Canals Across Scotland First published 1997 Revised 2006 New Edition 2015 Other titles by Hamish Brown The Mountains Look on Marrakech Three Men on the Way Way: A Story of Walking the West Highland Way The Oldest Post Office in the World and other Scottish Oddities Hamish’s Groats End Walk: One Man & His Dog on a Hill Route through Britain & Ireland All cover pictures can be found in the book. Opposite page: At the Almond Aquaduct in olden times Hamish Brown Canals Across Scotland Walking Cycling Boating Visiting The Union Canal The Forth & Clyde Canal Country Parks Roman Wall Hamish Brown Whittles Publishing Published by Whittles Publishing Ltd., Dunbeath, Caithness, KW6 6EG, Scotland, UK www.whittlespublishing.com © 2015 Hamish Brown ISBN 978-184995-162-3 All rights reserved. The right of Hamish Brown to be identified as the author of this work has been asserted by him in accordance with the Copyright, Design and Patents Act 1988. No part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted, in any form or by any means, electronic, mechanical, recording or otherwise without prior permission of the publisher. Pictures from the Hamish Brown/University of St.Andrews Library Collections Printed by Contents Published by Whittles Publishing Ltd., Dunbeath, Caithness, KW6 6EG, Foreword ................................................................................. vii Scotland, UK Preface ....................................................................................... ix www.whittlespublishing.com Introduction ............................................................................. xi Maps ..................................................................................... xxi Edinburgh, Union Canal .............................................................................. xxi Union Canal, Edinburgh to Winchburgh, ............................................. xxii © 2015 Hamish Brown Union Canal, Winchburgh to the Falkirk Wheel, .............................. xxiii Forth & Clyde Canal, Falkirk Wheel to River Forth, ......................... xxiv Forth & Clyde Canal, Falkirk Wheel to Wyndford Lock, ................... xxv ISBN 978-184995-162-3 Forth & Clyde Canal, Wyndford Lock to Auchinstarry and Twechar .. xxvi Forth & Clyde Canal, Twechar through Glasgow to Clydebank ...... xxvii Forth & Clyde Canal, Glasgow Branch ................................................ xxviii Forth & Clyde Canal, Clydebank to Bowling ........................................ xxix All rights reserved. The right of Hamish Brown The Union Canal ................................................. 1 to be identified as the author of this work 1 Edinburgh to the Almond Aqueduct ............................ 1 has been asserted by him in accordance with the Copyright, Design and Patents Act 1988. 2 Almondell Country Park ............................................. 14 No part of this publication may be reproduced, 3 Almond Aqueduct to Winchburgh ............................ 19 stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted, 4 Winchburgh to Linlithgow .......................................... 27 in any form or by any means, electronic, mechanical, recording or otherwise 5 Linlithgow, Town of Black Bitches ............................. 32 without prior permission of the publisher. 6 Beecraigs, Cockleroy and Cairnpapple ..................... 38 Pictures from the Hamish Brown/University of 7 Linlithgow to Polmont and St.Andrews Library Collections Muiravonside Country Park ............................ 42 8 Polmont to the Falkirk Wheel ..................................... 50 9 Falkirk Town .................................................................. 60 Printed by The Forth & Clyde Canal .............................. 66 10 Kelpies – The Descent To The Forth .......................... 66 v Canals Across Scotland 11 The Roman Wall:Watling Lodge, Rough Castle, Seabegs Wood ........................... 74 12 Falkirk Wheel to Auchinstarry ................................... 79 13 The Roman Wall: Croy Hill and Bar Hill ................... 89 14 Historic Kilsyth ............................................................. 93 15 Auchinstarry To Kirkintilloch .................................. 100 16 Into the Heart of Glasgow ......................................... 107 17 Down to the Clyde: Maryhill to Bowling ................. 120 Appendix 1, Canal Code ...................................................... 129 Appendix 2, Canal Contacts ............................................... 131 Appendix 3, The Monkland Canal ...................................... 134 Acknowledgements .............................................................. 137 Index ...................................................................................... 139 vi Foreword History has bequeathed to the Scottish people some extraordinary public assets, but not one of these comes close in terms of scale or diversity of opportunity to our publicly owned network of canals. Built as a transport network during the industrial revolution, allowed to decline throughout much of the 20th century, they are now enjoying a remarkable renaissance. That they are doing so owes much to the vision and enthusiasm of a small number people who have recognised their contemporary relevance and the huge opportunity that these waterways and towpaths represent. I am one of thousands of people who have been fortunate to discover the canals in recent years. More are being added to that number every month. Ramblers, long distance walkers, runners, cyclists, boaters, canoeists, bird watchers, fishermen and many others can now be found every day of the week enjoying their canals and deriving immense value from the modest amount of public money that contributes to their upkeep. As those numbers grow so too do the resources available for the canals, allowing better towpaths, more moorings, canal-side cafes and much more to develop. This excellent guidebook builds on and updates previous editions to reflect that rapidly changing picture. It will be invaluable to canal users, and a delight to those who prefer to enjoy them from afar. Andrew Thin Chairman, Scottish Canals vii The Falkirk Wheel Preface This book is written for the entertainment and practical benefit of walkers, cyclists and boaters on the Union Canal (UC) and the Forth & Clyde Canal (F&CC). Visitors, from those walking the full length of the canals to those spending just a day in a specially interesting area will benefit from its information, its knowledgeable descriptions and good stories. The canals can be enjoyed at any season. In winter, with the trees leafless, the views are more extensive (perhaps to snowy mountains), and offering an alternative when weather rules out hillgoing – and there is less traffic on towpath or waterway. In high summer the green world of trees is almost overwhelming, the banks crowded with sweet reed grass, meadow sweet, willowherbs, vetches and many spreads of yellow waterlily, a real Wind in the Willows world. In autumn there are brambles to be eaten; in spring the returning wildlife spree, with swans nesting and swallows swooping. The canals are ‘a good thing’ at any season. One thing which often surprises those discovering the Lowland canals, whether on water or towpath, is just how overwhelmingly rural the experience is, even within city bounds. The canals are a scenic treat and will repay many visits or provide a dedicated holiday challenge. The canals are described with some detail but there are also what could be called side trips which deserve exploring (there aren’t all that many pubs or cafés on the towpath!). One might forsake the canals’ forever flatness to take a day over the Antonine Wall on Croy Hill or Bar Hill, or to some of the country parks or explore places like Linlithgow, Falkirk, Kilsyth or Kirkintilloch, often by circular walks. All this is described. The canal is for leisurely, timeless exploring, and certainly will lead to future returns by car, bus or train to show others what was discovered and to extend experiences. The Falkirk Wheel or the Kelpies will be far more treasured if the first serendipitous experience of them came by or on the canals. Much of my revisiting everywhere for this new guide entailed using a combination of cycling or walking a length of canal and then staying overnight or returning ix