Cycling is a form of dancing. It is also in the manner of making music a form of playing an instrument. As such, all these cycling excursions beyond the mop and mob of the city, are 'boogies' and dances, and today, this beautiful May Sunday, we did the Blairskaith Boogie with a couple of twists.
Bottom left, our starting point, Milngavie Train Station. Head straight north up to Mugdock (or Dogmuck, whichever you prefer) and down the Old Mugdock Road to Strathblane. Here we join the Thomas Muir trail east towards Lennoxtown before cutting up into Lennox Plantation and Blairskaith Muir (note trig marker 218m in centre of map). The blue dotted line is simply the insertion of a path that isn't on the map. It's all cyclable and walkable although a mountain bike would be better suited to some of the bumpy terrain up here. Down from Blairskaith, instead of normally heading back to Milngavie station, today I cut through Baldernock School and the lovely Balmore Golf course. (See map beneath) - Cut through Balmore village, and onto the path that cuts through some fields towards Cadder. Here there's a little bridge over the little Kelvin which takes us into the course which is also lovely (moreso because there's no golfers, and walkers and cyclists have retaken the land!). JUst follow the path out of the course and onto the canal towpath. Here, I headed south back to the city (and my gaff in Cessnock) via the towpath which considering it's pretty much flat and all downhill once you get to Maryhill only takes a forty minutes or so. All in all, at a leisurely pace, leaving my gaff at 10.30am and catching the 10.42am train from Partick to Milngavie, it took around fours hours door to door. This little pastoral excursion was so exciting that I completely forgot to drink my coffee!!!
Heading up to Mugdock using two outriders to catch any polis that might be waiting (two weeks ago when I came up here there were three polis wagons between the train station and Mugdock village). The good thing about coronavirus though is that it tends to be car drivers who get stopped and not the (saintly) cyclists, exercise and your own steam being essential and the car being superfluous and non-essential. Never abandon your lifeforce to a machine !
It's hard not to stand here and be amazed at the sheer hulk of earth in front of you. I can see it from my living room window in Cessnock which only makes getting up close and personal all the more amazing. This is on the Thomas Muir trail heading towards Lennoxtown.
Blairskaith trig.
Baldernock School. Take a left into the school and follow the track through to the golf course which has a path that will take you out at the clubhouse.
Balmore Golf Course, the 17th.
Balmore Clubhouse.
Balmore Village. Another example of a car-centred place with a rather dangerous main road (not this one pictured) driving straight through it. Once crossed the road, and past the Coach House, you will find a well sign-posted train (below) that will take you over the Kelvin to Cadder and the towpath beyond.
The idyllic Cadder golf course.
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