This walk has always been regarded as the unofficial start to the WEST HIGHLAND WAY and still is - although the walk originally started just outside Glasgow’s Kelvin Hall (and still can be as it’s probably easier to get public transport by either bus or subway to this point).
The Kelvin and Allander Walkway nowadays though commences at the tall ship the Glenlee on the banks of the River Clyde in Glasgow and heads towards the WHW obelisk in Milngavie in East Dunbartonshire - a distant 10.25 mile [16.5km] walk away. Upon arrival, eateries and pubs await and Milngavie has rail and bus links back to Glasgow. For others, the 96mile [154km] WHW beckons.
The Glenlee: From a British cargo vessel, an Italian ship of mystery, to a sail training icon of the Spanish Navy, the Ship adapted to many changes over a 128 year history and is now located at Kelvin Harbour.
The Riverside Museum at the start of this walk is situated opposite the tall ship and is a free to enter award-winning transport and technology museum. A purpose-built museum created by Glasgow Life in the 21st century it houses the city’s fabulous transport and technology collections, which have been gathered over the centuries and reflect the important part Glasgow has played in the world through its contributions to heavy industries like shipbuilding, train manufacturing and engineering. There are cafe and toilet facilities in the Museum.
The walk departs the riverside to reach Glasgow’s 22-gallery Kelvingrove Art Gallery and Museum, located on Argyle Street in the Yorkhill area of Glasgow. This is one of the largest exhibition centres in Britain.
Amongst the stuffed animal section, Sir Roger (the male Asian Elephant) awaits. Suspended from the ceiling above him is the LA198 spitfire that flew with the 602 City of Glasgow Squadron. Salvador Dali’s original painting of Christ of St.John of the Cross permanently resides here. There are cafe and toilet facilities in this building that opened way back in 1901.
In the park the walk passes by the statues of John Lister and Lord Kelvin and closer to the path, the Psalmist sculpture located in a small memorial garden. Lister's Antisepsis System is the basis of modern infection control. Lord Kelvin is remembered for inventing the Kelvin scale of temperature measurement. The Highland Light Infantry Memorial is passed on the R. The monument takes the form of a soldier engaged in scouting duty.
The walk passes under many of the City’s bridges and on the R underneath the Kelvin Stevenson Memorial Church where William Alexander Smith founder of the Boys Brigade, held the first ever BB meeting.
North Woodside Flint Mill is passed on the L. This site was reconstructed as a flint mill in 1846 having previously been a corn mill. The current millstones in situ are not the originals.
A signposted detour on the R can be made to view Glasgow’s famous Greek Thomson's Sixty Steps, a B-listed staircase that connects Garriochmill Road to Kelvinside Terrace.
The walk approaches the Category B listed cast iron bridge - now painted blue and white- and referred to locally as the Humpback Bridge. This was built in 1908 by Messrs Orr, Watt & Co Ltd of Motherwell and links Glasgow Botanic Gardens (free entry) with the Kelvin Walkway. Toilet facilities in the Gardens.
The walkway passes under the Kelvin Aqueduct, an engineering marvel built over 200 years ago, and considered at the time to be one of the largest constructed monuments since Roman times. Glasgow was considered then to be home to its very own ‘wonder of the world’!
Through Maryhill where all the D-Day landing craft were made and hand painted by a local artist. Famous Maryhillers include Donovan, Maggie Bell, Robert Carlyle & Illya Kuryakin (David Keith McCallum)!
The walkway emerges at the busy A879 near the site of a Roman Fort on the Antonine Wall. An information board explains all. The Wall is a UNESCO World Heritage Site. A staircase across the road continues the walk.
Upon approaching the last stretch of the Allander part of the walk, refreshments are available at the Tickled Trout, a country pub in Glasgow located at 878 Boclair Road, Milngavie, on this walk. Restaurant facilities are also available at Dobbies Garden Centre Milngavie, also on Boclair Rd.
The walk then passes by Rangers Training Centre (Auchinhowie) before reaching Milngavie precinct where the WHW obelisk denotes the end of the walk.
After a t-break at the Flint Mill (and a T-break at the ‘Trout’) this cook-trekking video ends with a Macsween’s haggis and mash cook - before the walk up to the WHW obelisk.
In the precinct the former 18century coaching inn now Garvie & Co provides bar and restaurant facilities. Likewise the Talbot Arms pub serves food and drink.
If time permits, Milngavie’s Lillie Art Gallery, can be visited. Free entry / public toilet facilities.
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