City of Glasgow

Strathclyde Country Park

Scotland's Highlands & Islands - Rough Guide

Photographs of Strathclyde Country Park

alongside the River Clyde in central Scotland

Map of Strathclyde Country Park in Central Scotland

Map of Strathclyde Country Park

( Click here or on Map for large format version )

The Park is in Lanarkshire in central Scotland

between the towns of Hamilton and Motherwell.

The extensive Park covers some 4 sq.km next to the River Clyde

and includes Strathclyde Loch.

Amenities and attractions are woodland walks, watersports

and a camping and caravaning site.

Aerial view of Strathclyde Country Park

Strathclyde Country Park

Boating Centre at Strathclyde Country Park

Strathclyde Country Park

Birds at Strathclyde Country Park Loch

Roman Bath House in Strathclyde Country Park

Roman Bath House in Bearsden

The Antonine Wall

Big Wheel and Rollercoaster in M&Ds Theme Park

at Strathclyde Country Park

Swans in Strathclyde Country Park Loch

Route Map of Orbiston Walk in Strathclyde Country Park in Central Scotland

Map and Route Description of Orbiston Walk

ORBISTON WALK - ROUTE DESCRIPTION:

Location: North Lanarkshire
Map: OS Explorer 343
Distance: 5miles ( 8km )
Time: 2-3 hours
Terrain: good paths

Orbiston, now mainly a suburb of Bellshill, was once an estate owned by the Hamiltons and in the 1820s was the scene of a failed attempt at a co-operative working community along the lines of New Lanark. Locals sarcastically dubbed the scheme Babylon and nothing of it now remains All that can be seen of the grand Orbiston House are three stone pillars. but the name survives on the impressive viaduct carrying the main railway line across the South Calder Water. Although this walk starts and ends in the ever-busy Strathclyde Park, much of it is in a more secluded area, through mature woodland and along the South Calder. The main feature of Strathclyde Park is its large artiﬁcial loch, which was used for events at the Commonwealth Rowing Championships last month. The loch attracts a good variety of birdlife and at the start point for this walk there are always ducks, swans and geese eager to be fed. The walk also passes a Roman bath-house, discovered in the 19705 and moved to its current site in 1980 in order to preserve it. The site is thought to date from about l40AD and interpretation panels show the impressive range of facilities available to bathers There is also a “Roman bridge" which is actually an old packhorse bridge. In the glen of the South Calder there are various habitats to enjoy, including woodland and wetland, before you cross the river on a lovely old bridge, now hardly used but at one time on the principal route between Motherwell and Bellshill. The return walk: mostly stays high above the river, overtopping Corby Craig ( corby or corbie is a Scots word for a crow ) then re-entering the main part of the park for the ﬁnal section. This walk provides an ideal short outing at any time of year “and is a reminder of how much decent countryside we have around our major towns and cities.