Experience of the new

I have been having a little adventure this week. They say that to keep life interesting one should visit somewhere new at least once a year. This is one of my days - visiting somewhere new yet familiar!

Well, last Wednesday, I travelled from Bowling on the Clyde [West of Glasgow] to nearly Glasgow City centre. What is so unusual about that you may say? I admit I have already travelled between those points before in the car more than once before in my life. However this time I was travelling by boat, and it was NOT up the River Clyde. We, [ the community project I work for] were bringing a newly refurbished boat up to our base in Glasgow, where we intend to use her for day sails for the public and booked groups.
I was on the Forth and Clyde Canal which winds its way from Bowling, through Old Kilpatrick, under the Erskine bridge, and up to Dalmuir, Clydebank, Drumchapel, Anniesland, Maryhill, nearly to Glasgow City Centre. We went through a couple of locks, two ‘bascule’ bridges [footbridges which split and lift up either side of the canal] and a swing bridge between Bowling Harbour and Dalmuir. When we reached Dalmuir we went through the British Waterways ‘drop-lock’. This is where the canal goes under the main road for the area, but the canal does not go up or down a level. Rather than have a bridge which could open restricting the HEAVY main road traffic, British Waterways decided that the boats would have to get under the bridge. This is how they do that. The canal boats enter the large lock, ‘tie up’, and wait for the water to be pumped out into a tank. When this is done the boat then sails under its own power under the bridge [which carries the main road], to the other side of the lock where it again ‘ties up’ whilst the water is then pumped back into the lock from the tank! The gates are then opened and the boat sails out of the lock on the canal still at the same height as before. [Most locks are used for travelling up or down hills for those who do not know.] From Dalmuir it was a short sail to Clydebank, where we had planned to stop anyway for a lunch break, once we had gone through a couple of lifting footbridges. These are right at the Clydebank shopping centre and are in constant use by the pedestrians travelling from one side of the covered shopping area to the other (under a covered walkway). Unfortunately, BW were having a problem with a sensor on the bridge, and they could not get it to open up – so we had to wait for an engineer to come and fix the ‘electrical’ problem. It did give us time to have our lunch however, and they only took an hour or so to get the bridge fixed [about 45 minutes waiting for the engineer & 15 to get it operating safely!]
From Clydebank we headed up past the old Singer Sewing Machine Factory – [they used to catch huge goldfish in the canal in the 50’s/60’s when the factory used canal water for cooling their machinery and pumped it back into the canal a lot warmer than it came out. They think that the goldfish came from ‘carnival’ fish which people released into the canal when they didn’t want to keep their kid’s ‘prize’ or they grew too large for bowls, etc.. Just past the factory we started to enter the ‘lock’ system with a vengeance - lots of locks in relatively quick succession – but only short ‘flights’. We sailed along through Drumchapel, the new stretch of canal at Blairdardie, and up through the housing estates of the 50’s and 60’s , and passing the brand new ‘canalside locations’ of the last couple of years, into Anniesland. We had a quick ‘maintenance halt’ just before Lock 27, where there is a new BW facilities block – providing toilets, showers and laundry facilities for boats which moor over night. [There is also a very popular inn there called ‘Lock 27’ which has excellent food - but we did not have time to stop as we wanted to reach Glasgow before evening. The BW staff were excellent, doing all the heavy work at every lock, while we had only to keep the boat moored to the side whilst the locks filled up [not quite as simple as it sounds – but a great experience.] After Lock 27 [& 26 soon after] the last flight of Locks appeared. These are reached after crossing over the Kelvin Aquaduct which carries the canal over the River Kelvin. When it was first built the aquaduct was the engineering marvel of its time, and was very popular with tourists, in the same way that people now flock to see the Falkirk Wheel or the London Eye for example. At the end of the Aquaduct the Maryhill flight starts.

Five locks which not only takes the canal up to the '‘summit'’ level but also turns a corner in the process. We reached this point about four o’clock in the afternoon, and had a couple of school boys come and watch the process of the boat going through a lock.

This was only unusual in that the weather was not the best on Wednesday to say the least. It had been raining since we had left the harbour basin at Bowling and had not stopped at all for the whole day!! It had been a little lighter and, [usually when we were at the locks] a lot heavier with some torrential downpours during the day. We were soaked through despite wearing ‘waterproof’ clothing, and the squads from British Waterways were also looking drenched by the end of the day [we had had 3 ‘squads’ of lengthsmen assisting us on our journey up]. SO the fact that two schoolboys stood in the pouring rain to watch us travel by shows their curiosity level!! From Maryhill we were on the ‘summit level’ [no more locks for several miles – almost to Bonnybridge in the east]. We were heading for the Glasgow Branch however and at Stockingfield Junction we headed right . Down the canal parallel to Maryhill Road, past Ruchill, and the new building sites – one on the old McLellan Rubber Factory site, and another set of 6 storey ‘luxury’ flats on the site of four former bungalows, near Murano Street [ and the student village on the other side of the canal]. Down past Firhill Basin and Partick Thistle’s football ground, and finally into Applecross Basin for half past five at night – and it was still raining!!!.

