If you follow the Clyde west from Glasgow , you end up in a place called Greenock (once the original port for Glasgow). In the hills above Greenock is the Clyde Muirshiel Regional Park. Up in these hills in 1825 an enterprising engineer designed and built a canal (cut) that took water from a loch around McNoble, Hillside, Dunrod, Cauldron, White and Cockrobin hills, to provide water and power to the bustling town of Greenock.

This walk starts at the reservoir, walks the short route to Greenock (up and over the hill) to the bottom of the canal, before retracing the path of the cut all the way back round the hills to the reservoir. Not exactly a difficult walk, but still 8 miles.

Although the walk started off nicely around Loch Thom, it wasn't long before I was over the town of Greenock. On the hills above Greenock you can hear it all happening in the town, not exactly peace and quiet! At least the views over the Firth of Clyde are lovely.

Loch Thom, where it all starts.
Over the hill, looking down on the Clyde, and Greenock's cranes.
The Firth of Clyde and the Southern Highlands
Inverkip, and its large chimney for the 30 year old oil fired power station that has never really run!
Inverkip Marina
See, it's a really gentle walk! That's the cut on the left of the track, overgrown and no longer used.
Some of locals kept an eye on me
Others just wanted to get in the way!
A last look back to the Southern Highlands, I'll get there soon!
Okay there had to be an engineering shot in there somewhere, look at the quality of the canal!!

As walks would go, not one I'll repeat in a hurry. Still a nice way to spend 3 hours late on a Sunday evening.

 

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