450. Cove to Rhu

April 2023

This walk was the 2nd day of a long weekend trip to Scotland to walk some of the coast nearer to Glasgow, as it was the first May bank holiday weekend I could make a 3 day trip without taking any time off work. Today I would be largely rounding the Rosneath peninsula and then heading down the east side of Gare Loch.

Sadly the weather today was not very good, grey overcast and drizzle. I was staying in the Premier Inn at Glasgow Airport so I first headed to Paisley Gilmour Street station (it takes about half an hour to walk) and then took a train to Glasgow Central and walked from there to Glasgow Queen Street for a train on to Helensburgh Central. Lastly I took bus from there to Cove although I had a bit of time to wait in Helensburgh I used the time to buy lunch. I got off the bus at the same stop I boarded the bus at the end of my walk yesterday in Cove.

The rain also meant the cloud was very low and visibility was poor, so now I could barely make out the other side of Loch Long, a little more than a mile away. Even the coast ahead was disappearing in the mist.

Cove is a small strung out village along the B833 and I mostly followed the road south although in places there was a large green between the road and the coast so I can walk on that in places.

The foreshore is a mixture of shingle, rock and grass, though in a lot of places there is also a lot of Japanese Knotweed.

I soon reach what looks to be the extent of the shopping facilities in Cove, the Cove Country Store.

I didn’t cross the road to investigate, it didn’t look open anyway. I continued along the road and a mixture of the grass alongside and soon round the corner into Kilcreggan, passing a war memorial on the way into the village.

Kilcreggan is a larger place and actually has a ferry across the Firth of Clyde to Gourock. This would have been a much quicker and simpler way to get to the start of the walk today if it was running, but sadly for me it doesn’t run on Sundays, so this is why I had to take the convoluted way via Glasgow.

Kilcreggan is another long linear village with most of the homes strung out along the B833 though I imagine they have a lovely view when the weather is good.

The ferry departs from the end of a fairly narrow pier so I suspect this service has always been a passenger only service unlike the other service from Gourock to Dunoon that used to take cars but doesn’t anymore.

Although the lack of ferry was a nuisance for me today it does also have a benefit of less traffic along this road, which makes my walk more pleasant.

Just after the ferry terminal the B833 turns inland and a more minor road (Fort Road) continues ahead, so although it means no pavement it also means a lot less traffic! The road soon enters an area of scrubland which I suspect was once built on and whatever was there (a fort perhaps?) has since been demolished. (A later Google search confirmed this to be the site of the former Portkil Battery). Further up I come to a sign telling me the road ahead is now private and part of the “Portkil Estate” but fortunately the sign goes on to add “You are welcome to walk and enjoy this area”.

A new housing estate is being built ahead on the landward side of the road but fortunately not the coastal side so I take the opportunity of a break in the rain to head down onto the beach for somewhere to have lunch (due to the time taken to get here I started this walk later than usual so it’s time for lunch).

To get onto the beach I have to climb through a lot of Japanese Knotweed which seems to have taken over the back of the beach and is even sprouting up around rocks and pebbles on the beach. I can’t imagine having a large growth of this invasive weed growing near the new housing development is going to do much for the prices of these houses when they are ready to sell.

The road soon ends but fortunately there is a core path that continues along the shore around this part of the peninsula and it is pleasant walk, continuing as a narrow path right behind the beach.

The beach doesn’t look all that attractive on a dull grey drizzly day like today and looks like it might be muddy in places.

At the end of this beach the path briefly goes a little inland from the coast through an area called Greenisland Plantation but then returns to the coast at the back of Culwatty Bay. There is a tiny amount of sand here, but it is mostly shingle again and what sand there is looks to be quite muddy too.

The path soon reaches a large caravan park (Rosneath Castle Caravan Park). The path goes through here and I try to follow a more coastal route but it comes to a dead-end so I have to return to the path which follows the various access roads through this large caravan park.

