The John Muir Way: Helensburgh to Balloch
Contents
Views from about midway along this stage of the walk |
The John Muir Way is a new long-distance footpath between Helensburgh and Dunbar. The route was officially opened by Scotland's First Minister, Alex Salmond, at noon on the 21st of April 2014. Muir was born on April 21st (John Muir Day) 1838, and 2014 was the centenary of his death.
In January 2017, the John Muir Way was officially designated one of Scotland's Great Trails.
When this article was written (in April 2014), the website for the John Muir Way divided the route into ten stages. The present article contains a selection of photographs taken along the first of those stages, namely, the section from Helensburgh to Balloch. Many of those pictures were taken when I walked the Helensburgh to Balloch stage on the 14th of April 2014, one week before the official opening of the route. However, to avoid the pointless uploading of near-duplicate images to the Geograph site, I have also used some earlier pictures where appropriate (and where the appearance of the route has not significantly changed in the meantime).
(In April 2014, when the John Muir Way opened, the first and last parts of the Helensburgh to Balloch route for cyclists were the same as those for walkers, but in the middle section of that route, cyclists were to bypass the forestry track at Ben Bowie, and were instead to follow the road through Crosskeys and Arden; the cyclists' route, where different from that for walkers, is also illustrated below, but by a selection of earlier pictures, most of them from 2011.)
NOTE: This article should not be used as a guide to the John Muir Way.
The article is intended only to show the route as it was at the time of its opening.
For current details of the course of the John Muir Way, please refer to the official website:
Helensburgh to Balloch | John Muir Way.
For an article similar to the present one, but featuring photos from the next stage of the route, see The John Muir Way: Balloch to Strathblane.
Helensburgh to Balloch
To the Hill House
According to the map on the official website, the trail starts on West Clyde Street, near the junction with Colquhoun Street. However, in April 2014, when I was following the route in order to obtain photographs for this article, there was as yet no marker for the start of the path, and, because of construction work taking place in that area, I opted to begin my walk at the far end of Helensburgh Pier instead.Later, in September of the same year, a John Muir Way sculpture and a seat were installed at the Promenade, to mark this end of the route; these make a more fitting starting point for the journey. The sculpture, which is shown below, is called "Overhead / Underfoot". It was installed beside a small building (a pumping station), on the side of which is a mural of "John Muir's cabin home on the edge of Muir Glacier", with an inset map of the John Muir Way, and with some information about the route and about the sculpture.
The following three pictures, showing these features, were taken in 2016:
(left) The start of the John Muir Way (middle) John Muir Way mural on pumping station (right) "Overhead / Underfoot": a sculpture beside that building |
From this point on, the pictures were, with a few exceptions, taken in April 2014.
From West Clyde Street, the route follows Colquhoun Street uphill; in April 2014, construction work was taking place in Colquhoun Square.
(left) Colquhoun Street; construction work was taking place not far ahead, in Colquhoun Square (middle) Passing the West Kirk (right) Cherry blossom |
The route follows Colquhoun Street uphill, until Helensburgh Upper Station blocks the way. It is necessary to go around the station, which involves a short digression to the main road, Sinclair Street. After going around the station, the route continues uphill along Upper Colquhoun Street, which is a continuation of the line of Colquhoun Street:
(left) The top of Colquhoun Street; to get around the station, turn right onto … (middle) … West Rossdhu Drive (right) Pass the station entrance on Sinclair street, then turn left onto … | |||
(left) … Munro Drive West … (middle) … then continue uphill on Upper Colquhoun Street (right) The top of the street, close to the Hill House; the entrance to the car park is just ahead |
To the forestry track
From the car park at the top of Upper Colquhoun Street, near the Hill House, there is a footpath to Luss Road. On reaching Luss Road, the John Muir Way then follows the pavement (which also serves as a cycle path) beside the road for a distance of about 2.6 km, to the start of the forestry track.The cyclists' route
At this point, the route for cyclists diverges from that for walkers. This section of the article illustrates the cyclists' route using older pictures, most of which were taken on an occasion when I walked that cycle path in 2011.The cyclists' route goes through Crosskeys and Arden. That road is known locally as the Black Hill Road. That name is still in common use, but the identity of the Black Hill itself has generally been forgotten; the Black Hill is an old name for Ben Bowie. The road loops around the foot of Ben Bowie, so the name is appropriate.
