Virtual Walk: Scotland

Virtual Walk: Scotland 2021 8th April 2021:  38.11km walked taking us to the end of the walk of 8868km. 5.45% of 81 entries submitting 698.21km. Today we finish our walk after travelling 8868km around Scotland. In that time between us we have walked 99,752.76km. What a wonderful total. Congratulations everyone. Today’s walk takes us through South Queensferry and the Dalmeny Estate before visiting Cramond and then walking back into Edinburgh along the Water of Leith finishing on Edinburgh Castle esplanade. Route 24: Glasgow to Edinburgh Before reaching South Queensferry, we pass back under the southern end of the Queensferry Crossing before passing above Port Edgar, which started operating as a fishing and ferry harbour in 1810. It was commissioned as HMS Columbine in 1916, when the Admiralty acquired it as a base for destroyers and then it closed, becoming a holiday camp for unemployed families from Edinburgh and Glasgow. At the start of World War 2, it was recommissioned as HMS Lo...

Virtual Walk: Scotland 2021 7th April 2021:  37.50km walked today taking the total to 8830.86/8868km. 7% of 71 entries submitting 535.69km. In our penultimate post of our virtual walk challenge we explore Linlithgow before continuing along the Firth of Forth’s southern shore on the John Muir Way to Hopetoun House. Route 24: Glasgow to Edinburgh From Rosemount Park we return to Manse Road and cross the road at the Manse Basin. This basin is part of the Union Canal and was completed in 1819, 3 years before the canal was officially opened. Boat trips along the canal can be taken from here and there is a museum and tearoom in the former stables and cottages. Across the road is the doocot in Learmonth Gardens. This is the only beehive type doocot in West Lothian and dates from the 16th century. Turning left, we go along Strawberry Bank, before turning right down steps to pass between the former Sheriffs Court and the former County Buildings. The former Sheriffs Court was built in 1863 o...

Virtual Walk: Scotland 2021 6th April 2021:  76.99km walked today taking the total to 8793.36/8868km. 12.5% of 73 entries submitting 615.95km. Today’s walk takes us from the Riverside Museum, out of Glasgow on the Forth and Clyde Canal to reach Falkirk at the Falkirk Wheel. There we join the Union Canal and head towards Linlithgow. Route 24: Glasgow to Edinburgh From the Riverside Museum we follow a path along the River Kelvin under road and rail bridges, then through several streets to pick up the Kelvin Walkway. This path takes us along the River Kelvin heading north to pick up the Forth and Clyde Canal once more. Reaching Snow Bridge, we pass the Kelvingrove Art Gallery and Museum, and walk through Kelvingrove Park alongside the river this time with more lovely views of Glasgow University. We cross the River at Kelvinside and continue the tree-lined towpath, crossing another footbridge to pass the remains of the North Woodside Flint Mill that once ground flint for Glasgow's pott...

Virtual Walk: Scotland 2021 5th April 2021:  Part 2 takes us through the central part of Glasgow, along sections of the Mural Trail to Glasgow Cathedral and Necropolis, then back through the city centre to see other places of interest to finish at the Riverside Museum on the Clyde where, tomorrow, we will make our way out of the city. Route 24: Glasgow to Edinburgh Glasgow’s Central Station opened in 1879 and is one of 2 stations in the centre, the other being Queen Street. The original station was extended between 1901-1905 after it was found to be too small. It has some beautiful architectural features including the sizeable glass-walled bridge over Argyle Street (at the Hielanman’s Umbrella). The Grand Central Hotel, formerly Central Hotel, was designed in the Queen Anne style and completed in 1883; it was extended along with the station. British Rail sold the hotel in the 1980s and, after several owners, reopened after refurbishment in 2010. You can take a behind the scenes tou...

Virtual Walk: Scotland 2021 5th April 2021:  30.84km walked today taking the total to 8716.37/8868km. 4.5% of 86 entries submitting 670.56km. An Easter treat: 2 parts today! A shorter distance as there is so much history about Glasgow itself and so many places to tell you about; it’s an interesting city!  Part 1 we walk from Drumchapel through the west end and walk along the Clyde for a short time before heading into the city centre to explore. Route 23: St Andrews to Glasgow Route 24: Glasgow to Edinburgh As we walk, I’ll tell you a brief overview of Glasgow (as brief as I can make it!) - most places of interest I’ll mention as we walk through on our route. There are many theories as to how Glasgow got its name, but it was first recorded as Glasgu in 1116. It's never been a capital or a residence for monarchs and has humble beginnings as a fishing community. Its origin lies with a Christian missionary called Mungo, who was the Archbishop of the Kingdom of Strathclyde by 600 A...