Forth & Clyde Canal: Bowling to Maryhill

Summary

The Forth & Clyde Canal was designed by renowned civil engineer John Smeaton and completed in 1790 providing a sea to sea route for seagoing boats and freight barges across the narrow point of Scotland. This first stage is an easy walk along the historic waterway providing a green and wildlife-rich route through Scotland's biggest city.

Grade

Bog Factor

3.5/5

Rating

Terrain

Surfaced towpath, some road crossings and shared cyclepath.

Getting there

Start

Bowling rail station.

Public Transport

Rail stations at Bowling by the start, and at Kelvindale or Maryhill near the end of the stage. Access to bus stops at various points.

Start Grid Ref

NS443737

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Walk Statistics

Distance: 15.5km / 9.75 miles
Time: 3.5 - 4 hours
Ascent: 64m (Profile)

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Explorer 342 - Glasgow

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Walk Description

User reports (3)

Stage 1

The canal walk starts at Bowling Basin (also signed Bowling Harbour) but this description starts at nearby Bowling train station as this is the easiest transport link from Glasgow. From the station walk straight ahead and then turn right along the main road. Soon cross the road and head up Scott Avenue opposite following National Cycle Route 7 signs. Turn left to climb up a path to reach a disused railway line and turn right to follow this cyclepath. Keep right at a fork to cross a, once steam-powered, swing bridge with views over the sealoch, Bowling harbour and the Firth of Clyde on the right and the canal basin to your left. Head down the steps on the left. Here there is a cafe, bike shop, toilets and information hub. To start the canal walk turn right to follow the towpath on the south side of the canal.

Stage 2

There are 39 locks on the canal and the route sooon passes lock 38 (the sealoch being number 39). The canal is a haven for wildlife and you are likely to see a number of mute swans, herons, moorhens and ducks - kingfishers and otters have also been spotted. The first of many wooden opening bridges is passed at Ferrydyke. These are now operated by Scottish Canals staff but would once have required a fair bit of effort to crank the wheels to lift each side of the bridges. Pass underneath the towering Erskine Bridge and then past lock 37 and the steel swing bridge carrying the old Erskine Ferry Road. A ferry service operated across the Clyde just south of here from 1777, being replaced by a steam boat in 1868 and eventually by the Erskine Bridge in 1971.

Stage 3

Curving slowly north the canal takes on a more urban character as Clydebank is reached at Dumbarton Road at Dalmuir. A large tower block overlooks the lock here. When the road was built, the canal was derelict and a flat bridge was constructed which left no room for canal traffic. When the canal was restored the only option was to install a drop lock. Once the boat is in the lock, the water level is lowered so that boats can pass under the road - it is the only example in Europe. Here you must cross the road at the traffic lights - note the impressive sculpture to the right which marks the entrance to the Breadmore Naval Construction Works, a shipyard which built Dreadnoughts and other military ships used in both world wars. It employed 13,000 workers until it closed in 1930.

Stage 4

The canal now returns to being a green, wildlife corridor, popular with cyclists and dog walkers as it passes unobtrusively through a fairly built-up area. After passing underneath the A8014 the towpath reaches the impressive pedestrian bridge linking sections of the Clyde Shopping Centre (shops/cafes/toilets). This is an area of Glasgow has has been heavily regenerated following the closure of the shipyards and Singer sewing machine factories that employed many tens of thousands of workers between them. Stay on the south side of the canal passing a bandstand and McMonagle's boat restaurant on the far side of the canal and soon going under a road. Near here, at Whitecrook the Forth and Cart Canal provided a 0.8km short cut between the Forth & Clyde Canal and the River Clyde opposite the mouth of the River Cart. The canal was closed in 1893 and nothing remains of it due to subsequent development in the area.

Stage 5

A long straight section eventually leads to a set of four locks at Boghouse. Here lock 36 had been completely filled in and buried during the canal's period of disuse. It was excavated in 1999 to link the restored sections of the canal. Head underneath the new Great Western Road bridge and up past the Cloberhill Lock flight and onwards to pass the steel lifting bridge carrying the Bearsden Road to reach Temple Locks (26 and 27) with a pub next to the towpath.

Stage 6

After passing under the Cleveden Road Bridge a peaceful section leads to where the canal narrows to cross the four-arched, 120 metre long Kelvin Aqueduct. This was the largest aqueduct in Europe when constructed in 1790 and it must have been some sight for Glaswegians to watch ocean-going sailing ships gliding high above the River Kelvin and the Kelvin Walkway.

Stage 7

After crossing the aqueduct a flight of five locks at Maryhill carry the canal steeply uphill with impressive oval basins in between where boats could wait for their turn in the next lock and pass other boats heading the opposite way. The canal is overlooked by a series of new developments built as part of the recent regeneration of Maryhill as well as a pub and older housing. If ending the stage here, Maryhill station can be reached by crossing to the north side of the canal at the footbridge by the final lock signed for Maryhill. This leads to Maryhill Road (A81), with buses into the centre of Glasgow and Maryhill station around 600m to the left. If continuing the route, continue along the towpath.

Next Stage: Maryhill to Kilsyth

Route Profile

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