice all over the car. All signs of the stars moving into place for one rare enchanting day. I sent a message to Alan. He was keen as well.

In these conditions the Forth and Clyde Canal at Bowling is a magical place....for  reflections. With the first freezing temperatures of this autumn arriving overnight house boilers and boat stoves are being used again. Wood smoke drifting up above the autumnal trees.

A backdrop of the Kilpatrick Hills makes Bowling a special place for a photographer. No need to go to Skye or  Applecross to see a pretty Scottish harbour. Here's one only 15/30 minutes drive or bus or train from Glasgow City Centre.

Plenty in Bowling Harbour to see....

And plenty out on the River Clyde to enjoy. Erskine Bridge view here. But it could easily pass for the Mississippi River. It has that wild, huge untamed river aspect to it with the sand bars and the forest edges.

A group of sea kayakers waiting in the shallows to go down the river. Deep water channel markers with the Renfrewshire Uplands behind. You still do not see that many kayakers out on the river. Yet another great adventure Alan and I did around ten years ago, by kayak, dingy, foot and bike exploring the River Clyde, it's many tributaries like the White and Black Cart, the River Gryfe and River Kelvin. And before that exploring Loch Lomond and the Scottish offshore islands by kayak and fast RIB boat, bagging the best of its 800 or so islands with various outdoor clubs in the 1970s, 1980s, 1990s and throughout the early 2000s. Memories of all of them. Places. people. Many have never been on the blog before but are mentioned in my Autohighography book. Kayaking across Rannoch Moor west to east one very wet summer. Coast to coast. Dragging our kayaks overland to reach the next loch. And then again... and again.... and again.  Every new trip back then... all are/were very special. A lifetime's worth of effort and joy.

The reason why they were waiting... a large ship heading upriver.

A gas ship.

Kayakers start their journey again. Apart from the ship having the right of way it also can create a large wave behind it, even at slow speeds so it's better to get to a safe spot out the way and let them pass before moving off again. 

Male Mallard duck with iridescent green head. Sometimes a dazzling dark blue one.

Different light. Early morning. Grey Heron.

The sandy beach at Erskine. Start of two fine walks mentioned/detailed in the last post. From Bowling Village we walked up the Forth and Clyde Canal to the Saltings and Erskine Bridge itself then doubled back close to the River Clyde waterfront. 

Now and again you get a day that is truly sent from Heaven. And this was one.

The beauty of Bowling... in autumn.

The Customs House. Built in the days of shipping rum, sugar, tobacco, spices etc and still in operation today, recording departures and arrivals by sea or canal. 

Swan Sculptures at Bowling. 

No wind is essential for good reflections and it does not happen in Scotland very often.

Even had a couple of tugs make an appearance later on. 

And here's a person with magical fairy dust sprinkled all over them. An exceptional talent. A musical gift to the people of Santa Monica and LA. With  the equally sparkling Daniele Vitale on Sax.

https://www.dailymotion.com/video/x8homwi

Two Enjoyable Walks in Erskine New Town.

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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 former 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 Craigend Hill, following the tarmac service road down from the summit, 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 travelling in the right direction. Rashielee Road then leads down to the right to the roundabout then Kilpatrick Drive area 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.... or for future folk this might be everyday quantum technology 101.

Staying in Glasgow for Tourists in 2026.

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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