We tied up there, and headed home – to hot showers and baths!!!
The pictures I have included were taken in slightly better weather last year [2004]

Past times 1

I suppose past times could mean a couple of things - it could mean hobbies, or a period of time in the past.
This one is about looking back a couple of years. I am learning how to put photos onto the site and I looked through to find one of interest. I thought this one of a couple of boats waiting to go through the newly re-opened canal Lock system at Maryhill would be of interest.


The boats are 'The Millenium' belonging to British Waterways and 'The Wee Spark' a one third replica of a west coast 'puffer'. Puffers were actually developed on the Forth and Clyde Canal at Kirkintilloch, and could just fit through the locks with a little bit of space to spare. They were built as ocean going inshore cargoe boats for the West of Scotland and became really famous as the boat in the 'Para Handy' books, and also the early 60's film 'The Maggie' - well worth watching if you can find a copy. [It gives a glimpse of a way of life which has now all but disappeared - the boats certainly have disappeared, although I believe there is one in the Scottish Maritime Museum in Irvine.]

Busy times

We have just had a wonderful bout of sunshine for the last couple of weeks, and especially last Saturday. I spent the day, less than a mile from the city centre, watching boats sailing around, people kayaking and canoeing, and lying on the banks of the Forth and Clyde Canal enjoying the sunshine, and listening to two really good local bands (THE VAGABONDS and THE OUTFIT) playing in a marquee at the waterside. In fact, there were people hanging out of windows on the 16th floor of the high flats on the other side of the water, listening to the music. [they disappeared when the bands had 'breaks'].
This was an 'open' day which we had organised, for the local community, to see the rebuilt holiday barge, which young people from the local community had helped to rebuild. It was a free day for the locals, with taster sessions on the kayaks and canoes, and boat trips in the small speed boat around the basin and back. A very enjoyable day with over 200 local people all having a good time.

I have also been out for walks as part of my work, with some school children, helping them and their teachers, discover the woodlands and trees which are all around their schools. Getting children to really look at what is around them, and to look more closely at what they have on their doorsteps - this is something which can seem intagable when you succeed - nothing more than a glimpse of realization dawning in their eyes. Although it is nice when I go back for second or third visit and they are all really keen to get 'outdoors' and ask if they can do what they had done on the previous visit - shows that they enjoyed it. Most children think that wildlife can only be found in places far away from cities and people, so it is nice to be able to change their opinions and to 'open their eyes' to what is all around them.
Seeing a snail slowly uncurling and moving across a child's hand is a magical experience - although sometimes it is dificult to get the children to leave the snails 'in the wild'!

I am going to try and downlaod some more images, to put on this blogsite, so that you can see some of the places, and interesting things that I like to record!
This is all for the moment......will write more soon!

One Swallow does not a summer make!

One Swallow does not a summer make! but how about two or more!!

I spotted my first Swallows of this year swooping low over the water at the old timber basin at Firhill, [ on the Forth and Clyde Canal in Glasgow, behind the grounds of Partick Thistle's football stadium], last Thursday, when I stopped to talk to some colleagues who had been using the basin for sailing lessons [for kids - we use Taz dingys]. As I was standing facing the water, two beautiful Swallows swooped in low over the water, picking off the low flying midges. They returned a few seconds later and the repeated the process for a few minutes. Then one of the birds flew in and I could see the water trail where it had just scooped some water up into it's mouth whilst still on the wing - wonderful!

Then on Sunday I went with a friend of mine to Loch Winnoch. We stopped at the RSPB reserve at Aird's Bay and went for a walk around some of the hides. There were at least three pairs of nesting Mute Swans , one pair in front of one of the hides. The Bogbean plants were coming into flower in the foreground and the water reeds were tall enough to obscure the male swan except when he stuck his head up straight - for a look around. We heard a commotion on the water nearby and eventually a female Mallard Duck and two ducklings came into view. There were also five drakes - sleeping and preening in the sunshine, at a flattened area of reeds - but only their heads could be seen because of the foreground reeds. There were also the usual suspects of Blackheaded Gulls and Herring Gulls flying around the water. We also spotted four Swifts flying high across the water - following the clouds of flies no doubt. We then headed over to Castle Semple Country Park and were lucky enough to squeeze into a space when someone drove out! The place was full of people. We headed up towards the Visitor Centre and then on along the lochside towards Parkhill Woods. My friend had never been there so it was nice to show someone around and point out all the interesting places and plants. [She works 'in the wildlife sphere' as well but in a different type of job.] The Bluebells were stunning - really spectacular just now and the scent was deliciously strong. We spotted quite a few Willow Warblers, and Chiff Chaffs, and heard a Garden Warbler [ all summer visitors]. We also spotted a male Orangetip Butterfly and a Greenveined White butterfly. On our way round I pointed out one of the two areas that I know of where Oak Fern grows in Scotland [the other place I have seen it is in Calderglen Country Park in East Kilbride]. We saw more Swallows too, as we headed back towards LochWinnoch, flying over the cattle fields. A very pleasant and relaxing afternoon. The amazing thing was that although there were masses of people at the centre and quite a few around the loch we only passed four people in Parkhill woods - two leaving as we arrived, and a couple with a baby in a backpack, who passed us as we were standing watching the Willow Warblers in the trees. So it was a lovely quiet wood apart from the bird song. and the only 'human' noise was the odd plane flying over as they dropped down to land at Glasgow Airport!

