Clyde Walkway  Garrion to Crossford

Photographs of the walkway from Garrion Bridges

 to Crossford Village

 alongside the River Clyde

 in Lanarkshire in Central Scotland

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Map of the River Clyde Walkway  from Garrion Bridges to Crossford Village ( Note: Click here or on Map for large format version )

Road Bridge ( built in 1817 ) over the River Clyde at Garrion A second bridge to help overcome the traffic bottleneck  was built in 2002 Wikipedia - Garrion Bridge

Brownlee Wood above the River Clyde Visitwoods - Brownlee Wood

Dalserf Church Dalserf Village is on the banks of the River Clyde. The village kirk was  built in 1655  and is a Category A listed building. Wikipedia - Dalserf Dalserf Parish Church

Gatehouse and Mauldslie Bridge over the River Clyde Mauldslie Bridge and Gatehouse form the entrance to one of Lanarkshire's oldest hunting estates. The bridge was built in1861 and used to lead to Mauldsie Castle built in 1793 but now demolished. The Bridge and Gatehouse is a category "A" listed building British Listed Buildings - Mauldslie Bridge RCAHMS - Mauldslie Bridge Mauldslie Estate

Gatehouse to Mauldslie Castle

Gatehouse at Mauldslie Bridge

Mauldslie Castle Mauldsie Castle was built in 1793 but now demolished.

Garrion Tower in Mauldslie Estate Garrion Tower Buildings at risk - Garrion Tower

River Clyde from Mauldslie Bridge

Trees alongside the River Clyde

Woods and meadow above the River Clyde walkway. Maudslie Woods were once  Royal Hunting Grounds. Clyde Valley Woodlands Visitwoods - Mauldslie Park

Rapids in the River Clyde

Road bridge over the River Clyde at Crossford Village

River Clyde from Road Bridge  at Crossford Village Crossford Village is on the Clyde Valley Tourist Route Wikipedia - Crossford Visit Lanarkshire - Clyde Valley Tourist Route Visit Scotland - Clyde Valley Tourist Route

Bridge over River Clyde at Crossford

Suspension, pedestrian bridge over the River Clyde at Crossford

Cambusnethan Priory Wikipedia - Cambusnethan House Cambusnethan Priory

Cambusnethan Priory Wikipedia - Cambusnethan House Cambusnethan Priory

Map of the River Clyde Walkway to Crossford

Map of the River Clyde Walkway  from Crossford to New Lanark

THE CLYDE WALKWAY:

