Glasgow Guide Glasgow Visitor Guide - Colin Baxter

Glasgow & District

 Palacerigg Country Park
Scotland's Highlands & Islands - Rough Guide Scotland - Rough Guide


Photographs of Palacerigg Country Park

 in North Lanarkshire in central Scotland

Map of Palacerigg Country Park in North Lanarkshire in Central Scotland

Map of Palacerigg Country Park

( Note: Click here or on map for larger format copy )

Palacerigg is set in the hills to the south-east of Cumbernauld
 
 and has been developed with the objectives of conservation,
 
environmental education and countryside recreation.

More than 40 hectares of once bleak upland farmland

have been planted with forests of native trees and shrubs.

This sheltered environment provides a wildlife sanctuary

 for roe deer, badger, fox and hare

 also sparrowhawk, kestrel, long-eared and short-eared owl.





Tree Top Walkway in Palacerigg Country Park

Tree Top Walkway

 in Palacerigg Country Park


Soay Sheep in Palacerigg Country Park

Soay Sheep

 in Palacerigg Country Park



Fannyside Loch in Palacerigg Country Park

Fannyside Loch

 in Palacerigg Country Park




Fannyside Loch in Palacerigg Country Park

Fannyside Loch

 in Palacerigg Country Park






Golf Course in Palacerigg Country Park

Golf Course

 in Palacerigg Country Park


Limekiln Pond in Palacerigg Country Park

Limekiln Pond

 in Palacerigg Country Park



Pond in Palacerigg Country Park

Pond at Old Fireclay Mine

 in Palacerigg Country Park



Stream through Glencryon Woodlands in Palacerigg Country Park

Stream through Glencryon Woodlands

 in Palacerigg Country Park



Tomtain in Kilsyth Hills above Cumbernauld from Palacerigg Country Park

Tomtain in Kilsyth Hills

above Cumbernauld

from Palacerigg Country Park





Kilsyth Hills above Cumbernauld from Palacerigg Country Park

Campsie Fells and Kilsyth Hills

above Cumbernauld

from Palacerigg Country Park




Bridge across Pond at Visitor Centre in Palacerigg Country Park

Bridge across Pond

 at Visitor Centre

 in Palacerigg Country Park




Location Map for Palacerigg Country Park

Location Map for Cumbernauld

and Palacerigg Country Park





Walking Route Map for Palacerigg Country Park

Walking Route Map for Palacerigg Country Park



PALACERIGG COUNTRY PARK - ROUTE DESCRIPTION:


Location: Cumbernauld
Map: OS Landranger 64 ( GR 787733 )
Distance: 5.5 miles ( 9km )
Time: 2 hour 40 minutes
Terrain: tracks and paths

Throughout the 20th century Palacerigg farm colony provided work for unemployed Glaswegians, who grew vegetables, dug peat and maintained the farm infrastructure in return for food, lodgings and return rail fares to Glasgow, plus a payment for their wives and children.
Palacerigg became a country park in the mid-1970s and continues its farming traditions as a rare breeds centre, and you can link many of its paths to form a varied route with good views over Cumbernauld and north to the Campsies.
From the car park walk back along the access road and turn left on to a gated track signposted "Laverock Trail, Treetop Way and Fallow Deer".
Beyond farm buildings turn right, before the signposted Laverock Trail, on to a path beside the fence enclosing the field behind the buildings and follow this round, keeping a sharp eye out for the Laverock Trail, which joins from the left and crosses over at waymarks.
Follow the Laverock Trail across open ground and over a wooden footbridge, then ascend left of a fenced enclosure to a vehicle track, signposted right to Toddle Moor trail and picnic site. Go right to an access gate, from where a fence leads to a path across heather moorland via wooden footbridges to a vehicle track lined with conifers.
Turn left on to the track and follow it north to Fannyside Loch and beyond, past a junction and across a fairway and two tees on the golf course.
Watch out for golf balls from right or left. depending on direction of play. At the woodland strip turn right through an avenue of trees between fairways and past a pond to join the main orbital track. Turn left, then right at the Limekilns Pond on to a track signposted Forest Woods and Abronhill.
Leave the park and enter the Scottish Wildlife Trust’s Forest Wood reserve. Just beyond a pylon go left on to a track through woodland and into open ground. At the jimction turn left and pass back under the pylons to re-enter the woodland and park. Just before the burn at the path’s lowest point, turn right into Glencryan Wood and follow the path down the east side of the burn towards the main road.
At the bottom, stay left over the lower gorge and round the embankment above the road to re-enter the woodland and ascend to a junction. A left turn leads through Woodland to a final descent, to exit Glencryan Wood just down from the burn mentioned earlier. A right turn leads to the main orbital track which leads right to the service road. Turn left here back to the farm and car park.


Walking Route Map for Palacerigg Country Park

Walking Route II Map

for Palacerigg Country Park


PALACERIGG COUNTRY PARK II- ROUTE DESCRIPTION:

Location: Palacerigg Country Park,
Cumbernauld
Grade: Easy woodland walk
Distance: 4.5 miles / 7km
Time: 2 hours

