Darkest Before Dawn

This entry was originally published at Darkest Before Dawn

On Saturday I cycled from Glasgow to Loch Lomond and back. I followed the National Cycle Network N7 route. You can find a PDF with information and a route map here. On my way I took some photos and video clips on my phone, some of which I have included here.

I wanted to start early as some of the weather forecasts were saying there would be rain later, however this turned out to be wrong as my sunburn testifies. I started off from my flat at about 6:30am, which is a totally unnatural hour to be doing anything on a Saturday.

Part One : Clyde Walkway to Bowling

I started the route proper on the Clyde Walkway at the corner of Clyde Street and Gorbals Street on this map

The first part of the route to the Tall Ship take you past some of Glasgow best known landmarks and attractions. The Finnieston Crane, wikipedia, satellite. The Armadillo at the SECC, wikipedia, satellite and the Glasgow Science Centre, wikipedia, satellite, my photos of GSC. At the Tall Ship the route crosses the motorway, I took the photo below from the bridge.

The next section is not the most picturesque, it starts off along side the motorway and then take a few diversions before taking an underpass back under the motorway. There is a lot of construction going on in this area so there is not much to see. The route eventually joins a path along the old railway line through Scotstoun, wikipedia, satellite. The tarmac along this section is graffitied with the names of local gangs and I would not be comfortable being there at night. The route through Yoker, wikipedia, satellite, to Clydebank is well sign posted, however at Cart Steet I missed the fact that there was an underpass on the right, satellite This only caused me to take a brief diversion as I knew from the map that I needed to pickup the path at the back of the Playdrome Leisure Centre.

The path from Clydebank, wikipedia, to Bowling, wikipedia, along the Forth & Clyde Canal, wikipedia, is one of the most beautiful parts of the route. On this stretch you pass under the Eskine Bridge, wikipedia, satellite. Below is a photo of the bridge taken from the canal tow path on the Bowling side.

At the end of the canal there is a bike shop which also sells cold soft drinks from what I gather from the signs outside. I stopped at the memorial park in Bowling for a breather and took the video and photo below.