Glasgow Canal

Hanging out at the canal ...

Glasgow canal is an emerging home to a host of innovative business and destination in north Glasgow and organisations including a thriving creative a hub for innovation, creativity and and cultural quarter, cutting-edge sports regeneration. facilities, fantastic places to eat and drink,

Stretching from Pinkston in Port Dundas and an urban nature reserve. to Firhill Basin in Maryhill, the canal is a Just a stone’s throw from Glasgow city hidden asset within Glasgow and it’s closer centre, the canal boasts unforgettable than you think – nestled just 10 minutes views across the city. You can get to the from the city centre. canal on foot, on wheels, by subway at

First built in the late 1700s to support the Cowcaddens Subway Station or the bus by city’s bustling industry, the canal continues alighting at Garscube Road. to develop and the area around it is now Navvies’ Barge

Glasgow Canal Co-op Navvies’ Barge is a social enterprise canal boat moored at Applecross Basin. The barge runs boat trips along Glasgow’s stretch of the canal

A close-knit community of businesses, organisations and individuals in north sporting destinations, which paired with the thriving organisations and brilliant and hosts a café and a variety of workshops, making the waterway more accessible to people in the local community.

Glasgow have joined together to form people based there, make it an area with Customers can enjoy a day out on the barge,

Glasgow Canal Co-op and are working much to celebrate. make themselves at home on-board with a together to unlock the waterway’s potential as a vibrant place for people to The Co-op members are connected by a pioneering spirit and the canal’s buffet and relax their way along the canal. The barge is also shared with community groups in order to open up the canal and the live, work and visit. fascinating heritage and are helping benefits of time on the water with as many

North Glasgow has a set of unique assets, including its urban heritage, outdoor shape how this part of the city should develop and grow people as possible. Established as a workers’ co-operative, Navvies’ Barge pays tribute to the workers space and wildlife, artistic talent and who made the canal – the navvies. The social enterprise aims to empower people in their work and remind them of the power of Glasgow Wakepark G4 9XP worker solidarity. Glasgow Tool Library T. 07415 787260 www.glasgowwakepark.com Glasgow Tool Library is a charity located at Civic House which lends and share tools, instead of books. They also hold classes, Come and try your hand at wakeboarding workshops and events that teach a range on the canal! Based at Pinkston Watersports, we offer a system 2.0 wakeboard park which allows the wakeboarder to ride continuously, turning at each end of the canal basin. To challenge you we have four obstacles in the of craft, DIY and sustainability skills and knowledge. Glasgow Tool Library collects donations of tools from those that no longer use them, repairs and cares for them, and saves them from going to landfill. Creating a community water for trying out varying levels of tricks. resource not only reduces your carbon Whether you are trying wakeboarding for the footprint, it also saves people money. From first time or are perfecting your latest trick we offer the ideal environment in an urban location. We are open from March to October. supporting practical DIY, gardening and home improvements, to furniture making and artistic projects, Glasgow Tool Library will provide the tools you need.

Check before You Go! Book in Advance!

Pinkston Watersports G4 9XP T. 0141 332 5636 www.pinkston.co.uk Pinkston Watersports is a community paddlesports centre with Scotland’s only artificial whitewater course, offering unique urban watersports facilities in an urban setting. You can take part in paddlesport classes, community activities, team building and even host a birthday birthday. Whether it’s rafting, kayaking, canoeing or stand up paddleboarding you’re into, Pinkston’s the place for you.

Glasgow Sculpture Studios Walk or wheel the canal Experience Glasgow canal’s creative side with a The canal is the perfect place for a walk, run or trip to Glasgow Sculpture Studios. Their sculpture cycle and is a gateway to an exciting network of courses have been developed to support cycle paths and routes within Glasgow and that all levels of ability and experience – no prior stretch all the way to Loch Lomond. Whether experience is required and beginners are very you’re looking for a green way to get to work, or welcome. to enjoy some time stretching your legs along From metalwork to mould-making, their programme aims to introduce you to new ways the water’s edge – you can do it via Glasgow’s canal. of thinking, making, and doing, while creating space for you to bring your own thoughts, ideas, Hamiltonhill Claypits Local and interests to each session. Build on your existing skills and discover new ones you didn’t know you had. Nature Reserve Hamiltonhill Claypits Local Nature Reserve is an urban oasis, just a mile from Glasgow city centre. An inner-city parkland, the Claypits is a 950 hectare greenspace, home to an array of plants, trees and wildlife including roe deer, peregrine falcons, whitethroat warblers and a host of waterfowl. Originally the home of a clay The Loading Bay Skatepark quarry used when the Forth and Clyde Canal G4 9XE was first built in the late 1700s, it was also the www.theloadingbayglasgow.com site of a foundry, glassworks and boat-building yard. The Claypits is currently closed for essential Glasgow’s first and only indoor skatepark, The improvement works, but the group run regular Loading Bay is the latest addition to north nature walks along the canal.time stretching your Glasgow’s alternative urban sports playground. Ocho Cafe 8 Speirs Wharf, G4 9TB 0141 332 6229 www.ochoglasgow.co.uk Situated on the banks of Speirs Wharf, in a corner of the original 1851 heritage building, lies Ocho Cafe. A fully licensed brunch, lunch and cocktail legs along the water’s edge – you can do it via Glasgow’s canal. The 30,000 sq ft space features a street plaza, a 60ft long bowl, movable modular ramps and training room with trampolines, gymnastics flooring and foam pits and a café. The Loading Bay is the result of a collaboration between internationally acclaimed skate ramp company venue, Ocho Cafe offers only the freshest daily Vision Ramps, whose past collaborators delivered ingredients from local suppliers, with include Red Bull and the team behind the new every dish entirely home made. A fully licensed brunch, lunch and cocktail venue, Ocho Cafe is just a short walk from the city centre yet has an aura of escaping it all. James Bond movie, and Scottish Canals. It is fast becoming a favourite spot for pros and beginners alike.

