Viewpoint at Kilpatrick Hill
Posted on 18/05/22 in blogs
Mark and I cycle along the Forth and Clyde Canal from Glasgow to Bowling. The canal’s destination is at Bowling as well as being a shipping port. The view from Bowling is great with the River Clyde and the Erskine Bridge.
On the way along the flat canal we would look up towards the Kilpatrick Hills trying to find a more splendid viewpoint since the hills are 1000ft high. The issue we had at the time was crossing the A82 road which is a very busy A-road with cars travelling up to 70mph. Even after driving along the A82 by car a number of times I was still unable to find a safe place to cross. A few years went by trying to solve the problem but to no avail.
With the introduction of Google maps and GPS on mobile phones. I discovered a single track road travelling to the top of the cliffs. After a couple of times cycling past Bowling I confirmed that there was indeed a muddy path or road on the hills after I noticed 2 very faint small dots what resembled human beings. This did turn out to be true after the dots were moving uphill. There was still the issue of crossing the A82 road with our bikes and where to chain the bikes.
One day I decided to try reach the top on my own. I found the cut-off point on the canal was at the village Old Kilpatrick. After following Google maps on my mobile phone I discovered a popular path for dog walkers and runners. There was no need to cross the road as a hidden tunnel was underneath the A82 hence why I was unable to find this when driving along the road.
So I cycled half way up the hill and then I came across a closed plain fence. The bike was chained to the fence and I continued up to the top. There was no obvious route to the eye-catching top! I ended up climbing a small grey quarry which I regretted doing so as it was not straight forward. I reached the top and the views over Glasgow were stunning! It was better than what I expected! I couldn’t wait to show Mark! It turned out there was a viewpoint at 1000ft high.
Mark and I would cycle in a summer’s evening with a blue sky and sunny warm night. The sky would be as clear as crystal with spectacular shades of pink and purple clouds. When reaching the viewpoint at Kilpatrick Hills. We would drink a couple cans of beer and eat a large packet of crisps at the same time as viewing the lovely views. I would point out to Mark other cycle routes I’ve been on i.e. Glasgow to Gourock along the National Cycle Route 7. I encouraged him to cycle the route along with me although he’s not as fit as a fiddle.
We would watch the sun set over the mountains of Isle of Arran, not quite as good as setting over the sea but still an enjoyable view. To the North are the mountains at Loch Lomond in the Scottish Highlands. The views of the River Clyde are tremendous with the river bifurcating into the Firth of Clyde. The shipbuilding towns of Port Glasgow and Greenock are at the other side of the river. Looking to the East is the iconic Erskine Bridge which is one of the biggest bridges in Scotland. It’s pleasant to watch tiny trains travel past Bowling train station as if it was a miniature railway.
After the sun sets, the temperature starts becoming as cold as ice and the sunlight gradually changes into darkness. So we zoom down the hill before it becomes dark and take the train from Old Kilpatrick to back home. It’s a delightful few hours out in the fresh air and country side. Indulging in food and drink might offset the calories lost. However, I’ll burn much more calories in my next long distance cycle.
