59 West Coast Waters

Hanging out at the canal ...

Glasgow canal is an emerging destination in north Glasgow and a hub for innovation, creativity and regeneration.

Stretching from Pinkston in Port Dundas to Firhill Basin in Maryhill, the canal is a hidden asset within Glasgow and it’s closer than you think – nestled just 10 minutes from the city centre.

First built in the late 1700s to support the city’s bustling industry, the canal continues to develop and the area around it is now home to a host of innovative business and organisations including a thriving creative and cultural quarter, cutting-edge sports facilities, fantastic places to eat and drink, and an urban nature reserve.

Just a stone’s throw from Glasgow city centre, the canal boasts unforgettable views across the city. You can get to the canal on foot, on wheels, by subway at Cowcaddens Subway Station or the bus by alighting at Garscube Road.

NAVVIES’ BARGE

GLASGOW CANAL CO-OP

A close-knit community of businesses, organisations and individuals in north Glasgow have joined together to form Glasgow Canal Co-op and are working together to unlock the waterway’s potential as a vibrant place for people to live, work and visit. North Glasgow has a set of unique assets, including its urban heritage, outdoor space and wildlife, artistic talent and sporting destinations, which paired with the thriving organisations and brilliant people based there, make it an area with much to celebrate. The Co-op members are connected by a pioneering spirit and the canal’s fascinating heritage and are helping shape how this part of the city should develop and grow

GLASGOW WAKEPARK

G4 9XP T. 07415 787260 www.glasgowwakepark.com Come and try your hand at wakeboarding on the canal! Based at Pinkston Watersports, we offer a system 2.0 wakeboard park which allows the wakeboarder to ride continuously, turning at each end of the canal basin. To challenge you we have four obstacles in the water for trying out varying levels of tricks. Whether you are trying wakeboarding for the first time or are perfecting your latest trick we offer the ideal environment in an urban location. We are open from March to October. Navvies’ Barge is a social enterprise canal boat moored at Applecross Basin. The barge runs boat trips along Glasgow’s stretch of the canal and hosts a café and a variety of workshops, making the waterway more accessible to people in the local community. Customers can enjoy a day out on the barge, make themselves at home on-board with a buffet and relax their way along the canal. The barge is also shared with community groups in order to open up the canal and the benefits of time on the water with as many people as possible. Established as a workers’ co-operative, Navvies’ Barge pays tribute to the workers who made the canal – the navvies. The social enterprise aims to empower people in their work and remind them of the power of worker solidarity.

GLASGOW TOOL LIBRARY

Glasgow Tool Library is a charity located at Civic House which lends and share tools, instead of books. They also hold classes, workshops and events that teach a range of craft, DIY and sustainability skills and knowledge. Glasgow Tool Library collects donations of tools from those that no longer use them, repairs and cares for them, and saves them from going to landfill. Creating a community resource not only reduces your carbon footprint, it also saves people money. From supporting practical DIY, gardening and home improvements, to furniture making and artistic projects, Glasgow Tool Library will provide the tools you need.

PINKSTON WATERSPORTS

G4 9XP T. 0141 332 5636 www.pinkston.co.uk Pinkston Watersports is a community paddlesports centre with Scotland’s only artificial whitewater course, offering unique urban watersports facilities in an urban setting. You can take part in paddlesport classes, community activities, team building and even host a birthday birthday. Whether it’s rafting, kayaking, canoeing or stand up paddleboarding you’re into, Pinkston’s the place for you.

GLASGOW SCULPTURE STUDIOS

Experience Glasgow canal’s creative side with a trip to Glasgow Sculpture Studios. Their sculpture courses have been developed to support all levels of ability and experience – no prior experience is required and beginners are very welcome. From metalwork to mould-making, their programme aims to introduce you to new ways of thinking, making, and doing, while creating space for you to bring your own thoughts, ideas, and interests to each session. Build on your existing skills and discover new ones you didn’t know you had.

OCHO CAFE

8 Speirs Wharf, G4 9TB 0141 332 6229 www.ochoglasgow.co.uk Situated on the banks of Speirs Wharf, in a corner of the original 1851 heritage building, lies Ocho Cafe. A fully licensed brunch, lunch and cocktail venue, Ocho Cafe offers only the freshest daily delivered ingredients from local suppliers, with every dish entirely home made. A fully licensed brunch, lunch and cocktail venue, Ocho Cafe is just a short walk from the city centre yet has an aura of escaping it all.

WALK OR WHEEL THE CANAL

The canal is the perfect place for a walk, run or cycle and is a gateway to an exciting network of cycle paths and routes within Glasgow and that stretch all the way to Loch Lomond. Whether you’re looking for a green way to get to work, or to enjoy some time stretching your legs along the water’s edge – you can do it via Glasgow’s canal.

HAMILTONHILL CLAYPITS LOCAL NATURE RESERVE

Hamiltonhill Claypits Local Nature Reserve is an urban oasis, just a mile from Glasgow city centre. An inner-city parkland, the Claypits is a 950 hectare greenspace, home to an array of plants, trees and wildlife including roe deer, peregrine falcons, whitethroat warblers and a host of waterfowl. Originally the home of a clay quarry used when the Forth and Clyde Canal was first built in the late 1700s, it was also the site of a foundry, glassworks and boat-building yard. The Claypits is currently closed for essential improvement works, but the group run regular nature walks along the canal.time stretching your legs along the water’s edge – you can do it via Glasgow’s canal.

THE LOADING BAY SKATEPARK

G4 9XE www.theloadingbayglasgow.com Glasgow’s first and only indoor skatepark, The Loading Bay is the latest addition to north Glasgow’s alternative urban sports playground. The 30,000 sq ft space features a street plaza, a 60ft long bowl, movable modular ramps and training room with trampolines, gymnastics flooring and foam pits and a café. The Loading Bay is the result of a collaboration between internationally acclaimed skate ramp company Vision Ramps, whose past collaborators include Red Bull and the team behind the new James Bond movie, and Scottish Canals. It is fast becoming a favourite spot for pros and beginners alike.