The Molendinar Burn And Glasgow.

      I have been out on the bike a few times recently, but haven't bothered to stop and take a photo. The reason being the runs are so embarrassingly short, a mere 10-15 miles, the 60+ to 90+ miles two or three times a week seem to be over. The weather hasn't been too kind to me, short spells of good weather and then a return to cold and showery. Since I am now a fair weather cyclist, that limits me quite a bit. Actually I no longer refer to myself as a cyclist, but more an old guy who goes out on his bike now and again.

     Today, despite the overcast sky and a bit of a cold wind, Stasia and I headed for Hogganfield Loch. A small loch to the east of Glasgow, a popular walking, cycling, dog walkers area and kids play area. It only measures approximately 1.3 miles going round the loch, but there are paths that you can deviate from the lochside and meander to change the scenery.

     Though a small loch, I suppose you could say that if it was not for this small loch, Glasgow may not have been the city it is. It is from Hogganfield Loch that the Molendinar Burn runs towards the Clyde, and it was on the banks of the Molendinar Burn that St Mungo set up his little Christian sanctuary, at the site where the Glasgow Cathedral now stands. This attracted people to the area and the rest is history as they say.

    Today the Molendinar Burn has all but disappeared, in the late 1800's it was contained in a culvert and now runs towards the Clyde somewhere under Wishart Street. Though there is still a small bit just about visible to the Gleswegians that want to have a wee look. At the west side of a fine looking building, 100 Duke Street there is a patch of trees and shrubs and through that growth there is a part of the Molendinar that is still open to the sky.

     The building 100 Duke Street started life as a rather ornate mill, belonging to R F and J Alexander, and is reputed to be the first building in Scotland that was built to be fire resistant. The mill and its workers disappeared as technology changed, and the building then became a home for homeless men, known as the Great Eastern Hotel. Now it is a "residential redevelopment", Still an impressive looking building. 

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A Wee Bit Of Cycle Track.

 

      I have been silent for a while, some might rejoice at that and hope it continues, others may have missed my mouthing off, to them, a thank you. Circumstances have made it difficult to carry out my usual routine, but things are beginning to fall into place again. My silence is in no way an indication that the hatred and anger that I hold for this exploitative greed drive system of capitalism has diminished, on the contrary, reflection has only strengthened my desire to do what I can, in my own humble way, to help bring about the demise of the capitalist system and with it, all its injustices, inequalities, exploitation, misery, deprivation and of course its endless wars for power.

      However, I thought I would make my first few lines on another subject, that love of mine, cycling. Wednesday was probably the best day we in Scotland have had for a while, around 17 degrees, blue sky and a not too nasty a wind, about 12 mph, so it was a little circle round my usual Campsie area. One peculiar aspect of Wednesday on the outward journey, was the absence of motor vehicles, a rare occurrence on our roads nowadays, making the road a very pleasant place for cyclists. The return journey was back to the usual speeding tin boxes, screaming past in both directions. Again there were lots of cyclists out on the road, usually passing me with a friendly "Hi", I'm getting used to them passing me, and as they do, I usually murmur to myself, "ah, those were the days my friend, we thought they would never end--".   I have always been a road cyclist and have very, very rarely ventured onto cycle tracks. However I thought I would give the one that runs through the Campsie area a wee try, and joined it before it reaches Lennoxtown. I can recommend it, well the short patch that I followed. It was a pleasant ride on a smooth tarmac surface, and no worries about HGVs and speeding off-roaders.   

Cycle track just before it ends as you enter Lennoxtown.

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It Never Rains In Fintry!!

        Today was another beautiful day, after a couple of dull windy and wet days, how our weather fluctuates, from the beautiful to the lousy, several times a week. So the bike and I headed for Killearn, and then on to Fintry, and back to the Killearn tearoom for some sustenance. The tearoom in Fintry's main street, died many years ago. In my distant past, at times I would "escape" to the tranquillity of Fintry. Oddly ever time I went, it never rained and was beautiful weather. So I had in my mind this thought, that it never rains in Fintry. However speaking to a local he pointed out that I was obviously deluded. I suppose he should know.

      Fintry is a quiet little village that lies over the Campsie Fells from Lennoxtown. It has won lots of prizes for its floral displays along its street, but I didn't see much of a display today. Perhaps they are bored with all the accolades. One thing that is different about Fintry, the village is involved on a community basis in a wind farm, from which the village benefits.

     It is also a village where you have to have a bike or some other form of transport, as there is no public transport service to the village. Though I think looking at some of the property, it will be cars as the main mode of travel, rather than bikes, pity, such a beautiful cycling area.

At Fintry Cross.

      Lots of lovely routes to take from here.

Looking along Fintry main street towards Killearn.

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Scotland's Coat Of Many Colours.

