PARK next to the M74, just near a large theme park, and spend a few hours enjoying the Scottish countryside? Honest, you can. Strathclyde Country Park is about more than rollercoasters, rowing and the place where T in the Park used to be.
The loch
makes a great place to stroll and a glen leading up South Calder Water gives a bit of tranquillity.
Okay, it is not in the heart of rural Scotland and there is a fair bit of urban sprawl around you but this is a perfect walk for children. As well as M&D's theme park, there are a number of playgrounds passed along the way, even a small sandy beach.
Parts of the walk can be muddy, so good footwear is a must.
Distance 61/2 miles.
Height climbed Undulating, plus several short, moderately steep uphill sections.
Time 21/2 to 31/2 hours.
Map OS Landranger 64.
Park From the roundabout at Junction 5 of the M74 take the turning signposted for Strathclyde Park, then turn right after about 150 yards. Go down the road and turn right again at the end, where there is parking near the visitor centre (currently closed).
Walk Go back along the road to the point where you last turned right but go straight ahead, through some metal gates. A service road leads to the edge of Strathclyde Loch, near the point where rowers start races.
Go left here, along a path which skirts a building, and which then goes around the end of the loch, then along its shore, past a children's adventure playground. (Behind is the much larger M&D's fairground.)
After this keep following the lochside. Go over a small wooden bridge and at a fork go left, up to a road. Cross this with care and follow a gravel path, uphill, on the other side. (A detour to the right before crossing the road will take you over a bridge to see the remains of a Roman bath house.)
The gravel path on the other side of the road leads you high above South Calder Water, which feeds the loch. Passing through woodland, you reach a junction of paths where you should go right, to pass another playground.
At another junction you can see the remains of an old dovecote on the right. Go right here, following a sign to South Calder Water. Drop down to the river's edge where, if you go left for a few yards at the bottom, the remains of a derelict ice house can be seen. Retrace your steps uphill to the junction of paths and go right, following a sign to Motherwell.
A little further on go right at a fork to drop down to a field and then the river. An undulating path goes upstream, under a viaduct carrying the Glasgow-London railway line. After passing a weir (impressive after rain) you reach a bridge carrying a cycle track. Cross this and on the other side take a path going right, signed South Calder Walkway.
At a fork go right to pass the weir again, on the other side of the river this time, then just before a blue metal pipe crosses the water go left, up some wooden steps. At the top go right and right again to reach more steps. Climb these then ignore a path going left, and continue downstream, high above the river, back under the viaduct. Ignore another path going left just before some modern houses and carry on around them, bearing left, away from the river.
At a junction of paths next to a playing field, go right. Continue to a road, cross it, and on the other side go right, along a footpath, and on reaching a car park turn left, down a gravel path.
At a fork go left, then left again at the bottom of a hill. The path leads back round to the lochside, further along from where you left it earlier. You pass another playground and a small sandy beach before reaching a road at the far end of the loch. Cross this and go right, on a path between the River Clyde and the road. At the end of the path, recross the road and go through green metal gates to pass in front of some boat-houses. After these a lochside path leads right along to where you started. On reaching a junction go left to return to the visitor centre.
Refreshments There are a number of eating places at the M&D's theme park including a hotel, pub, coffee shop and burger bar.
While you are in the area M&D's is the obvious one. Although the fairground is currently closed for the winter, there's Amazonia – including snakes and spiders, lots of games such as ten-pin bowling and golf, as well as an indoor adventure playgrounds (0870 112 3777,
www.scotlandsthemepark.com).
The full article contains 830 words and appears in Scotland On Sunday newspaper.
