Dumbarton Rock, Scotland

 Introduction

This evening I am reporting on yesterday's trip to Dumbarton Rock on the Firth of Clyde. Location is about 20 miles NW of Glasgow.

 

Information on the trip to Dumbarton Rock

We aligned our visit to coincide with predicted good weather, which, thankfully, proved accurate.This facilitated some useful landscape photography which benefited from the high elevation (250 ft ) platforms.

This site is sometimes known at Dumbarton Castle.However the ancient volcanic geology lends itself to defence, latterly a cannon platform, and hence the site is devoid of conventional castle defences with thick masonry walls and towers.

The site has a 1600 year history as a power base and military function which I will elaborate on tomorrow.   

View north with the town of Dumbarton in the foreground and famous Ben Lomond (mountain) in the distance.The moorings and defunct shipyards point to a history of shipbuilding in the past.This harbour links with the river Clyde and, ultimately, the Atlantic Ocean.

Looking west with Port Glasgow and Greenock on opposite bank.

Looking east on ebbing tide with Glasgow in the far distance.

These tiny flowers eke out a living on the top, rocky surface. They seem to fall within the definition of 'Alpine' but I have drawn a blank on the web so far.

Merchant ship slowly moving towards Glasgow.

Another view of the incoming ship

Dumbarton Harbour's link with the main, Clyde waterway.

Video clip of River Clyde from Dumbarton Rock

More information

Information on Scotland’s Clyde Coast, Glasgow and industrial history can be found in the Visitors’ Guide to Scotland. ISBN is 978-1-9161332-0-4. The book is also available via Kindle.


Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

Reconstructed Roman Villa

Image
This evening, I am reporting on my visit earlier today to a meticulously reconstructed Roman Villa in Somerset, England.   Funding for the project was provided by a South African billionaire. Specific features of the reconstruction project which is known as 'Villa Ventorum': Employed hundreds of architects, builders, archaelogists, mosaic makers, fresco painters and experts on ancient plumbing. The new build was built close to the remains of the original villa which dates from AD351. Incorporates the only working hypocaust system in Europe to create authentic Roman underfloor heating. Thne system also provides heating for the internal baths. Designed to appear to visitors as though still in use. Mosaics and frescoes have been made below the top standards of the time (e.g. Chedworth ) to reflect the social rank of the resident family. Incorporates a Roman 'fast food bar' allong the lines of that found in Pompeii . (Core of above information sourced from the Times newspap...
Read more

Fort Augustus, a popular visitor site on southern tip of Loch Ness

Image
Loch Ness from flight of locks at Fort Augustus, Scottish Highlands This evening, I am posting information on Fort Augustus, a busy tourist village on the southern tip of Loch Ness in the Scottish Highlands. Summary information on Fort Augustus as follows:- Population about 650 persons. Distance, about 160 miles from Edinburgh and 35 miles from Inverness entailing journey times of 3.5 hours and 1 hour respectively. Well endowed with hotels and other accommodation plus shops, restaurants and visitor attractions. From here visitors can avail of boat trips on Loch Ness. Home to an impressive flight of five locks on the Caledonian Canal. Latter dates from 1822 and is now primarily used by pleasure boats. Closely linked with the 18th century Jacobite uprising in that (a) the village was renamed Fort Augustus (after Prince William Augustus, third son of King George II) consequent upon construction of a British military (redcoat) fort in 1742 and (b) the same Pri...
Read more

York, England and its Roman origins.

Image
Street decoration in York York is an ancient city in northern England. Here visitors can connect with the city's growth over the past 2000 years, from the Roman period then Viking, medieval and modern. However, this post places an emphasis on the Roman period. Roman York York was known as Eboracum. Consistent with other Roman forts the plan at York was based on a playing card design with strong external defences and a grid of streets inside. Hadrian visited in AD 120 in context of initiative to build his famous wall. Initially York was garrisoned by the Ninth Legion and subsequently the Sixth Legion. Roman HQ building The civilian section contained public buildings such as bath houses and temples plus fine houses for the wealthy. The Emperor, Septimus Severus used York as a base for military campaigns in the north during 208-211. In AD 306 the emperor Constantinus I died in York and his son Constantine the Great was acclaimed emperor by the army. R...
Read more