Cambuslang to Blantyre (6 miles)
We continue our Clyde Walkway expedition and begin to leave the urban setting behind. Cambuslang railway station is situated on Main Street and is served by frequent services from Glasgow Central. Cross the road and take a short walk down Bridge Street (A763) and bear left to pick up the Clyde trail. Do not cross the river as this will take you in the direction of Glasgow.
The first mile is easy going along a tarmac path. A quirky sculpture of a heron is encountered and after a mile we reach the Carmyle Viaduct which was built in 1897 and closed in the late 60s. It now functions as a cycle route. We don't cross the viaduct but instead pass underneath it and continue the trail along a grassy landscape. There are occasional waymarkers to keep you right.
The path diverges from the water on a couple of occasions and climbs steeply to skirt a housing estate before descending to a footbridge over the Rotten Calder which is a tributary of the Clyde.
Pass under the railway line and follow a farm track up to a road. We cross over into woodland and walk parallel to the road before branching to the left. We now meet the Clyde again and cross on a footbridge which affords an excellent view of Uddingston Viaduct, the first cast-iron structure of this magnitude built in Scotland. It dates from 1852 and is still in regular use today.
The trail now becomes straightforward and sticks closely to the river. A major point of interest is the partially ruined Bothwell Castle, which is now in the hands of Historic Environment Scotland. After another mile we reach the David Livingstone Memorial Bridge which allows us to cross the water once more and enter the town of Blantyre. It is a short walk to the David Livingstone Centre which chronicles the life and work of the famous explorer. Unfortunately the centre is closed for refurbishment at the time of writing.
Press on to Blantyre railway station to catch a train back to Cambuslang or Glasgow.