The 40-mile long walkway can be done as two day walks, returning to Glasgow each evening. Or you can lodge overnight on the way, somewhere like Motherwell or Hamilton.
To make a real weekend of it, travel to New Lanark on the Friday and enjoy the night there, walking on the Saturday and Sunday.
The walk is undemanding in terms of difficulty, but it is rewarding. The River Clyde not only wends its way across the west of Scotland. It flows through history. The Clyde’s vital energy brought wealth to Glasgow and employment along its course.
The trailhead is in Partick. Threading through the city centre, the path hugs the river, amidst its built legacy of trade wealth. You can join at any point which suits you eg at Clyde Street beside the old Customs House. Its proud facade looks desolate in the shadows of towering construction around it. The only marine craft to be seen are boats prone for action at the nautical college on the far bank.
Walking over Glasgow Green past the People’s Palace, it is hard to imagine that this area was once densely populated. It feels airy and fresh. The neat park lawns gives way to trees and soon the city is felt to be far behind. Housing sometimes breaks the trees, but mostly the only sign of people is on the trail itself. Mostly path users are not on foot but on bike - the surfaced trail leading out of Glasgow forms part of the cycling National Route 75, from Gourock to Leith. Its flatness makes walking easy. A few miles on, the Clyde Walkway diverges from the cycle route and crosses the river near Cambuslang. With earth underfoot and a few short but sharp
inclines, the path is now asserting its own identity as a long distance walkway rather than a city stroll. Although the M74 reveals its nearness with a constant hum, neither the motorway nor other signs of modernity infringe upon the bucolic landscape. The only movement visible is the river itself.
The route is signposted but only sporadically. Moving away from the water here towards a new housing estate, the navigation becomes less obvious. But the series of paths are well trodden, so it is hard to get lost for long.
The path shifts into rich forest. The beauty of the lush, varied foliage is accentuated by creeping autumnal colours. Deep in old woodland on a comfortable earthen path rounding a corner a gap in the tree cover dramatically reveals the red sandstone walls of Bothwell Castle looming ahead. The medieval castle perches above the path and makes an easy detour. Here, there are still salmon and sea trout in the languidly curving brownish river.
Across a modern bridge, the path passes the whitewashed tenement birthplace of David Livingston. It was on these banks, presumably, that he acquired his fascination with river exploration. The tenement was built near the now demolished Blantyre Cotton Mills. Mill owner David Dale and his partner sited the mills here to harness the water flow. Although closed for renovation, the museum exterior provides a sense of the place. The path also passes close to Blantyre railway station. Cambuslang, Uddingston, Dalmarnock and Blantyre all form convenient endpoints for those who want a shorter stroll.
The path goes to Strathclyde Park where there are limited accommodation options. The Moorings Hotel is a convenient and charming hotel should you decide to stay the night in Motherwell.
The economic power of water can make places, but can also break them; one village passed but not seen on the walk is Bothwellhaugh. The mining village was flooded in the mid-1960s as part of the construction of Strathclyde Loch. The walkway moves fluidly between new and old. Close by, it crosses the Dalzell Estate, which was a royal hunting forest in the ninth century. A dairy farm sit aheads. The path winds past its doors; where cows loll in the fields. The river plain here is wider and has dark, fertile-looking soil. In the distance rises Cambusnethan Priory, designed by the architect James Gillespie Graham. From afar its lines remain elegant. As the walkway passes its entrance, brick patchwork and roofless are visible. The priory is like a vintage ball-gown, now moth ravaged. Cows abound nearby but still the distant motorway hums. The path rather awkwardly crosses the A71 and a local road before plunging down into the forest, the sudden total silence is noticeable. The river widens slightly and a pebble beach provides an ideal picnic spot. The long-running repair works at Maudslie Bridge have ended, so a tempting alternative for lunch is the Popinjay Hotel across the river in Rosebank. The joyous shrieks of children may be heard from an animal petting farm near Crossford, where the path runs parallel to a miniature railway. Walking through fields by the river, the going gets muddier. There are stretches of wooden walkway, but elsewhere a sturdy pair of shoes or careful footwork help. The path looks down across the rugged Stonebyres Linn. Overlooking it sits the first of two power stations which use the water to generate power. The path crosses a bridge to Kirkfieldbank and continues left towards Lanark whence it descends to New Lanark, the well-preserved model mill village with a well-appointed hotel. There are also cottages to let, for a minimum of two nights. All sit in period buildings. Alternatively at Kirkfieldbank, a quiet local path on the right bank affords views of New Lanark as it winds up past the Falls. Crossing the river, the path veers down past Bonnington power station.The walk through a nature sanctuary to New Lanark marks the end point for most walkers. Lanark train station can be reached even on tired feet in under an hour, or alternatively the 135 bus runs to Lanark. The Clyde Walkway makes for a simple couple of days’ break. The scenery is surprisingly varied and undisturbed given its location. The walk reveals a new perspective on the river even for those who regard it as an old friend.

Garrion - Crossford Gallery  :: Falls of Clyde Gallery  :: Clyde River Walkway 

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• Wikipedia - Clyde Walkway

• Wikipedia - Crossford

• Clyde Walkway - Cardies Bridge to Crossford

• Walkhighlands - Clyde Walkway - Strathclyde Park to Maudslie Bridge

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