A muddy River Clyde ramble. Cambuslang - Strathclyde Park

Walk: Clyde Walkway; Cambuslang to Strathclyde Park
Category: Long Distance Walk 
Height: n/a
I started this long distance walk last winter with the intention of completing it last winter. But I could not bring myself to get motivated for this section. I had read that it was full of diversions, through housing estates, beside motorways etc.
Be positive no such thing as a bad walk so deliver. Well I did and it was a mini adventure. Not nearly as bad as I feared although it did have its moments.
My warning to anyone completing it is to have either downloaded a gps route or have good notes. I had the notes and was grateful. You cannot go wrong surely along a river in an urban setting, oh yes you can.

One of the very few signposts

The route is minimal on signposts particularly when you need them. It is crisscrossed by cycle routes, other well made paths and diversions like the aforementioned new housing estates. I really needed my notes and used them in conjunction with my phone OS maps or I would have been heading in the wrong direction a few times.
Final point don’t forget the gaiters, this was a very muddy walk as my trousers testified.
Onto the walk which began at Cambuslang Station and head down to the cycle path opposite Morrison's Car park. 

Carmyle Weir

Go right along the path along the south bank of the Clyde passing the large weir at Carmyle. 

Muddy going starts here

Before long you reach a fork and left keeps you riverside as you go under the viaduct and the mud starts.
Watch the ducks on the river until you reach another fork and head up to the pylon. The track goes alongside the houses and then first big decision.
The track continues through the new estate but it felt correct to go left into the rough ground. I went through the estate before circling back to where I had been and headed into the rubbish. It felt right and I soon found a faint track, saw roe deer was it their track? Along the back fences of the housing and the track improved I was right after all.
I was having some doubts but came across the path with some brick paving (this was in my notes).

Finally found the bridge over the Calder

This took me to the footbridge over the Rotten Calder.
After crossing over a busy road follow the slightly inland wooded track until a left turn at a cycle route which took me back down to the Clyde and another bridge. Turn right and then left to cross the river on a footbridge.

Bothwell Castle

Cross over and go right keeping the river on your right until you encircle the ruins of Bothwell Castle. 

Fantastic ancient copiced tree

This section of the walk through a very old wood has some spectacular looking ancient trees which could tell a story or two.
The path continues through the woods and at another new housing estate take the right fork down to the river.

David Livingstone Memorial Bridge

Part of the floral tribute

When I crossed the David Livingstone Memorial Bridge it was said as there was a large floral tribute to a young lad who had committed suicide here recently, makes you think. Crossed the bridge and headed left where I got talking to an old worthy who informed the route ahead didn’t exist as the track was never completed!! Why oh why do the authorities continue to let outdoor activities down. These activities get people out getting fitter and it saves the NHS and us taxpayers a bloody fortune.

Viaduct ruins and the supposed dead end

The original Clyde Walkway kept ahead here and past the old Craighead viaduct and on the advice of said worthy I followed it. After the viaduct head over a grassy field which has been fenced off all round, presumably more housing. At the far end of the field part of the fence was down and after scrambling through the wood I climbed a wall back onto the cycle track. The worthy had said the wall was broken at one point and indeed I found it further on, would have saved me a climb. 

Bothwell Bridge

Shortly I arrived at Bothwell Bridge, crossed the road to the monument that marks the Battle of Bothwell Bridge, the downfall of the Covenanters battlefield. 
The original route followed some steps down and past some boardwalks. Previous reports said it was closed off but not today so off I went. Down I went and past the rotted boardwalks the track was clear at first then faded but looked as if it was still occasionally walked. My concern was that I was now walking parallel to the M74 and to get to the park this track would need to go under the motorway. A bit further on decided it wasn’t going to so back to the Bridge, another couple of mile detour. That night a study of a drilled down map showed the trail but staying this side so right decision made. Presumably the boardwalk section went through the newly constructed road network.

Shadow selfie

Now a traffic filled walk, crossing two footbridges before heading through a hotel and finally the park.

A rowing pontoon on the loch at Strathclyde Park

A choice walk the near side or far side. I chose the latter and as I reached I bumped into an old mate so ended up doing a circuit of the water, another 2 miles added to the walk, but he did drive me back to Glasgow.
So a bit of an adventure, muddy trousers and for the most part enjoyable and reasonably remote considering the urban nature. But for the next leg, gaiters with me.

Wildlife: Grey squirrel x 2; Roe deer x 2; Blue tit; Great tit; Coal tit; Greylag geese; Robin; Magpie; Crow; Little Grebe; Moorhen; Mallard.

Time: 4.46
Ascent: 72m
Distance: 14.92m (includes a few added extras, normal walk circa 11m)