Helen Rose Hillwalking Diary.

Helen Rose’s Outdoor Diary: Neilston to Darnley

March, 2023 Neilston On a winter walk I went with Glasgow Ramblers from Neilston to Darnley. From Glasgow City Centre we took the train to Neilston, which is in the south west of the Greater Glasgow conurbation. Neilston is mentioned in documents from the 12th century, when the feudal lord Robert de Croc, endowed a […]

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Helen Rose’s Outdoor Diary: Dram Walk

Dram Walk, February 2023 As the first walk of the New Year, Glasgow Health Culture Rambling Club put on a walk in Mugdock Park where we stop for drams to celebrate the New Year.  The contact for the club is Roshni.. The club is Glasgow’s Oldest Rambling Club and was founded in September 1902. They […]

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Helen Rose’s Outdoor Diary: Inverkip

January, 2023 Inverkip Village Inverkip is a village in the historic county of Renfrewshire in the west central lowlands of Scotland about 30 miles west of Glasgow at the Firth of Clyde. It takes its name from the River Kip and is served by Inverkip Railway Station.  In 1170 Baldwin de Bigres, Sheriff of Lanark, […]

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Helen Rose Outdoor Diary: Kincraig

December, 2022 Aviemore Recently I visited Aviemore with walking friends to stay in Kincraig to celebrate 25 years of the group being formed.  Aviemore is a town in the Cairngorms National Park in the Scottish Highlands. It’s known for its close proximity to the secluded lochs, ancient forest, mountain trails and ski runs of the […]

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Helen Rose’s Outdoor Diary: Raasay

Raasay – November, 2022 Raasay is an island off the coast of the Isle of Skye in the Inner Hebrides in North West Scotland. Skye is connected to the mainland by a bridge and travel to Raasay is by a short ferry journey from Sconser on Skye. There is a new ferry called the MV […]

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Helen Rose Outdoor Diary: Norway

Norway, Olden and Alesund – October, 2022 Recently I was on a cruise to Norway. This was my fifth visit to Norway and I have visited most of Norway from south to north and out to Svalbard. All the visits have been fascinating but this time I specifically wanted to visit Ålesund for the famous […]

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Helen Rose Outdoor Diary – Arran

September, 2022 The Isle of Arran is one of the most southerly Scottish islands and sits in the Firth of Clyde between Ayrshire and the Kintyre peninsula. Arran is 19 miles long by 10 miles wide but has a remarkable diversity of landscapes and seascapes. The west coast of Arran has spectacular bays and coastline […]

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Helen Rose’s Outdoor Diary: Royal Deeside and Balmoral

Royal Deeside I spent some time in Royal Deeside and Ballater recently with some friends. It’s about 5 hours by bus from Glasgow via Aberdeen and is located in Aberdeenshire in the north east of Scotland. Royal Deeside follows the River Dee in to the heart of the Grampian Mountains. It’s a fine-looking area that […]

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Helen Rose’s Ourdoor Diary: English Lakes, Coniston

July, 2022 Coniston The Lake District, also known as the Lakes or Lakeland, is a mountainous region in North West England. A popular holiday destination, it is famous for its lakes, forests and mountains (or fells), and its associations with William Wordsworth and other Lake Poets and also with Beatrix Potter. The Bearsden and Milngavie […]

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Helen Rose’s Outdoor Diary: Stirling

Six Mile Walk with Glasgow Ramblers, June 2022 It has been said that ‘Stirling, like a huge brooch clasps Highlands and Lowlands of Scotland together. And he who holds Stirling holds Scotland.’ It is in central Scotland and the lowest bridging point on the River Forth. It is full of ancient royal history and interesting […]

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Helen Rose’s Outdoor Diary: Corran, Strontian. May 2022

Corran There is an annual trip for the weekend by Glasgow HF Outdoor Club to the Bunkhouse at Corran. This is a misnomer as there are no bunks and it is a very comfortable private hostel mainly in two bedded rooms with a TV.  The views are stunning from the bunkhouse over to Ardgour.  There […]

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Helen Rose Outdoor Diary: University of Glasgow. April 2022

Helen Rose Outdoors This is dedicated to the late Mary O’Donnell, a great friend and a very kind person, sadly missed. University of Glasgow In Glasgow there are three universities, University of Glasgow, University of Strathclyde and Westend of Glasgow where I live. It is also my alma mater having graduated there twice. Obviously I […]

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Castle Semple Trail, March 2022

Helen Rose Outdoors Lochwinnoch Lochwinnoch (in Scottish Gaelic, Loch Uinneach) is a village in the historic county of Renfrewshire in west central Scotland. Lying on the banks of Castle Semple Loch and the River Calder, Lochwinnoch is chiefly a residential dormitory village serving nearby urban centres such as Glasgow. The Glasgow HF Outdoor Club organised a […]

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New York. February 2022.

Helen Rose Outdoors. Hamilton On a recent visit to friends in New York, I travelled around on the subway. I have been to New York many times and always find something new to spend time on. I am really impressed by the New York parks and the pride that the city takes in them. The […]

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Helen Rose Outdoor Diary: New Lanark and Falls of Clyde.