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The West Highland Line ...

The world famous West Highland Line with its quaint Swiss chalet stations was voted the World’s Best Railway Journey by readers of the Wanderlust travel magazine ... and not without reason.

The route from Glasgow to Mallaig and Fortwilliam snakes its way through stunning countryside and across breathtaking ravines spanned by stunning concrete structures which were record breaking and revolutionary when they were built.

Borrodale Burn bridge became the world’s longest concrete span at 127 feet, and Glenfinnan Viaduct was a huge structure in concrete at 416 yards long with 21 arches.

This historic route combines the romance of the Scottish Highlands with the breathtaking beauty of the rural countryside and adds a little bit of Harry Potter magic along the way.

This is one train journey you will never forget whether you travel on newly-refurbished, regular ScotRail trains or the Jacobite Steam Train

The World’s best train journey

Glasgow to Crianlarich

From Glasgow Queen Street station the train travels uphill towards the Kilpatrick hills, providing impressive views of the Erskine Bridge and down the Clyde Estuary towards the Firth of Clyde.

Pass through the small villages and towns on the Clyde – such as Bowling, Dumbarton (with its celebrated castle), Cardross (where Robert the Bruce lived) and Garelochhead – you will be treated to your first glimpse of the ‘Arrochar Alps’.

At Garelochhead station you get stunning panoramic views of the Gare Loch, with Loch Long just starting to come into view. The jetty below is Finnart deep-water terminal, built by the US Navy during the Second World War. Tankers discharge their oil here to be pumped by pipeline to Grangemouth, 60 miles away to the east.

Approaching Arrochar, look left for great views of the celebrated ‘Arrochar Alps’, including such craggy peaks as the Beinn Narnain, Beinn Ime and the well-loved Cobbler. Shortly after departing Arrochar

& Tarbet station, the world-renowned bonnie, bonnie banks of Loch Lomond appear on the right.

Across the loch, dominated by the towering presence of Ben Lomond, this area was once home to Rob Roy MacGregor, legendary warrior, robber and folk hero. He used to question captives in a nearby cave – and wasn’t averse to dipping them in the loch to extract information! Enjoy the magnificent scenery surrounding Loch Lomond before arriving in Crianlarich. Here the train line divides, with the western route turning towards Oban, and the north continuing up to Fort William and Mallaig.

Photos by Dennis Hardley and text provided by ScotRail. Neither can be reused or reproduced without permission.

Crianlarich to Fort William/Mallaig

Just beyond Upper Tyndrum, the northbound fork of the West Highland Line navigates the massive sentinels of Beinn Odhar and Beinn Dorain in the unique Horseshoe Curve.

Next stop is Bridge of Orchy - well known to walkers and climbers alike as a landmark hamlet

on the West Highland Way – where nearby you’ll find the ruin of Achallader Castle.

Passing Loch Tulla on the left, the line starts to cross the wild Rannoch Moor, a vast wilderness, where the railway ‘floats’ on top of the moor on a mattress of tree roots, brushwood, earth and ashes. Arriving at Corrour, you are now 1350 feet above sea level - the highest mainline station in the UK. The station is one of the most remote in Britain (the nearest road is 10 miles away) and is also famous for appearing in the hit film ‘Trainspotting’ (and the sequel) starring Ewan McGregor. After passing through Tulloch and shortly before arriving in Roy Bridge, look out for the foaming waters of Monessie Gorge on the left. Once you have passed through Spean Bridge, just before the train pulls into Fort William, the massive bulk of the Nevis Range comes into full view. At just over 4,400ft, Ben Nevis is not only Britain’s highest mountain but covers a huge land area with a base circumference of 24 miles.

From Fort William you’ll soon be heading off on the final section of the Line, en route to Mallaig. Almost as soon as your journey begins the line crosses part of the Caledonian Canal, Britain’s longest inland waterway, which links Fort William with Inverness. To the right is Neptune’s Staircase, a series of eight canal locks.

The curve of the 100ft-high Glenfinnan Viaduct sweeps you past the head of Loch Shiel and the monument to Bonnie Prince Charlie, marking where he landed and unfurled his standard in 1745 to start the Jacobite Rebellion.

After passing through the beautiful lochs and hills surrounding Lochailort and Beasdale, you arrive in Arisaig – a popular tourist spot with due to its spectacular views over Loch Nan Ceall where you can see the islands of Rum and Eigg. Less than 10 minutes later you’ll see the spectacular silver sands of Morar, made famous in the 1983 film ‘Local Hero’ starring Burt Lancaster and Peter Capaldi. You’ll also cross Scotland’s shortest river, which runs out of our deepest loch - Loch Morar.

As you approach Mallaig take in the breathtaking jagged peaks of Skye.

Crianlarich to Oban

The Oban line passes through Tyndrum Lower and takes you through beautiful Glen Lochy to Dalmally; and just beyond stands the ruin of Kilchurn Castle, ancient stronghold of Clan Campbell.

Around the head of Loch Awe is the Pass of Brander, which skirts the towering bulk of Ben Cruachan – the Hollow Mountain – which conceals a fascinating secret; the mountain caverns house an innovative hydro power scheme inside. To the left is the River Awe, setting for Sir Walter Scott’s romance ‘The Highland Widow’.

Nearing Oban now and approaching Connel Ferry, you can see the Falls of Lora, a tidal race at the narrow entrance to Loch Etive. This natural occurrence, caused by a fast-moving tide, produces white rapids that can last for up to five days.

Your final stop on this section of the Line, Oban, is a popular tourist destination, well-known for its many seafood restaurants.

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