Flying the Kite: Up to the Edge and Back

I wouldn't be much of a Zen master if I didn't head up to the edges on the first day of the year of vision. In the Chinese New year (later in the year) it's the year of the rat which suits me fine since wild rats (not lab rats) are amongst Nature's most curious and intelligent animals. They are also very playful explorers who leave a mark of where they've been by peeing. I do the same, so really, I'm just a large rat, which is good enough, since rats do not destroy their environment, do not pollute it, do not hide their selves away from it.

The black outline that looks like a kite, starting and finishing
top right (Cessnock/Ibrox/Govan)

So, today, rat-like, I flew the kite and headed up to the Gleniffer Braes, to the great waterfall in the woods just behind Glenburn estate. From my gaff in Cessnock. the route is not too bad following the sustrans path through Bellahouston Park, onto Corkerhill and generally shadowing the train line to Paisley canal. I like to avoid the main roads, rats generally do, and so just before Paisley Canal I head straight up and over Ardgowan Street turning right at the bottom onto Barterholm Rd. From there, follow your nose and weave your way rat-like in between the high-rises and hills up to Brodie Park and then down and up tyhrough Glenburn housing estate. This is a much quieter road than Calside and Park Roads which to be quite honest are death traps for cyclists with the way they have installed the traffic calming measures. Too many idiots in cars on these roads. Avoid them at all costs!

Once through Glenburn, the quiet road getting steeper and steeper as the houses fade, the braes and woods are right in front of you. Here, you have many choices, to continue further up, to Glenburn Reservoir and Ferenese, or to head along up to Paisley Golf Course to the right. I headed left through the woods, by the big waterfall, and down again towards Barrhead, but cutting down the B771 Grahamston road to Dykebar Hospital. From there, pass the first roundabout (pay attention now) and about two hundred metres or so on your right is Ben Nevis Road. Use the pedestrian crossing there to cross as you can't turn right here. Ben Nevis Road will take you back onto the route that you left not a half hour ago winding your way alongside the White Cart Water and past Leverndale tower.

Naturally, you can dawdle at certain spots. Along the way you have Bellahouton Park and its House for an Art Lover and Walled Garden, Crookston Castle, Bull Wood, Saucelhill (with the best view in town), and the serenity of the river and fields of gold at Bathgo Hill and Ralston. It really is a route to take your time along, bring a packed lunch, maybe a sketch pad...

But today, it was just up to the edge and back. Good enough for an old (but wise) rat...

 From Gleniffer Braes on Xmas Day 2019 (above and below)