This rewarding walk follows the Tannahill Walkway over Gleniffer Braes. The walk goes through the rugged upland Gleniffer Braes Country Park in the county of Renfrewshire. The walk provides one of the best viewpoints across Glasgow and the Clyde Valley. With a distance of approximately 6 miles there will be plenty of time to take in the view.

Starting Point for the Walk:

Robertson Park Car Park PA2 8UQ, located just off Gleniffer Road (B775) in Paisley – OS Reference NS 455 606.

NOTE: There are no toilet facilities at the car park.

Getting there: 15 miles/ 30 minutes

Take your usual route onto the M8 westbound (Greenock).  Exit M8 at Junction 27 onto A741 (Paisley).  At major crossroads near Lidl continue ahead onto A726 (East Kilbride) and keep left.  Go under the railway bridge and bear left and follow the ring road around Paisley.  At the Mill Street junction, keep to centre lanes and head across the junction onto the A761.  At Gordon Street bear left onto B774 (Causeyside Street).  Continue until Neilston Road and then bear right into Calside and continue southwards.  The road changes name to Park Road.  At the mini roundabout turn right into Stanley Road (B775).  It later becomes Gleniffer Road.  Continue on and eventually turn left into Robertson Car Park.  It is indicated by a small white sign on the right-hand side of the road.

The Walk:  Tannahill Walkway and Gleniffer Braes (6 miles/10 km)

Starting at Robertson Park Car Park (with excellent panoramic views of Paisley and the surrounding area) exit the car park via a gate above the play park.  Head diagonally across grassland to pick up a rough track which soon meets the Tannahill Walkway (named after Paisley weaver, poet and song writer Robert Tannahill – born in 1874).  At the end of the track in Robertson Park exit via the metal gate.  Cross Sergeant Law Road and enter Gleniffer Braes.  Take the high track across open ground on the right-hand side (cattle may be grazing nearby) and follow near to the line of the fence and trees which mark the boundary with Paisley Golf Club.  Cross open ground, heading towards the Club House flagpole, to the golf club car park.  Exit the car park via the gate into a grass area.  Maintain this course to pass through a copse of trees and pick up a very old (and potentially muddy) road.  Just off to the east side there is a standing stone.  Follow the track downhill to access a better road and follow this briefly before it bends away at the edge of woodland.  Enter the woods at the corner to join a trail heading downhill to the right.  Follow this path, crossing a small burn with a timber plank bridge, and continue downhill.  There is a Waterfall signpost (left) down steps to the Craigie Linn waterfall which is a worthwhile short diversion.  Continue along the main path and descend stone steps and walk down the wide path for about 500 yards until reaching a couple of benches.

Next continue back up the path before taking a right fork along the lower path.  Pass a small reservoir and then rejoin the outward path, back up the steps, past the waterfall sign, and then cross back over the burn.  At the signed Robertson Car Park, take the right-hand path, passing felled trees, and emerge at a metal gate at the road next to a small car park.  Follow the signs for Tannahill Walkway/Robertson Car Park.  Exit the small car park through a metal gate.  The path continues to rise giving open views over Paisley, Glasgow Airport and Greater Glasgow beyond. Continue to the left to avoid gorse and muddy areas until a further Tannahill Walkway sign shows the way over a small wooden pedestrian bridge (at Gleniffer Gorge).  Cross the bridge and follow the path downward to the right until Sergeant Law Road.  Cross the road and follow the path back to the starting point.

Anyone who is familiar with the City of Glasgow will know that there are a number of murals which have been added to buildings over the past years. Some have remained unchanged from year to year, and others have periodically changed. This walk is a tour round Glasgow city streets looking at some of its fantastic array of street murals.

Stage 1

The walk starts on West George Street and then continues through George Square into George Street. There are several murals on the walls of Strathclyde University. The first gable wall showing a lecture and the street frontage incorporating the University’s most celebrated people. Further down the road the ‘Wonderwall’ continues with murals including ‘Dansken Equatorial Telescope’. At the end of the block, the final gable depicts the ‘Land Ship’ which was a mock-up navigation bridge once used to teach at the school of Navigation. All these murals were made by Art Pistol, aided by Rogue-One and Ejek. Continue along George Steet to the junction with High Street. On the gable wall just before the junction is a stunning mural by Smug of ‘St Enoch’ (a woman cradling a child, Kentigern [St Mungo], the patron saint of Glasgow). From here, make a detour to the left up High Street until the gable wall at the opposite end of the terrace of buildings on the left. Here is another Smug mural, ‘St Mungo,’ (a man with birds). From here turn around and walk back down High Street, ignoring the junction with George Street, and taking a right turn into Ingram Street. Look out for a plaque marking the birthplace of William Motherwell a renowned Glasgow Poet.

Stage 2

After the first block in Ingram Street, there is a car park on the left side; the wall enclosing this has a huge mural entitled ‘Fellow Glasgow Residents’ (also created by Smug) which depicts the varied wildlife of Glasgow’s parks. It takes some time to take in all of this one! At the far end of the mural turn left into Candleriggs to enter the Merchant City. This was once the bustling commercial heart of the city but fell into decline before being regenerated in recent decades. It is now packed with restaurants and bars.