 

       Well the clock went back an hour last night, that is usually my sad event of putting the bike away until the turn of the year again. However, today was such a beautiful day, virtually no wind and plenty of sunshine, so I decided to to grasp the moment and head out. It was my usual haunt, taking in Lenzie, Kirkitilloch, Milton of Campsie, with stops for wee photos. A short run, I'm no longer a morning person, and I wanted to be off the road before dusk, felt great. Now the bike will get a lick of grease and oil and lie there until the new year, when it will be given a wee service, ready to start delivering its usual pleasures.

 Lenzie High street.

Kirkintilloch High Street, being pedestrianised, YEEHA.

Milton of Campsie High Street.

       I should add, that High Street in Scots, has nothing to do with height, it merely means Main Street.

      Scotland drops its mantle of lush green and dons its coat of many colours.

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Cook And Drive.

 Duck Bay, Loch Lomond, looking towards Ben Lomond.

        As I no longer do the mileage on the bike that I used to, I find that it limits the places I can visit. Gone are the days when I would step out the gate at my front door, throw my leg over the bike and head for Tyndrum, Loch Kathrine, Dunoon, Arrachar, Callander, Inversnaid, Kinloch Ard, Strathyre, Lake of Menteith, Loch Venachar, etc. and a variety of routes in between. Now I find that I pedal around the Campsie Hills area, the Aberfoyle Road and of course the Loch. Not that there is anything wrong with any of these places, all a beauty in their own right.

The pier at Luss on Loch Lomond.

      So Saturday saw me once more, along the Bonnie Bonnie Banks of Loch Lomond. On the way back down the Loch, I stopped at the picturesque village of Luss, on the shore of the Loch. Many years ago it was an isolated little village that few people new about, now it is difficult to cycle down the main street as the cars are parked tight along its full length, with cars trying to negotiate the remaining space. It has a large car/bus park which is usually full.

Looking along the shore at Luss.

       When my kids were still at school I would take them there armed with an inflatable dinghy, and they could paddle up and down the burn that flows into the loch at Luss, or I would row them out to one of the islands, a fair distance from Luss. On one occasion I decided that we would have a full cooked meal on the shore, but no barbecue. So I wrapped some steak with onions and potatoes in tinfoil. Making sure it was properly sealed, I then tied it to the exhaust manifold of my car engine with two pieces of wire. We set off and occasionally there would be the wiff of cooking food. On arriving at the shore in Luss, the other visitors sitting around looked somewhat surprised when I lift the bonnet of the car undone the tinfoil package and filled the air with the smell of hot steaming steak and unions, all beautifully cooked. The secret is to gauge the distance you will drive to the amount you want to cook.   

 Row of cottages covered in shrubs and roses, Luss main street.

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Pleasure In The wind.

         I reckon that I read the forecast wrong today. I thought it was sunny intervals and light winds, but out on the bike it was dull, overcast and a strengthening WNW wind, I put the wind at approaching 20mph. on stretches. Not my favourite cycling conditions, but, still a wonderful pleasure to be out on the road.

Rather menacing clouds over the Campsie Hills.

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The Bumpy Road To Aberfolye.

 

        Still the sun shines, and our dour Scottish personality is already saying, "Aye, we'll pay for this", but grab it while we can. Another glorious day temperature in the 20's and a light wind, magic. After last weeks nasty experience on the Loch road, I decided to go for the Trossachs and settled for Aberfoyle. It has been a few years since I took the bike to this lovely spot. It was a very pleasant run though not much in the way of flat roads. However, again the road surface raises its ugly head. After you go round the round-about at the Rob Roy Inn, the road is a disgrace, as the main road into Aberfoyle, it is broken, potholed, rough  and a danger to cyclists. You have to suffer about half to three quarters of a mile if unrelenting bangs and bumps, on a narrow busy road. I don't know if it is a fact that many motorists are unaware of what goes on under their car while driving over these road surfaces, and they just accept it, but it is costing them money on damaged shock absorbers and tyres. Perhaps if they wake up to that fact they may complain more and get something done about the problem. Of course you face the same road on the way out of Aberfoyle. Never the less, a beautiful day out.

About four years since I visited this lovely spot on the bike.

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It's Almost Like Summer.

        Yesterday, Thursday, what a beautiful day, another enjoyable session on the bike. Can't believe it, three good days this week, three times out on the bike, one could easily be fooled into think this was summer.

Time for a seat in the sun.

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A Cure For Cabin Fever.

        Monday 3rd of August didn't look like being a very nice day, dull and a heavy shower in the morning. However suffering from a severe case of cabin fever, I had to get out, so grab the bike and set off. Dull and windy but enjoyed getting out and peddling, it did clear up after I got home, ah well that's cycling in Scotland.

Near Twechar, looking towards the Campsie Hills

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Thankful For The Rain.

     Out on the bike on Friday, nice run. Kept looking at the beautiful lush green all around me. Then started moaning at getting caught in a heavy shower, but thought, if it wasn't for this abundance of showers, I wouldn't be able to look at the beautiful lush green, felt better. Luckily not too far from a tearoom, where I could continue to watch the rain wash that beautiful lush green land.

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