Kelvin Walkway: Glasgow to Milngavie

Summary

The Kelvin Walkway links the banks of the Clyde in Glasgow to Milngavie, providing a link between the Clyde Walkway and city with the start of the West Highland Way. The route follows the Kelvin on good cyclepaths and tracks through the city, before detouring away from the river through Summerston and then returning to first the Kelvin and then the banks of the Allandar for the much rougher and more rural final stretch to Milngavie.

Grade

Bog Factor

3.5/5

Rating

Terrain

Good footpaths and pavements until Summerston. After returning to the Kelvin the path becomes rougher, especially after crossing the A879, from where it can be muddy, rough underfoot and often a little overgrown. The path improves again along the Allander Water for the final stretch into Milngavie.

Getting there

Start

Glasgow Riverside Museum.

Public Transport

Regular buses to the Riverside Museum from central Glasgow. Nearest rail station is Partick. Milngavie has trains and buses into Glasgow.

Start Grid Ref

NS558660

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Walk Statistics

Distance: 16.5km / 10.25 miles
Time: 4.5 - 5.5 hours
Ascent: 144m (Profile)

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Walk Description

User reports (25)

Stage 1

The walk begins on the banks of the River Clyde at the Riverside Museum, home of the Tall Ship. Make use of Glasgow's good public transport system to get here - or walk along the Clyde from the city centre. The museum itself is free to visit and contains fascinating transport exhibits including a reconstructed street. From the car park outside the museum, and with your back to the entrance, walk ahead, bearing left onto a footpath (signed for Kelvingrove Museum) that passes beneath the Clyde Expressway, alongside the River Kelvin. Once under the road the path loops round to the right. Turn left at a junction (still signed for Kelvingrove Museum and Gallery), and left again to pass beneath the railway line onto Ferry Road.

Stage 2

Continue ahead along Ferry Road, then as it swings left bear right onto Old Dumbarton Road. Ignore the first Kelvin Walkway waymarker (on a lamppost at the bottom of a flight of steps) and continue ahead. Turn left onto Bunhouse Road and follow this to pass alongside Kelvin Hall (on your right), with the River Kelvin down to your left. At busy Argyll Street use the pelican crossing (note the impressive Kelvingrove Gallery and Museum off right), then take the pedestrian footbridge on the far side that bears left to cross the Kelvin and enter Kelvingrove Park.

Stage 3

On the far side turn right, then fork right for the path that keeps nearest to the River Kelvin. Go straight across when the route meets the road at Kelvin Way - noting but not crossing the ornate bridge on your right. Ignore the next footbridge on your right, and continue ahead, passing the Kelvingrove Bandstand and its amphitheatre. Take the next right to cross the bridge over the river, then turn left to continue along the far bank. After 250m fork left again to follow the riverside path under a road bridge. After 300m the path crosses the Kelvin once more, though you may not notice the broad bridge which obscures the river here. Once on the far side, continue by the Kelvin, under the ornate bridge carrying the Great Western Road.

Stage 4

Further on, the route passes under Belmont bridge. Beyond this a footbridge carries the Walkway across the Kelvin, keep left on the far side. Almost immediately it is possible to take a more scenic option (or stay on the main cyclepath) by turning left through the remains of North Woods Flint Mill to follow a path next to the river heading upstream. This soon rejoins the main cyclepath which passes under a fine red sandstone bridge and past the blue and cream iron humpback footbridge that leads to the Botanic Gardens. Don't cross the next bridge with the Ha'penny Bridge Toll House but continue along the walkway keeping left to stay near the river, passing under a road bridge, ignoring another footbridge to the left, and going through a short tunnel under the railway. The cyclepath then climbs uphill and keeps left to pass to the left of a number of tower blocks before crossing a road. Immediately on the far side aim left across grass to reach a more scenic path by the river or continue ahead on the cycleway.

Stage 5

Both routes rejoin to pass under the aqueduct carrying the Forth and Clyde canal, then take the left fork to keep on the cyclepath nearer the riverbank. This leads under two road bridges, and then under a railway viaduct. After another 300m ignore a bridge over the Kelvin and instead follow the cyclepath which soon curves right away from the river. When this emerges on a road, ignore the cyclepath off left and instead continue along the pavement of the road ahead, following it uphill to reach a junction with the busy A81.

Stage 6

The route now crosses the main road to take the broad surfaced path heading left uphill almost directly opposite - use the pelican crossing to reach this safely. As the path climbs ignore a branch off right and follow the path along an avenue of trees through parkland. Take the next right (between metal posts), following the tarmac path which curves right and leads gently downhill. Ignore a tarmac path off right, but take the next turning, another tarred path off left. Bear right to passing around the far side of the childrens' play area and emerge at a road. Turn left along this, keeping straight ahead at a mini-roundabout. The road leads past a school and then playing fields. At the end of the road continue ahead onto a path. Ignore a turning off right and keep straight ahead.

Stage 7

The path eventually reaches the River Kelvin once more - turn right along the riverbank. The next section has some lovely woodland besides the river - it matters not whether you take the path nearest the water, or the one with steps parallel to it. Ignore a path that forks off right, keeping by the river and leaving the trees for a more open stretch. The river becomes wooded again before the path emerges at the busy A879 near the site of a Roman Fort on the Antonine Wall. Turn left to cross the road bridge, crossing the road with care then taking a narrow path on the far side of the river, soon heading down wooden steps.

Stage 8

This section is poorly maintained and unsigned - often rough and muddy underfoot - it can also be a little overgrown. The walk continues by the river, though it is out of sight through the dense trees at times as the path follows a fence at the edge of fields. After passing the confluence of the River Kelvin and the River Allander (which you can easily miss) the path keeps left and now joins the smaller, river. Pass under the A879 and then emerge at the B8049 beyond. Cross this, then continue opposite, stepping over the vehicle barrier. After a particularly muddy section the riverside path improves when it climbs up and joins another path coming in from your left. The walk now becomes more straightfoward and pleasant as it continues alongside the River Allander.

Stage 9

Cross the wooden Prescott footbridge, then further on another bridge leads back across once more. Continue until the path emerges on the A81 on the edge of Milngavie. Turn left along the pavement, passing under the railway, then immediately right onto Keystone Avenue. Ignore the cul-de-sac on your right but just after this take the path off on the right, through trees and into a park. Turn left at the foot of a flight of steps (unless heading to the railway station which is straight ahead here), then continue on the path with the River Allander on your left, ignoring a path uphill to the right and a footbridge left. Eventually the path crosses a bridge to reach Tesco's car park. Turn right on the far side, passing the front of Tesco's, then take the ramp to continue on the path between the car park and the river. This passes under a road and then emerges in the centre of Milngavie, on the High Street. This is the start of the famous West Highland Way, which begins on the opposite side of the pedestrianised road.

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