At the end of the caravan park the path continues through woodland, the aptly named Dark Wood (it is quite dark in there today due to being such a grey day).  Actually although marked as a core path on the map it’s not really a path at all but turns out to be the access road to this caravan park and it generates quite a bit of traffic so I have to keep an eye out for the traffic. At the end of the woodland I emerge into the bright lights of Camsall Bay. This is a rather muddy looking bay but the low cliffs either side are wooded so it is quite pretty.

Sadly a short way along the path at the back of this beach the path ends and I return to the B833 which is on the coast again at this point. Fortunately this brings with it a pavement so I am pleased I don’t have to traffic dodge again and best of all the pavement is on the coast side of the road so I can enjoy the views without having to keep a close eye out for traffic. Sadly the pavement soon ends and I do then have to keep a close eye for the traffic.

Strangely after passing through an area of woodland the pavement resumes again but now alongside the high metal fence of some sort of port or boat yard on the right, so it’s not exactly pretty and I can’t really see the coast anymore, even though it is close by.

The road soon enters the village of Rosneath after which this peninsula is named. Though I am not going to see it at it’s best today anyway it all looks a bit grey and dull. I opt to take a photo beside this tree in blossom instead to try and add a bit of colour!

Fortunately at the end of the village the road is at last back right on the shore again as I pass Stroul Bay.

After crossing Stroul Burn via the bridge I now enter the village of Clynder which seems to essentially join up to Rosneath. The only really clue seems to be the pavement moves to the other side of the road (why?).

The houses on the water front seem quite large. The village runs for almost a mile and then the pavement and village ends at an electrical substation. For a time there is a rough grass verge but from time to it disappears, becomes woodland or is simply too narrow so I have to walk in the road.

Most of the traffic from the various villages I have passed through will head along this road to get off the peninsula to the wider world, so the road is pretty busy now and quite narrow so walking on it is unpleasant. As the tide is out, down to my right there is quite a wide beach down by the shore of the loch. It is shingle and pebble which is hard to walk on but that still feels more pleasant (and safer) than the road, so I soon drop down onto the beach instead.

It’s hard work but still nicer than the road. On the other side is the Faslane (HMNB Clyde) Naval base, which is home to nuclear submarines that are armed with trident missiles. I know when I get to that side of the loch, walking on the foreshore won’t be an option. Although Sunday there is some activity there and I believe some movement of submarines going on because from time to time I can see large ripples begin to fan out from that part of the loch, indicating a boat is moving even though I can’t see it. It is a little creepy!

Later on I see a patrol boat which seems to be going back and forth. I wonder if it has spotted me and is keeping an eye (as I am holding my camera, which seems to immediately make security people suspicious). The going is quite hard and in places the wide of the loch has woodland coming right down to the shore, often with Japanese Knotweed growing at the back of the beach too and I am beginning to wonder how I am going to be able to get back onto the road when the time comes.

There are a few isolated houses along the road still and one of them has built a little “summer garden” complete with shed at the back of the beach! Must be a nice spot to sit on a fine summers day I imagine. Sadly today isn’t such a day! I did wonder about getting back onto the road here, there must be easy access, created by the owner, but I am not sure if they will claim this is part of their garden (and if they even have permission to build this here or claim it as a garden), so I stick to the foreshore and keep this in mind if I have to turn back.

I can now see the various large sheds across the loch of the Naval base, which is not especially attractive and the going is getting harder on the beach because now there are quite a lot of rocks too. However it still feels preferable to the road!

Further along I pass some weird signs on the shore. What are they for I wonder?

I assume it is connected in some way with the Naval base on the opposite shore, but I am not sure how. Or maybe just for navigation in some way?

Further up I pass the rotting remains of a boat on a trailer. Not a lot is left and what little is left is disappearing in the Rhododendrons and Japanese Knotweed both of which seem to grow profusely along the shore of this loch.

