Introduction

This morning my wife and myself undertook a long planned hike around Busby Glen which is situated about ten miles south of Glasgow.

Information on Busby Glen

Glen is a Gaelic word which translates as ‘valley’. However, insofar as the route we took is concerned, the route tracked a steep gorge. I suspect this was carved out when the glaciers melted at end of the last ice age, about 10,000 years ago.

Interesting Tree

The Glen has connections with Glasgow’s industrial past. The White Cart Water (river) flows through this glen. In the 18th century the water was harnessed to power huge textile works employing hundreds of men, women and children.

Here are the remains of a 17th/18th century mill on opposite side of the gorge.

The cotton industry commenced in Busby in 1780 and lasted for about 100 years. Prior to cotton, there were mills in existence for waulk (washing and thickening cloth), lint and meal.The physical legacy can still be traced through weirs, sluices, lades and converted former mill buildings.

More remains of water-powered industrial activity.

The images below show the White Cart and also the railway viaduct which was built in the 1860s to carry the railway across the river.

Trail with viaduct in distance

Another view of the viaduct.

Snowdrops

1860s Railway Viaduct which is still in use.

Local burn (stream) merges with White Cart Water

Images of some of the tiny animal characters we encountered along the trail. I have no knowledge of the background to these items which I also encountered on a hike near Crieff in central Scotland.

Finally, this valley has ancient remains which may date to the Iron Age (700BC-43AD). Unfortunately, there is no longer an information board in place.

More Information

For more information on Scotland’s industrial history, it’s cities and much more please refer to the Visitors’ Guide to Scotland, ISBN 978-1-9161332-0-4. This book is also available via Kindle.