(left) Beside Luss Road, bridge over the Fruin Water (middle) The roundabout at Crosskeys (right) Heading from Crosskeys to Arden | |||
(left) The same road, near Dumfin (middle) Passing through Arden (right) Turn south-west, onto the West Loch Lomond Cycle Path | |||
(left) A little further ahead (middle) Passing a lodge (right) Duck Bay | |||
(left) Old Luss Road (view back) (middle, right) Rejoining the walkers' route, near Loch Lomond Shores |
The walkers' and cyclists' variations of the John Muir Way meet up again in the neighbourhood of Loch Lomond Shores. To take up the reunited route from there, go to the section entitled "To Balloch Bridge".
To the Stoneymollan Road
Walkers take the forestry track that leads over the high ground near the summits of Ben Bowie and Gouk Hill.The middle picture is a view back towards Luss Road; the others are views forward | |||
Three views forward along the route |
The middle picture in the next row shows the John Muir Way (on the right), as well as a signpost indicating a path to a viewpoint on Goukhill Muir. I made a brief digression to revisit that viewpoint before resuming the main route.
When passing the signpost in the first picture below, or when at the start of the track to the viewpoint, it is worth pausing to look at some of the rocks beside the path: rocks near the signpost; geode detail and another rock detail near the start of the viewpoint path.
(left) The Three Lochs Way, recently re-routed in part, also passes (as of April 2014) through this point (middle) A different signpost nearby; the John Muir Way continues straight ahead, while a path to a viewpoint branches off to the left (right) A digression: taking the path to the viewpoint | |||
(left) The viewpoint itself; it presents a very fine view (middle) I return to the main route; the same signpost appears in the picture above this one (right) Not far ahead is another junction, with a marker post; see also an earlier view (taken from the path to the viewpoint) | |||
(left) Further along the route; the track passes a pool here (middle) Rounding a bend (right) A view back, along the same bend | |||
(left) Approaching the end of the track (middle) It ends at a circular clearing (right) A view back over that clearing |
At the time of my journey (April 2014), the route continued beyond that circular clearing, leading obliquely down a wooded slope, but not on a very visible path. Instead, the route was indicated by markers in the form of red-and-white tape placed at intervals on the trees. It should be noted that this short section of the route was set to be improved after the route was officially opened. For this part of the journey (corresponding to the next six rows of images), I have therefore included pictures taken before and after improvement, as indicated by the captions.
The going was much easier from then on:
At this point, the improved part of the route (and the selection of "before" and "after" pictures) has been left behind:
(left) Further along that route (middle) An earlier view back along the track (right) Approaching the junction with a path called the Stoneymollan Road | |||
(left) The path junction (view back) (middle) Follow the Stoneymollan Road (heading towards Balloch) to the edge of the woods (right) An older side-on view of the path where it leaves the woods and passes near the Cross Stone |
To Old Luss Road
A selection of older pictures illustrates the Stoneymollan Road leading down the hill; the appearance of the route has not significantly changed in the meantime, except for the appearance of an occasional small marker (typically on a gatepost) indicating the route:To Balloch Bridge
From the point where Lower Stoneymollan Road meets Old Luss Road, walk north-west for about 280 metres to the start of a path leading to Loch Lomond Shores; the cyclists' variation of the John Muir Way, which had diverged from the walkers' route, rejoins it at that point.(left) Walkers' and cyclists' routes reunited; the path to Loch Lomond Shores begins here, beside Luss Road (middle) Further ahead; Retail Crescent and top of Drumkinnon Tower visible ahead. (right) Pass the Gateway Centre (view back) and the Retail Crescent | |||
(left) Take this path after passing Drumkinnon Tower (middle) Path, parallel to the nearby water's edge, leading to Balloch Bridge (right) View back along the same path | |||
(left) Approaching Balloch Bridge (middle) This leg of the John Muir Way ends at Balloch Bridge (right) A view from the bridge |