Scottish Tour Guide's Blog » River Clyde

Tour Cunninghame, Tour Scotland

catswhiskers — Fri, 27 Apr 2012 21:04:46 +0000

: St Maur’s Glencairn Parish Church, Kilmaurs, Scotland

Today, we embarked on the second leg of our Cunningham Ancestry Tour around S.W.Scotland.

First stop was St. Maur’s Glencairn Parish Church. The Minister here was very helpful, showing us around the Church and providing records of births, deaths and marriages.

The church was endowed by Sir William Cunninghame as a collegiate church in 1413 and rebuilt by Robert S Ingram in 1888.

The annexe in centre of the picture is not part of the church but a Cunningham family mausoleum known as the Glencairn Aisle. Regrettably, this building is not open to visitors due to health and safety reasons.

Tour Glasgow, Tour Scotland

catswhiskers — Tue, 17 Apr 2012 20:53:51 +0000

: Constantine Sarcophagus, Govan Old Church, Glasgow

This morning, I collected tour group from cruise ship at Greenock and proceeded on a tour covering some of the principal sites around Glasgow.

First we called in at Govan Old Church to view the famous Carved Stones which date from the 9th-11th centuries A.D. This collection includes the St Constantine Sarcophagus (above) which ranks as the earliest known art work in Glasgow. Below is an image of more of the stones including a ‘Hogback’.

Visit Clydebank, Visit Scotland

catswhiskers — Mon, 16 Apr 2012 20:14:18 +0000

Titan Crane, Clydebank, Scotland

This evening, I am focusing on Clydebank which is a part of the Glasgow ( west of Scotland) conurbation with a long and proud shipbuilding heritage dating back to the early 1800s. The main companies associated with shipbuilding were Thomson Bros and John Brown with the latter responsible for such famous vessels as the Queen Mary, Lusitania and Queen Elizabeth 2 plus many naval vessels. Sadly, the shipbuilding industry has disappeared but there is a physical legacy in form of the giant Titan Crane at the former John Brown yard which as been transformed into a successful visitor attraction.

Going back further in time, Clydebank was (and remains) the western end of the Forth and Clyde Canal (1790), an early communications and transport route linking Glasgow to Edinburgh on the east.

Clydebank suffered heavy bomb damage during WW2.

An interesting location to visit, particularly for those who wish to connect with Scotland’s industrial history. Another aspect is the photographic opportunities from atop the Titan Crane.

Here is a view looking east towards Glasgow.

Visit Clyde Waterfront, Visit Glasgow, Scotland

catswhiskers — Sun, 25 Mar 2012 19:30:30 +0000

Waterfront, River Clyde, Glasgow

This morning, attracted by a combination of sunshine and quiet roads (Sunday) I ventured off to Glasgow with the aim of photographing some of the city’s varied and interesting architecture. To get to the city I had first to cross the Clyde and here I was side-tracked by the appeal of the colourful and varied waterfront basking in the warm sunshine. In fact, today was the warmest ever March day in Scotland.

The area featured in these images used to be industrial with focus on shipping and ship building. Post the industrial era successful attempts have been made to revitalise the waterfront, viz:

Visit Glasgow’s Leading Attractions, Visit Scotland

catswhiskers — Tue, 20 Mar 2012 22:56:32 +0000

People's Palace, Glasgow Green, Scotland

This evening, I am posting summary information on a selection of Glasgow’s leading visitor attractions.

Image at top shows the People’s Palace on Glasgow Green. Primarily covers a museum covering social history of this historic area close to the River Clyde and within walking distance of central Glasgow.

Image below shows Kelvingrove Art Gallery and Museum, located in the West end of Glasgow. One of the top such establishments in Europe.

Visit Govan Old Church, Visit Glasgow

catswhiskers — Wed, 14 Mar 2012 22:26:57 +0000

: Inside Govan Old Church, Glasgow, Scotland

This evening, I am focusing on Govan Old Church near Glasgow, Scotland. Superficially, this is a nondescript Victorian era church built for the local shipbuilding community but, after peeling back a few layers a rich history becomes evident, viz:

Explore Firth of Clyde, Explore Scotland

catswhiskers — Mon, 12 Mar 2012 22:32:01 +0000

: Sailing, Firth of Forth, Scotland

This evening, I am focusing on the Firth of Clyde, S.W.Scotland. Firth is a Scottish word meaning bay or estuary which in this case means the broadening stretch of water where the River Clyde enters the sea. This area has a long history dating back to Roman times, has numerous castles dotted along the edges, was at the forefront of the Iindustrial Revolution but today is perhaps best known for activities such as sailing and as a cruise ship destination (Greenock). A summary of some of the more important places and sites is as follows:

Travel on P.S.Waverley, Travel Scotland

catswhiskers — Sat, 10 Mar 2012 22:17:55 +0000

Paddle Steamer Waverley, River Clyde, Glasgow

This evening, I am focusing on the Paddle Steamer Waverley which has become synonymous with Glasgow owing to the vessel havig been built on the Clyde ( 1947) and regularly based on the Clyde throughout both winter and summer cruising season.

The Waverley is the last sea-going paddle steamer in the world but the combined demands of high rnning costs and the need for major restorations have taken their toll. However, it is believed a generous donation ahs been fortehcoming from a local lottery winner to secure the vessel’s operation during the 2012 cruising season although beyond that the future for the vessel seems opaque.

Here are some historical facts concerning the vessel:

Visit Ailsa Craig, Visit Scotland

catswhiskers — Mon, 05 Mar 2012 21:38:57 +0000

: Ailsa Craig, Firth of Clyde, Scotland

This evening, I am focusing on Ailsa Craig, an ancient volcanic plug which sits in the Firth of Forth ( S.W.Scotland) about 9 miles west of the town of Girvan on the Ayrshire coast.

Tour River Clyde at Night, Tour Glasgow

catswhiskers — Thu, 16 Feb 2012 22:38:50 +0000

Battleship at Night, Glasgow, Scotland

This evening, I joined a short, night-time cruise on the River Clyde on a small boat. The weather was cold but dry resulting in some reasonable photo opportunties in the clear visibility.