ALL PHOTOS CLICK FULL SCREEN.
It's been several years since I visited Rouken Glen Park, above, so another visit was overdue. It's always been a favourite park going right back to the 1960s and 1970s when I used to visit it from around five years of age right up to my mid 20s at least 4 times a year. Any time of year was worthwhile but certain visits stand out. Once as a teenager after heavy snowfall when I walked all the way there and entered a pristine winter world. Roads were blocked under snowdrifts so no cars or buses running at all for several days and I was one of only a handful of visitors. Mine the first footprints down many of the paths and a world completely transformed, strangely unfamiliar, landmarks obliterated under deep snow. Deathly quiet except for the occasional thump of heavy snow cushions sliding off the branches to hit the ground. Magical. And it's always been a magical park for me.
First stop this visit was the wildlife garden as it is close to the main car park. Thankfully still free at the moment but always popular. This section was ok... still well maintained.
I had my usual cynical feeling seeing this section though. Heavily overgrown. I am aware parks are being left wilder these days but in this instance I was of the opinion that 'the green policy' suited cash strapped councils as they could cut back on staff/ maintainance under the convenient umbrella of 'going green'.
That's not to say I wasn't enjoying myself. I was ... as it's a beautiful park. I was just observing all the differences since my last visit a few years ago. The open meadow section here... not much changed. In the summer months swifts and swallows used to skim low over the grass as we sat having picnics. ... maybe they still do.... but fewer of them with many bird populations down 50% to 70% over the last 4 decades.
The walled garden area came next. This outside section looks fine. Well maintained as ever.
Can't say the same for the interior of the Walled Garden. The gates were shut and it looked abandoned. After a month long dry spell it also looked dead although maybe some plants might be saved as it's been rainy since then. Last time I was in here, with Anne, it had loads of flowering plants in full bloom. Nothing at all now. Which is a shame as there's not many Walled Gardens left in Scotland and in this particular park it is where all the flowers existed. Not much anywhere else here for the bees.
Next up came the glen walk which is always a treat. One of the wonders of this park is the paths and boardwalk down in the glen. Back in the 1960s, as a youngster, this boardwalk never existed, so we found our own paths away from the main tracks. Free roaming children.
Impossible to do that now though. Thick bamboo and other invasive species have taken over the hinterland down here in many places so you definitely need the modern boardwalk. Both here and in the Dams To Darnley Country Park change has been dramatic since the close cropped well maintained 1960s. The phrase that came into my mind here was 'Jungle Jungle.'
This was reinforced up at the famous waterfall which is still impressive after heavy rain.
A heron in the deep gorge gave it a primeval feel. Jurassic Park.
The nearby pond was also a surprise. This was taken in 2017. Mainly clear... and blue.
There was plenty going on. Two Canada Geese appeared in the reeds. I thought this was unusual then it got stranger still.
Instead of being out on the islands in the middle of the pond undisturbed they were happily positioned on the much busier bank with loads of people walking past every few minutes.... and their dogs. Four adult geese guarding around 8 youngsters.
Whenever a dog passed, big or small, they went into attack mode warning them off and protecting the youngsters. Geese can be fairly feisty so maybe they enjoyed this interaction.
What amused me was the youngsters exhibited this same aggressive stance, seen here, and you could easily see where the term goosestep came from. They were remarkably used to humans in this park.
Same thing with the duck family.... as soon as they spotted me they came right over and practically sat on my shoes. Weird.
Meet and greet the ducklings.
A novel experience.
The rest of the park looked much as I remembered it. The rolling meadow section, seen here...
But this was new. The modern fashion trend of putting padlocks on bridges, gates, girders etc has caused chaos worldwide due to the additional weight, maintainance and access problems.... so this is one solution. A purpose built padlock fence right beside the waterfall for padlocks. Hopefully leaving the nearby bridge free of clutter.
And I even managed to find a quiet path away from the public. Off the beaten track....
As usual... my own preference in life.
Recently I watched the film The Greatest Showman and one of the highlights of that was the appearance in it of Jenny Lind. This was of particular interest to me as I've known about her since the early1960s. A small housing estate near Arden bears her name which is where we used to get off for the park and wait for the bus home. So I looked her up online. A Swedish opera singer and an international worldwide star in the 1830s and 1840s she stayed at a building near here on the leafy Pollok Estate as a guest when she was performing in Glasgow. Later an inn named in her honour appeared and later still in the 1930s The Jenny Lind housing estate arrived, still here to this day. Wisely, in the film, they swapped pure opera for pop music, which was more effective for a modern audience whereas a full blown opera rendition would only appeal to a select few. A good memorable song although the quirky lyrics could equally be the mission statement of many a billionaire. Never Enough. In the 1960s I vaguely remember an old newsagents shop and a wooden shelter structure to stand under if it rained at this Jenny Lind bus stop. Both long gone, faded into history and the past. As I will be at some future point in time.
The end.
