Clydebank’s strong community grew from the Forth & Clyde Canal. Singer’s used the canal for supply and distribution of up to 1.3 million sewing machines a year. People still miss the Singer factory clock, which survived the Blitz only to be demolished in 1963. A replica of the clock hands can be found along the canal on the eastern side of Argyll Road. Today’s Clydebank is changing again as 20th century buildings make way for those of the 21st. Local people always seem to thrive on change and as a result are reinventing their local canal as an attractive place to meet, stroll, cycle and relax
Follow the towpath of the Forth and Clyde Canal from Bowling to Falkirk on this super cycling and walking route. The route follows National Cycle Network Routes 7 and 754 so is well signed throughout. At Falkirk you can link up with the Union Canal which will take you into Edinburgh. As such you can cross central Scotland from Glasgow to Edinburgh on traffic free canalside paths.
You start off at the Bowling Basin near to Bowling train station on the Glasgow suburban line. The path then heads through Clydebank and the outskirts of Glasgow, crossing the four-arched 120 metre long Kelvin Aqueduct and the Kelvin Walkway as you go. From the Aqueduct you continue to the town of Kirkintilloch passing Cadder, Bishopbriggs, a Roman Fort and the pretty Possil Loch on the way.
From Kirkintilloch you continue to the nearby town of Kilsyth, passing along the River Kelvin and Dumbreck Nature Reserve.
The final leg runs from Kilsyth to Falkirk, passing Bonnybridge and the Antonine Wall - a Roman turf and stone fortification bisecting Scotland. On the outskirts of Falkirk you'll come to the Falkirk Wheel - this rotating boat lift connects the Forth and Clyde Canal with the Union Canal lifting boats from the basin to the aqueduct 24 metres above. See the video below for a full description of this fascinating tourist attraction.
After the Falkirk Wheel you complete the trip by passing along the canal into Falkirk and finishing at Falkirk train station.
Clydebank
Clydebank is a town in West Dunbartonshire on the north bank of the River Clyde.
Until the late 19th century the area was largely rural consisting of villages and farms.
The Clyde Bank Shipbuilding Yard was set up here in 1871. Rapid growth of heavy industry, population and housing soon followed.
In 1882 the Singer Company moved their manufacturing base from Bridgeton, Glasgow to Clydebank. It quickly became the largest sewing machine factory in the world. It employed over 12,000 workers making domestic and industrial sewing machines that were shipped throughout the world.
During World War II, on 13 and 14 March 1941, Clydebank was a major target for German bombings. In what became known as the Clydebank Blitz, the town itself was seriously damaged as were the local shipyards and armaments factories such as the Dalnottar Oil depot and the Singer Sewing Machine Factory. Over the two days 528 civilians were killed, over 617 people were seriously injured and 4,000 homes were completely destroyed. More than 1000 bombs were dropped on the town by about 400 German planes. RAF fighters shot down two German bombers
The Singer factory closed in 1980 and was demolished in the early 1990s. The site is now largely occupied by a business park.