Stage 3

After the first block in Candleriggs, turn right into Wilson Street and walk down the rainbow pavement. On a gable wall there is ‘Bow Down, Honour Thy Routes’ – a mural by Indian artist Shilo Shiv Suleman created as part of COP26 which was held in Glasgow. Returning to Candleriggs, turn right and at Trongate turn left. Pass the impressive clock tower (Tollbooth Steeple) and continue ahead (crossing High Street) into Gallowgate with the Merkat Cross to the right. Continue along Gallowgate until the junction with Moir Street. Turn around to see the first Billy Connelly mural on a gable end. Continue along Gallowgate for a passing look at the famous Barrowland Ballroom (The Barras)! Turn around and return to Moir Street and enter Barrowland Park. Cross the park using the Album Pathway (which was created by Jim Lambie) and on exiting the park turn left to rejoin Gallowgate and head back to the Tollbooth Steeple.

At Saltmarket, turn left and pass under the railway bridge. Then take the first left into St Andrew’s Street to see ‘The Fish Plaice’ mural. Across from this mural is another one called ‘Study of a Women in Black’. Continue around St Andrew’s Square taking in the architecture of the former St Andrew’s Parish Church. Return to the railway bridge in Saltmarket and cross over into Osborne Street. Then turn right into King Street and then left into Trongate. At New Wynd, turn left to view the colourful ‘Spaceman’ (on the right) and pass the Britannia Panopticon Music Hall. Stan Laurel made his debut here in 1906. Emerging from the south end of New Wynd, John Byrne’s mural of Billy Connelly can be seen to the right. There is also one of Thomas Muir a Scottish Political Reformer and lawyer.

Stage 4

Return to the Trongate, via New Wynd, and turn right. Take the right fork of Trongate and then turn right into Saltmarket. Continue south down Saltmarket, passing under the railway bridge, and at Bridgegate turn right to find another ‘Study of a Women in Black’. Reaching the busy junction near the river there is a series of murals on the wall of the Clutha. A short detour round the end of the building (to the left) reveals a mural of Charles Rennie Mackintosh. Continue the walk by crossing Clyde Street and turning right onto the Clyde Walkway. Passing the Metropolitan Cathedral of St Andrew, stop to see the Italian Garden and Arandora Star Memorial. The latter, a memorial to all those men who died on the ship SS Arandora Star which was sunk by a U-boat in 1940. After passing under a pedestrian suspension bridge leave the Clyde Walkway and rejoin Clyde Street. Cross the road at the pedestrian crossing and head up Dixon Street. On the right is a third mural of Billy Connolly, this one based on a work by Jack Vettriano.

Stage 5

Continue up Dixon Street and continue through St Enoch Square. At Argyle Street, turn right and then take a left turn into a narrow, covered alley (Cranston House) to see ‘Are Ye Dancin?’ by Conzo and Globel. The murals are on both walls of the alley – an amusing take on Scottish icons. Return to Argyll Street and turn right and at Buchanan Street turn right again. In Springfield Court – off on the right – there is ‘Good as Gold’, a humorous take on inflation and Freddo prices! Returning to Buchanan Street, head up to the Gallery of Modern Art (GoMA) in Royal Exchange Square to see another ‘Study of a Woman in Black’ on a lane wall.

Stage 6

Head back down Buchanan Street and turn right into Mitchell Lane and then left into Mitchell Street. There are several murals along here. The first is on the right and called ‘Wind Power’. Continuing down Mitchell Street look back to see Smug’s massive ‘Honey I Shrunk the Kids’ on a gable wall. Finally, on the right is ‘the World’s Most Economical Taxi’ by Rogue-One. Look closely – that is not really a brick wall!

Stage 7

Turnaround and go north up Mitchell Street and then left into Gordon Street. Next, turn right into Renfield Street and left into Renfield Lane – passing Rogue’s spectacular ‘Bubbles’. Take the next left down Hope Street, which later becomes Oswald Street. Turn left into Midland Street to see ‘Portrait Gallery’ by James Klinge. Returning to Oswald Street, turn left and continue down towards the River Clyde. Cross Broomielaw and turn right once more onto the Clyde Walkway. Approaching the M8 Bridge, rejoin the pavement beside Broomielaw and pass under the M8.

Stage 8

Use the pelican crossing, cross to the north side of Broomielaw. Note the electricity substation building on the right which is covered on two sides by a Smug mural ‘Generation Green’ celebrating the growth of green power. Walk north towards the Mitchell library and then turn right into Sauchiehhall Street. At the iconic Beresford, turn right into Elmbank Street. At the corner of Sauchiehall Lane (on the left) is one of the ‘Lost Giant’ murals by Australian artist Stormie Mills. This is one of a series placed in cities around the world. Return to Sauchiehall Street, and turn right. Continue along Sauchiehall Street and at Hope Street turn right. Then take the first right into Sauchiehall Lane. Here is the final mural of the walk, ‘The Musician’, by Rogue One in collaboration with Art Pistol.