Photos will follow, when I can get them uploaded!!

My Love

For my darling Joseph:

My Love

He fills my soul with magical things

Like butterflies shadows and angels wings

He really makes me want to sing

To everyone about everything

.....

My love for him is growing deeper

Day by day and hour upon hour

I think of him suddenly and start to smile

And people look at me - and wonder!

.....

I've been holding my love close inside

Scared of once again being denied and shoved aside

But he makes me feel safe, and warm, and protected

But most of all I FEEL loved and loving once again.

.....

Love is such an intangeable thing

-the love of a child for a parent, for a sibling

But the love between a man and a woman can be

the joining of two souls which become ONE.

This poem was originally written in Spring 2002.

The passage of time.

I was at a friends birthday 'bash' this weekend. It was held in the Winter Gardens at the People's Palace in Glasgow, and I also met a couple of other 'blogger' friends there.
The guy who had reached his 50th birthday, had a huge banner up, [which matched the invitations he had sent out too] showing seven pictures of his head, from a baby to present day, and I have to say that he really hasn't changed over the years!!
However one of the speakers mentioned that reaching forty was the old age of youth but that reaching fifty was the youth of old age.
Which means that at the moment I have past the old age of youth and am fast approaching the youth of old age - but mentally I feel between twenty and thirty!!

One of bloggers has just opened a new blog site called Glasgow Details - well worth a look if you like pictures of interesting details from buildings etc, or want to see the less usual side of central Glasgow.

I spent some of the weekend working and relaxing in my garden, which fills up with birds on a regular basis, especially after I have refilled bird baths and bird feeders, and then sat down. Dunnocks now come and feed from the bottle seed feeder which is hanging about a metre off the ground. My late husband made an adaptation of hanging a small green bucket underneath as he was fed up [!] of the House Sparrows chucking all the seeds they didn't want onto the ground and all the local 'doos' [Feral Pigeons] massing below the feeder and making a mess. The bucket catches about 95 % of the spillage. However, there are a lot of clever birds out there. The birds now employ a couple of new methods. I have watched the House Sparrows, Dunnocks, Blue Tits, Great Tits, Coal Tits and Robins all fly into the bucket, grab some seed and fly out again - quite quickly. The other birds must have seen this too as I have also seen larger birds making use of the bucket. It started with the resident Jackdaws perching on the side and stretching in to reach the seeds. Then I saw a couple of pigeons doing the same!! The next thing I saw was a bit of tail and a head bobbing up and down from the interior of the bucket!! I had heard of chicken in a basket but this was pigeon in a bucket! There are now at least four different pigeons who emply this method of getting a feed. They have abviously realised that it is NOT a trap!!
I had another spectacular visitor to the seedfeeder in the middle of January, when there was large amounts of Blue Tits, Great Tits , Coal Tits and Long Tailed Tits visiting. I was lucky enough to be standing at a first floor window - watching the feeding station, when I spotted a Sparrowhawk, perched on my fence - across the garden and down behind a cyprus tree. The next moment there was a flurry of wings and the Sparrowhawk had flown around the tree and had tried to catch a Blue Tit at the feeder. It had narrowly escaped by flying into the Lilac bush next to the feeder, as had all the other small birds. The Sparrowhawk landed on the nearby bird table, gave itself a ruffle and then flew off - empty clawed!

The most recent unusual sighting I have seen, was just on Friday evening, when I had gone out to try and get my fatcat back inside for the night. She was out at the road and not for coming home [as yet]. The next thing was a flicker of wings in the glooming - a Tawny Owl had flown down the road, and had just past the street lamp when I think it got 'spooked' when the cat suddenly moved, as the Owl flew straight up into my neighbours large Copper Beech Tree. My cat then ran across the road into the neighbours garden, where I know she hunts mice [apart from her bringing back four LIVE mice during the wetter weather, I had seen mice scampering along the top of the neighbours wall [under a privet hedge] when My cat was wandering around on the other side {she has a large patch of white which shows up under the nearby street lamp!}. The Tawny Owl just sat in the tree tops for about ten minutes watching the cat wandering about under the tree, then the Owl flew off towards another garden. I knew there were Owls in the area, as I have heard them screeching to each other, but I hadn't seen one that close to the house before. Pipistrelle Bats yes, but not the Owls.
Enough for now - after all time is passing!!!