At last the weather seems to be improving. The cloud that has been hanging over the low hills on the other side of the loch has lifted a bit and now there is just the odd spot of drizzle. Looking out to sea, the sky looks brighter.

As I near the top of the loch where the road is right alongside again and there are no trees I use this opportunity to return to the road.

I can now see the small town of Garelochhead at the head of the loch ahead. There is still no pavement but now a few lay-bys do at least give a break from the traffic. Finally near the top of the loch a pavement returns. At the head of the loch a short footpath provides a more coastal shortcut than the road route running across a footbridge to a small picnic area. This crosses the McAulay Burn at the head of the loch.

Soon the path returns to the road, now in the pretty small town of Garelochhead. Despite only being a small town it has the luxury of a railway station so I could end the walk here, but there is still plenty of daylight and I have the energy to continue so that is what I do. Fortunately there is also a frequent bus along the road so I can use that instead of the train.

The tide is still far out so there is actually little water at the top of the loch.

As I reach the end of the town I am pleased to see the pavement does continue, albeit it is now very narrow. Soon the high barbed-wire topped fence begins on my right, to keep people out of the Naval base with the Nuclear submarines. It is pretty unpleasant and oppressive walking on the pavement between the high wire fence on one side and the busy road on the other, so I pick up my pace, keen to get past this bit.

Soon the road I am on joins the A814 which now is the closest public road to the shore, anywhere nearer being in the Naval base. This brings with it more traffic.

Eventually the naval base appears to end, the road now with trees on both sides, but the map suggests various structures in the woodland which might have been to do with the Naval base in the past. As I near the village of Shandon I come across a strange site. A load of old caravans and buses beside the road painted with various slogans.

I find this is the “Faslane Peace Camp”, occupied by anti nuclear protesters. It has apparently been here since 1982. Over 40 years later I am wondering what exactly they hope to achieve, continuing with the process. I can’t imagine in the current climate the UK Government getting rid of Nuclear weapons and the associated submarines.

Beyond the peace camp the pavement resumes again (actually initially a cycle lane) and moves some distance back from the main carriageway of the road, which makes it far more pleasant.

This later widens into a separate access road for the houses. Clearly someone has had fun with the speed limit signs on this road….

I am amused to by this sign beside the road a little further up. Given the fairly recent death of Queen Elizabeth II I do wonder if someone added the Kings Point sign after!

Soon I am approaching the next village, Rhu. Here there is a small peninsula on my right, part of which is occupied by a hotel and there is also a large pier whose purpose I am not quite sure about.

After this little peninsula the road is back alongside the shore. There is a little seating area and toilet block here but also a bus stop. As it’s gone 6pm I decide to call it a day here as there is a a bus due into Helensburgh shortly where I can transfer to a train for the rest of the way and the bus only runs once every 2 hours on Sunday. The bus comes more or less on time and I have a few minutes to wait in Helensburgh but fortunately the train is just arriving so I can get on and have a sit down.

I took the train to Glasgow Queen Street and then decided to take the expensive express bus back to the airport as the hotel I was staying in was a few minutes walk from the airport (the Premier Inn Glasgow Airport).

This had been a varied walk, but sadly the weather meant I hadn’t seen it at it’s best. I imagine this is quite a picturesque peninsula in fine weather but today a lot what not visible in the mist! I didn’t enjoy the busy roads or the walk around the Naval base however but at least there was a pavement on this stretch of the road and the rest of the walk was good.

Here are details of the public transport needed for this walk:-

Garelochhead Coaches route 316 : Coulport – Cove – Kilcreggan – Clynder – Garelochhead – Faslane – Shandon – Rhu – Helensburgh. Every hour, Monday – Saturday. between Helensburgh and Cove and every 30 minutes between Garelochhead and Helensburgh Approximately once every 2 hours on Sunday. It takes around 35 minutes to travel between Cove and Rhu.

Here are the complete set of photos for this walk : Main Link.

Here is a map of this walk:-