Introduction

This afternoon, I am reporting on a most excellent 5 mile hike around Kilsyth which lies about 15 miles N.E. of Glasgow.

Information on the hike and Kilsyth

The name points to the history of the settlement. ‘Kil’ is derived from the Gaelic ‘cill’ which is cognate with the English word ‘cell’. About 1500 years ago Irish Christian missionaries coming from the west infiltrated communities by setting up cells to promote the religion. In this case it was likely that the local missionary was named Syth (or similar).

Going back further in time, Kilsyth is located just a couple of miles north of the Roman-era, Antonine Wall.

The population of Kilsyth is about 10,000 persons.

In the past Kilsyth was known for coal mining, quarrying and textile production.

The Battle of Kilsyth was fought on 15 August 1645. Outcome was a victory for the Royalist general Montrose over the forces of the Covenanter-dominated Scottish Parliament.

Today, Kilsyth benefits from good road and rail connections.

The hike

This was a 5 mile (8.1km) circular route organised by the local Ramblers group. Start and finish point was the town centre with most time spent in the very pleasant Colzium Estate. More information is provided in the images and video below. Please bear in mind that visibility was unusually favourable.

The video clip below shows the walled garden which dates from 1790. Here the walls create a micro climate 6 degrees centigrade warmer than the surroundings. The garden features a collection of camellias, rhododendrons, magnolias, Scots pines and birch trees.

More information for the visitor

The publication Visitors’ Guide to Scotland spans nearly 800 pages and provides a wide range range of information and images, including activities. ISBN is 978-1-9161332-0-4. Also available via Kindle.