Covering almost 700 acres of disused farmland, Palacerigg Country Park offers a wonderful ‘lung’ for the people of Cumbernauld and the surrounding area. The park was set up in 1974 by Cumbernauld Burgh Council and its first director, who did so much to establish the park, was the inspirational writer and naturalist David Stephen. He is commemorated by a large mural in the visitor centre, the work of Alasdair Gray.
David Stephen had very firm views about conservation and in many ways was ahead of his time. He wrote a column called The World Outside for The Scotsman for over 30 years and never pulled his punches. The mural at Palacerigg carries the caption ‘the future of wild life depends on man which becomes ever more true with every passing year. David Stephen died in 1989 but Palacerigg remains as part of his enduring legacy.
Having said that, the park is somewhat diminished from Stephen’s day. Keen to give local people, and especially children, as full an experience as possible, he set up a small zoo where you could see wolves, wild cats and birds of prey. In time this became too expensive to maintain but the park still features rare breeds of farm animals including the tough little Ronaldsay sheep and some exotic chickens called Scots Dumpys!
The walk described here covers much of the park area and is especially attractive in spring. Many thousands of trees have been planted at Palacerigg but it is the older trees which might draw your attention. The walk also features a couple of very attractive small gorges, the second of which has pretty little waterfalls. The walk is a combination of two waymarked routes, red and blue, which are marked on the excellent free map of the park available at the visitor centre. You can study these routes while perhaps having a coffee in the café before you set off. It has to
be said that some of the waymarking is not very clear but if you follow our directions you shouldn’t go wrong.
All of the tracks are well made though sections can inevitably become muddy after rain. Towards the end of the walk you get a good view over the Fannyside Lochs and an interpretation shantytown called ‘the colony’.
On your Way round the park you may well see roe deer and hear woodpeckers yammering in the trees. There is in fact a good range of wildlife, which would be sure to please David Stephen were he able to return to the park today.
Considering how close it is to Cumbernauld, this walk is remarkably quiet apart from a short section which runs close to an industrial estate. One small niggle is the lack of any public transport to the park, which must be a deterrent. If this could be rectified more people could come and enjoy David Stephen’s legacy, bringing them closer to nature.

ROUTE PLANNER

Map: OS 1:25,000 Explorer sheet 349  ( Falkirk, Cumbernauld & Livingston ). Free park map available at Visitor Centre.
Distance: 4.5 miles / 7km
Time: 2 hours
Start / Finish: Palacerigg Visitor Centre ( GR: NS787733 )
Public transport: None to the park.
Nearest is Cumbernauld Station, 3km away. Details from www.travelinescotland.com
Information: Palacerigg Country Park, 01236 720047 or www.northlanarkshire.gov.uk/palacerigg

Route:
From the car park, walk left of the visitor centre and turn L on a track.
In 800m just before a cattle grid turn R.
Keep left at next junction.
Turn R at Model Flying Club. At junction go ahead, slightly L ( red marker ).
Follow main track above a small ravine then down to edge of industrial estate.
Keep with path going R then uphill into woods, with ravine on R.
At next T-junction go R, keep L at fork and continue to T-junction with Glenclyan Woods sign.
Turn L here on long straight track.
At corner of woods go R, through trees then with views of loohs to L.
Turn R at next junction and follow track past golf clubhouse back to car park.



Palacerigg Country Park Gallery Photo Gallery

<< Back : Glasgow Parks : Next >>



Scotland Index :: Scotland Walks

Glencoe | Ben Nevis | Knoydart | Isle of Skye | Isle of Arran | The West Highland Way

The Eastern Highlands | The Central Highlands | The Southern Highlands | The NW Highlands


Adventure Travel : Worldwide Mountaineering : Site Index

fb icon  google+ icon Linkedin icon  twitter









Guide Books & Maps - Scotland:-


Western Scotland & the Western Isles OS Road Map Northern Scotland OS Road MapSouthern Scotland OS Road MapGlasgow Popular Hills - Map





  

Glasgow - A Portrait  Wee Book of Glasgow  Glasgow from the Air  Glasgow - No Mean City  Lost Glasgow  Glasgow - The Real Gorbals Story    

Glasgow Visitor Guide - Colin Baxter Itchy Insider's Guide to Glasgow Glasgow Footprint Pocket Guide Glasgow Insight Pocket Guide Glasgow Guide Pub Companion Glasgow Scotland's Highlands & Islands - Rough Guide Scotland - Rough Guide

Glasgow Insight Pocket GuideCollins Street Map of GlasgowGlasgow: Then & NowThey belonged to Glasgow Phillips Street Atlas of Glasgow & West Central Scotland Glasgow: The Photographic Atlas100 Hillwalks around Glasgow 50 Walks in Glasgow & SW Scotland

Visit Scotland - Touring Guide Scotland: Where to Stay - Hotels & Guest Houses Scotland: Where to Stay - Bed & Breakfast Rough Guide ScotlandScottish Highlands & Islands - Rough Guide Scotland - Lonely PlanetScotland's Highlands & Islands - Lonley Planet Great Glasgow StoriesGlasgow & Surroundings - Insight Guide

West Highland Way: Official GuideWest Highland Way: Rucksac ReadersWest Highland Way: TrailblazerThe West Highland WayWest Highland Way: Footprint MapWest Highland Way - Map West Highland Way - Map West Highland Way Wet Highland Way - Official Guide

Munro Almanac The High Mountains of Britain and Ireland The Munros: Scottish Mountaineering Club The Isle of Skye The Isle of Arran Wilderness Walks Ski Mountaineering in Scotland

More Wilderness Walks 50 Best Routes on Skye and Raasay Skye - W.A.PoucherMagic of the Munros Mountaineering in Scotland and Undiscovered Scotland by W.H.MurrayA Long Walk on the Isle of Skye

Classic Climbs - Central & Southern Highlands The Isle of Arran Lonely Planet, Walking in ScotlandPathfinder Guide: Skye and NW Highlands WalksPathfinder Guide: Fort William and Glen Coe Walks Rambler's Guide: Ben Nevis and Glen Coe50 Best Routes on Skye and Raasay - Chris Townsend









Song of the Clyde





Song of the Clyde

Google Analytics







Google Analytics

extremetracking
 eXTReMe Tracker


extremetracking
Sitelock caingram.com
SiteLock
Sitelock
Sitelock caingram.info
SiteLock
Sitelock