Geo-Trips :: Walking the Union Canal between Philpstoun and Linlithgow
Union Canal
A walk from Linlithgow, Sat, 1 Dec 2012 by Anne Burgess
preceding leg | This trip is part of a series. | next leg |
I left the car in Broxburn and took a bus to Linlithgow with the idea of walking back to Broxburn, but it soon became obvious that my progress was far too slow and the available daylight much too short, so I went as far as Philpstoun and got a bus back to Broxburn. There are a few images taken around the airport on the way home.
Click the blue circles to see a photograph taken from that spot and read further information about the location. The blue lines indicate the direction of view. There is also a slideshow of this trip. ( )
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Sts John Cantius and Nicholas Church
This is the Roman Catholic Church serving the Broxburn area. The original 12th... more
Narrowboats at Linlithgow
Laid up for the winter, these narrowboats lie alongside a pontoon on the north... more
St Magdalene Distillery
The distillery moved here in 1834 to take advantage of the Union Canal,deriving... more
Modern Houses at St Magdalene
A row of modern houses close to the Union Canal on the site of the St Magdalene... more
Aqueduct near Pilgrim's Hill
The wavy railings protect the far side of the aqueduct which carries the Union... more
The Suburbs of Linlithgow
Like most other towns Linlithgow has been expanding over recent decades, and has... more
Union Canal Towpath
The towpath along the north bank of the canal provides a pleasant walk, though it... more
Union Canal
Looking towards Linlithgow. The spire of St Michael's Kirk is just visible to the... more
Bridge at Wilcoxholm
This bridge carries the access road to the farm of Wilcoxholm, which is on the... more
Union Canal east of Wilcoxholm
The belt of trees at this bend is the only point between Linlithgow and Philpstoun... more
Union Canal
Despite the glorious weather the surface of the canal is still covered by very... more
Scots Pine by the Union Canal
Most of the trees along the canal bank are broadleaved trees, but at this point,... more
A Welcome Sign
The sign, half hidden by a young beech hedge, draws canal users' attention to the... more
Park Farm House
An elegantly proportioned traditional stone farm house set back from the Union... more
Park Farm Cottages
The cottages are on the opposite bank of the canal from the farm buildings. Notice... more
Union Canal near The Park
The tops of the Forth Bridge and Forth Road Bridge can just be seen in the... more
Icy Towpath
At least, with all the lying water frozen solid, it was dry underfoot. I wouldn't... more
Fields by the Union Canal
There were few gaps in the hawthorns alongside the towpath, but this gap offered a... more
Union Canal at Oakwell
It looks as if some of the canalside vegetation has made a bid for freedom here,... more
Flooded Field
The field between the canal and the railway has developed a young loch in recent... more
Flooded Field
This is to the right of [[[3247460]]] and shows the extremity of the ephemeral... more
Winter Farmland
Leafless hawthorns in the foreground, stubble fields in the middle distance and... more
Railway Reflections
A passing train in First Scotrail livery is reflected on the icy surface of a... more
Union Canal
This stretch of the canal isn't frozen, but there's not a breath of wind and the... more
Ash Tree
There are plenty of ash trees along the canal bank, and from what I could see they... more
Towpath Walkers
This trio was one of just two parties of walkers I met using the towpath today.... more
A Varied Scene
From left to right, a healthy-looking ash tree, Knapweed seedheads, leafless... more
Canal Bridge near Pardovan
The minor road from Philpstoun to Park crosses the Union Canal here. Note more ash... more
Trains near Pardovan
I waited what felt like ages for a train to come along, and suddenly there were... more
Union Canal at Pardovan
The Union Canal widens out to form a basin here, though there's no sign of mooring... more
Union Canal from the Bridge near Pardovan
Looking down from the road overbridge to the east, as the canal curves towards Philpstoun.
Brussels Sprouts
Intrigued by the crop in the foreground of [[[3247502]]], I couldn't resist... more
Brussels Sprouts
A close look at two of the plants. The only way I could tell that they are... more
Cottages at Pardovan
There are probably just two cottages in this row beside the road, though there may... more
Haugh Farm
The white cottage is at Haugh Farm, just beside the field of brussels sprouts.... more
Haugh Farm
A smart white cottage, rather dominated by a range of large metal sheds.
Canal Bridge near Pardovan
The bridge carries the minor road from Park to Philpstoun over the Union Canal
Canal Obstruction
Curious that such a large island of vegetation seems to have become detached from... more
Icy Scene by the Union Canal
On the right, the frozen canal. On the left, the frozen towpath. At least there is... more
Philpstoun
A large area of new housing on the west side of the village of Philpstoun.
Curved Parapet
The parapet is over what seems to be a dry tunnel beneath the Union Canal.
Church Court
Church Court seems to be a large cul-de-sac with several long blocks of council... more
Church Court
This is another long terrace of council housing, at right angles to [[[3247545]]],... more
Garages
An assortment of mostly wooden garages with felt roofs in Church Court.
Union Canal at Philpstoun
It looks as if the canal bank is rather better cared for here than along much of... more
More Garages
These garages seem to have been designed into Church Court at the outset, unlike... more
Castlepark
The house stands high above the Pardovan Burn which runs alongside the canal... more
Union Canal at Philpstoun
East of Philpstoun the north bank of the canal is wooded, but the south bank is... more
Canal and Bings
The white railings in the foreground protect [[[3247566]]] which controls the... more
Canal Spillway
This spillway controls the level of water in the Union Canal by providing an... more
Union Canal
East of the overbridge from which this photograph was taken, the canal passes... more
Union Canal
The view from the overbridge east of Philpstoun. [[[3247566]]] is on the right... more
Woodland Track
This track is the access to the canal bank at [[[3247566]]].
Railway Cottages
These cottages just have a look of railway architecture about them. They're in... more
Philpstoun Station House
Instantly recognisable railway architecture, with corresponding fence, and a... more
Wyndford Brae
A short street of modern houses in the gap between the railway and the road.
Pardovan Crescent
Pardovan Crescent is a cul-de-sac just north of the main road on the east side of... more
Pardovan Crescent
Pardovan Crescent is a cul-de-sac just north of the main road on the east side of... more
Philpstoun Community Education Centre
As it was Saturday, I could not work out whether this is an active school, or a... more
Play Area
A well-equipped, but remarkably deserted, play area next to the community... more
Railway Embankment
A First Scotrail local train using the embankment north of Philpstoun Village. In... more
Ingliston Showground West Gate
Quieter than usually seen by most people when they are part of the crowds surging... more
Edinburgh Airport
Seen through the perimeter fence, and no doubt under the observation of the... more
Crash Gate and Windsock
No 2 gate, getting on for the west end of the airport, and a droopy windsock... more
Perimeter Fence
Some of the acres of chain-link and miles of barbed wire that protect the airport... more
Airport Installations
I couldn't begin to enumerate the different facilities strewn about just outside... more
All images © Anne Burgess and available under a Creative Commons licence .