Walkers’ quest continues to complete the John Muir Way
At the beginning of the month the Cambuslang Parish Church walkers continued with their quest to complete the John Muir Way.
This month the target was Twechar to the Falkirk Wheel. The first part of the walk was a climb to the top of Bar Hill, and this hill top was the site of the highest Roman Fort on the Antonine Wall.
The fort is, of course, long gone, however the foundations remain and an explanitory plaque includes a drawing of what the fort would have looked like.
Continuing on their way the walkers experienced what was to be the first of many rain showers. The summit of Croy Hill was next on the agenda; the summit is reached by following the path that was first laid down by the Romans. There was another fort near the summit however there is little trace of this now, but the ditch of the Antonine Wall is very visible from this viewpoint.
Descending down from Croy Hill the route continued along the Forth and Clyde Canal. As the walkers experienced yet another shower lunch was taken under the M80 motorway. This was good timing, as while the group were under the motorway there was an extremely heavy rain shower.
With lunch over and with the rain having eased off, the walkers continued along the banks of the canal. At Bonnybridge the route took the walkers away from the canal, after a short walk through suburbia the group reached the entrance to Rough Castle, another Roman Fort. Walking through this area the group saw the most impressive remaining ditch of the Antonine Wall; there is also another plaque with a drawing of what that fort looked like.
A short time later the group emerged from a forested trail to see the impressive Falkirk Wheel straight ahead, the path actually goes under the viaduct, which leads to the Union Canal.
The Falkirk Wheel visitor centre was a pleasant place to finish the day’s walk, another section of the John Muir Way safely completed.
Later in the month the walkers had their last evening walk of the summer. This was a circular walk around Kilsyth.
The evening turned out well as the rain stopped just as the group arrived at the car park and fortunately it stayed dry for the whole walk.
The next walk will take place on Saturday, September 6, as they tackle the next section of the John Muir Way, Falkirk Wheel to Linlithgow.
Anyone interested in going along should meet outside Cambuslang Parish Church at 8.30am.
Full details of the programme for this year are on the Cambuslang Parish Church website at www. cambuslangparishchurch.org.uk then look under ‘organisations’, then select ‘walking group’.