Starting Point for the Walk:

Dalreoch Station car park – OS Reference NS 391 756.

Getting there: 13 miles/36 minutesv

Take the A82 out of Glasgow to the West.  Pass the Erskine Bridge and descend to a major roundabout at Bowling.  After a short distance, at traffic lights, turn left onto the A814 towards Dumbarton and Helensburgh.  Follow the road through Dumbarton and follow the signs to Helensburgh.  After crossing the River Leven, in Dumbarton, turn right into Dalreoch Station Car Park.  Parking is free.  There are regular train services to and from Glasgow.

The Walk:  Dalreoch to Balloch – 7.0 miles (11 km)

Exit the car park at Dalreoch Station onto the riverside path and turn right to go South.  At Bridge Street, cross over the road into Woodyard Road and then enter Levengrove Park at the corner of Levenford Terrace.  The park sits at the junction between the point where the River Leven meets the River Clyde and tea and coffee are available from an attractive shop in the park.  Exit the park to the North (retracing the outward route from Dalreoch Station) and then follow an excellent riverside walk along the River Leven.  The river has two unusual loops at Dalquhurn Point and Cordale Point.  A grassy path on each loop deviates from the main tarmac path for a closer walk by the river.  Rejoining the main path each time, the route passes Renton, Vale of Leven, Alexandria, Dalmonach, and Jamestown before reaching Balloch.

Take the train from Balloch Station to Dalreoch Station to return to the Starting Point.

This circular winter walk takes us to the old mining village of Annbank in Ayrshire. The walk starts from the village bowling green and heads north to Brockle Wood before entering the Auchincruive Estate and heading to the River Garden. After looping through the estate, we pass Auchincruive House (designed for the Oswald family by Robert Adam around 1764 but substantially modified before being built) before descending to join the River Ayr for a pleasant return walk to Annbank and the starting point.

Starting Point for the Walk:

In Brocklehill Avenue, Annbank, Ayrshire.  Park adjacent to the Annbank Bowling Club – OS Reference NS 407 233.  Alternatively, park on Weston Avenue.

Getting there: 36 miles/50 minutes

Take your favourite route out of Glasgow to join the M8 (south) and exit onto M77 (Kilmarnock).  At Fenwick continue onto A77 until the roundabout at Sandyford Toll.  Take the 1^st exit onto A719 but continue onto B742 (Mossblown).  At the off-set crossroads in Mossblown cross the B743 and continue on the B742 (Annbank).  After a sweeping lefthand bend and just before the railway bridge, turn right into Annbank (B744).  Continue for a few hundred metres and turn right into Brocklehill Avenue.

The Walk:  Annbank to Auchincruive Circular – 4.4 miles (7 km)

Head in a north westerly direction from Annbank Bowling Club taking a small path at the end of Brocklehill Avenue.  The path leads downhill through woodland and into Brockle Wood.  Bear right where a track and path meet and at a junction of paths turn left into Brockle Wood.  Then follow the path by the stream to the left and follow this pleasant route through woodland.  Continue on this path, veering away from the stream by ignoring a path to the left.  After a short distance take another path to the left that descends to the River Ayr below.  At the bottom, pass through a stone wall into the Auchincruive Estate.  Continue along this often-muddy path until the River Garden.  Turn right through a gate and head for The Bothy Café where there are toilet facilities.

Head west from the café and exit the River Garden through a walled gateway.  Take this hedged broad pathway past the croquet lawn which overlooks the rear of Auchincruive House (previously known as Oswald Hall).  At the crossing of paths continue straight ahead and follow a grassy path past an expanse of water on the right.  The path passes near an area of estate buildings and Oswald’s Temple before joining the main roadway into the Estate from the north.  Turn left and follow this roadway down past the front of Auchincruive House continuing down the old drive until reaching the locked gates close to Oswald’s Bridge.  Go through a pedestrian gate on the left and turn left onto the riverside path.  Keeping the River Ayr on the right, continue along the path until the River Garden.  Turn left, and instead of heading for the Bothy Café, turn right and at the edge of the garden, pass a house before exiting onto a driveway and turning right.  Go through the gate on the left and follow the rising path through woodland.  Keep to the rising path and ignore paths coming in from the left.  Continue on this path until it joins a track coming in from the left.  Turn right and after passing the descending path on the right (that was used on the outward route) bear left into woodland (a blue arrow sign indicating the way) and retrace the outward route back to the cars.

Our walk in this month takes us back to old haunts and, given a lovely day, is one of the most attractive we have ever done.

Meeting at Muiravonside Parish Church on the Forth and Clyde Canal we join the canal and turn west to the basin on Bethankie Bridge (which is a tunnel not a bridge!). Here we board a canal boat, cross the spectacular Avon Aqueduct, and go west to Linlithgow canal basin. A short walk takes us down to the centre of Linlithgow.

Those wanting a longer walk will go round Linlithgow Loch and back to the Canal via the River Avon. Those wanting a shorter walk can find lunch in Linlithgow and then rejoin the canal for the walk back to Muiravonside. This is one of the finest walks in central Scotland. Do join us!