January, 2022 New Lanark New Lanark is a village on the River Clyde near Lanark and some 25 miles (40 km) southeast of Glasgow, my home city. It was founded in 1786 by David Dale who built cotton mills and housing for the mill workers. Dale built the mills there in a brief partnership with […]

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Helen Rose’s Outdoor Diary: Ardrishaig. December 2021

Ardrishaig As we are still in the grip of the Covid 19 Pandemic, exotic travel is not possible and most of my blogs have been fairly local, however, The Glasgow Ramblers arranged a weekend trip to Ardrishaig . They are an excellent walking club and very welcoming to new members. Also, I like that The […]

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Helen Rose Outdoor Diary: Glen Affric

Glen Affric Glen Affric is a glen south-west of the village of Cannich in the Highland region of Scotland, some 15 miles to the west of Loch Ness. The River Affric runs along its length, passing through Loch Affric and Loch Beinn a’ Mheadhoin. It is reputedly the most beautiful glen in Scotland but others […]

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Helen Rose Outdoors Rigging Hill, Largs.

October 2021 Largs On a very hot and sunny day I climbed Rigging Hill with the Glasgow Ramblers  A very well organised club that has continued during the long period of the Covid 19 Pandemic to schedule interesting walks. We travelled by train to Largs to meet Idris, our leader. Largs is on the coast […]

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Eglinton Country Park – Helen Rose Outdoors

September, 2021 Eglinton Country Park Eglinton Country Park is located in the grounds of the old Eglinton Castle estate, Kilwinning, North Ayrshire in Scotland and covers an area of 400 hectares. The current castle was built between 1797 and 1802 in Gothic castellated style dominated by a central 100 foot (30m) large round keep and […]

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Helen Rose Outdoors Diary – Borders Abbeys Way

August 2021 Recently a group of us went for a staycation based in Melrose to walk around the Southern Upland Way and the Borders Abbey Way. Going abroad is not really an option during the Covid Pandemic so we are making the best of our very beautiful country here in Scotland which is full of […]

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The Magnificent 11 – a Glasgow South Side Walk

Helen Rose Outdoors Diary July, 2021 The Magnificent 11 is a four-part circular walk of 11 miles linking seven wonderful greenspace habitats on Glasgow’s Southside, including Local Nature Reserves (LNRs) and a Site of Special Scientific Interest (SSSI). The route was developed by Glasgow Ramblers  in partnership with Glasgow’s Countryside Rangers  Countryside Rangers can be […]

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Bellahouston Park. June 2021

Helen Rose Outdoor Diary During the winter lockdown due to Covid 19, we continued our walks in Glasgow Parks. Bellahouston is an extensive park of 169 Acres and has many features and facilities. It boasts formal gardens and open parkland where you can relax and take in views over the city. It is located in […]

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Helen Rose’ Outdoor Diary: Glasgow Graffiti

Inspiration The inspiration to write on Graffiti in Glasgow came from a virtual online tour of Brooklyn in New York graffiti by Ariel at Made and Spotted  – I am very grateful to him as it opened my eyes to local graffiti as an art form during the Covid 19 Pandemic local walks. The graffiti […]

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Helen Rose Outdoors – April 2021     As lockdown continues due to the virus, I am still limited to my home area and mainly parks in and around Glasgow. Over the winter, the Glasgow Ramblers organised a project to walk in all of the parks and open spaces in and around Glasgow. One of […]

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Helen Rose Outdoor Diary – Blantyre Circuit

  Blantyre We continue in lockdown due to Covid 19 pandemic so opportunities are limited for walks as we are required to stay near home. The town of Blantyre in South Lanarkshire is near Glasgow.  It is bounded by the River Clyde to the north, the Rotten Calder to the west, the Park Burn to […]

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North Calder Heritage Trail. February 2021

Helen Rose Outdoors During the lockdown due to the Covid 19 Virus, my walks have been fairly local but there is much interesting history near Glasgow and in the countryside near small towns. The lowlands of Scotland have an interesting industrial history and one such walk was the North Calder Heritage Trail organised by the […]

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Helen Rose Outdoor Diary: Kilpatricks. January 2021

Happy New Year! As lockdown continues due to the Covid 19 Virus, I am still keen to do weekly walks as being out in the fresh air is good for the mind and body. This walk in the Kilpatrick Hills, near Glasgow, was with the walking club Glasgow HF outdoors  The Kilpatrick Hills are a […]

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Rouken Glen Park. December 2020

Helen Rose Outdoor Diary As the Covid 19 virus continues to affect our communities, we are still restricted in travel and advised not to go far from home. I have another local park to write about just when you thought I had finished parks in and around Glasgow! There are still more to come over […]

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River Clyde. November 2020

Helen Rose Outdoors –  River Clyde The River Clyde is the eighth-longest river in the United Kingdom, and the second-longest in Scotland at 105 miles. Travelling through Glasgow it was an important river for shipbuilding and trade in the British Empire. The Romans called it Ciota and in early medieval Cumbric it was known as […]

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Helen Rose’s Outdoor Diary: The Whangie October 2020

The Whangie  As lockdown continues due to the Covid 19 virus, it has been fortunate that walking clubs can continue to programme walks as being outdoors in the fresh air is so important during these terrible times including for both mental and physical health. The HF Outdoor Club organised a walk to the Whangie and […]

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