WEMYSS BAY

Wemyss Bay owes its popularity as a resort to the arrival of the railway service from Glasgow in 1865, by which time a number of villas had been built there which were owned by wealthy Glasgow merchants, earning the area the name "Little Glasgow".  The magnificent station, built by James Miller in 1903 and restored in the 1990s, stands as a fitting reminder of the railway heyday, with its curved glass and steel roof. Sadly, since the restoration the station has been somewhat neglected, prompting the founding of the Friends Of Wemyss Bay Station whose stated intent is to restore the building to its former glory.  Aside from the train link there are ferries to Rothesay on the Isle of Bute, and the station incorporates the ferry terminal.  The main feature of the bay itself is a red sandstone cliff, which incorporates the deep ravine of Kelly Burn.  The Burn acts as a natural boundary between Wemyss Bay and neighbouring Skelmorlie, which has hotels, a golf course and a trout fishery open to visitors.  Skelmorlie Castle, to the south of the village, is a 16th century tower house built over an earlier structure.  

Map of the area. 

 111115 pier from Wemyss Bay Road. Photo by Dave Souza, via Wikimedia Commons

INVERKIP

The present-day Inverclyde plays an important role for exports due to its position on the Firth of Clyde,  however the area also used to be a hive of import activity, by no means all of it legal.  During the early 1700s duties were imposed on goods such as tobacco and whisky, a move which inevitably led to a temptation to engage in smuggling.  The bay at Inverkip was a perfect spot for bringing goods ashore, which was how the village came to be a hotbed of smuggling.  Almost everyone had a hand in the activity, even the local priests, and there was a constant game of cat and mouse with the customs officers who kept watch over the coast.  Smuggled goods were hidden in cellars and in caves such as one near Inverkip which is still known as Smugglers Cave.  Local characters implicated in these activities included milkmen Thomas Finnie and Robert Cochrane, who would hide whisky among the milk on their delivery carts.  Another thing Inverkip was infamous for going back even further in time was witchcraft.  During the 1600s the village was a centre of witchcraft and many women accused of witchcraft were burned at the stake there.  Even a local landowner, Alexander Dunrod, was thought to be a practising warlock.

Since the transformation of Inverkip into a resort, thanks to the arrival of the railway, activity in the village has been confined to more legitimate pursuits, most notably at the Kip Marina, the oldest one on the Clyde.  Nearby Ardgowan House with its 400 acre estate is still occupied by the Shaw Stewart family, who were responsible for the building of a much earlier castle during the time that the village was part of the Kingdom of Strathclyde.   Inverkip lies in the Clyde Muirshiel Regional Park, which includes Cornalees Bridge Visitor Centre offering glen and moorland walks and Lunderston Bay on the other side of the Ardgowan Estate, with a sandy beach and a picnic site.

Live streaming webcams from Kip Marina.

Map of the area. 

Ardgowan House and Inverkip Bay - geograph - 3629687. Photo by Thomas Nugent, via Wikimedia Commons

GOUROCK

Gourock is located around Kempock Point, although the outskirts of the town stretch along to Cloch Point, where the Firth of Clyde suddenly veers to the south.  It has a pleasant lawned esplanade and a ferry terminal offering services to Kilcreggan and Dunoon. There is also a rail link to Glasgow, in fact the town owes its rise in popularity as a resort to the arrival of the railway.  Prior to this, it was mainly a fishing community. The town of Gourock is dominated by Tower Hill, named after the tower built there as a folly in 1847 by the local laird.  It is worth making the effort to climb up to the tower for the magnificent views of the Firth.  Meanwhile, golfers can also enjoy the views from the elevated position occupied by the Golf Club.  There is also a Yacht Club, which hosts races in the summer off West Bay.  Cloch Point is home to an attractive whitewash lighthouse, built by James Clarkson in 1797.

Map of the area. 

Gourock from west with ferry. Photo by Greenockman-commonswiki, via Wikimedia Commons

GREENOCK

The area around the Clyde estuary seems to be full of places associated with pioneering and invention.  In the case of Greenock, it could be said that it was the cradle of the Industrial Revolution, since Greenock was the birthplace in 1736 of James Watt, who perfected the steam engine.  Watt's father was in shipbuilding, which in those days was already an important part of the economy, but as is the case elsewhere this activity has since declined.  The British Pathe website has a number of archive videos from Greenock's shipbuilding days.  Those who want to find out more about James Watt and Greenock's past can head to the McLean Art Gallery and Museum.  The Custom House, designed in 1818 by William Burn, is a magnificent building which was captured in a painting by Robert Salmon and which is housed in the McLean Museum.  As well as housing customs offices, there was a customs and excise museum on the premises.  Sadly, as part of a rationalisation exercise on the part of HMRC, and in spite of fierce opposition by staff, unions and local politicians, the building ceased to be used in 2010 and now lies empty.  However, there have since been renewed signs of life on Customhouse Quay, which is home to a new arts centre called the Beacon Arts Centre, with performance spaces and a bistro/bar.  One of Greenock's most prominent landmarks is Victoria Tower, which is 75 metres tall and was completed in 1886.  The tower forms part of the Italianate Municipal Buildings. The Old West Kirk on the Esplanade has fine stained glass by artists including Dante Gabriel Rossetti.  Greenock's wartime contributions included the Clyde Torpedo Factory, which opened in 1910.  Later, during the Second World War, Greenock suffered badly, most notably in May 1941 when the town experienced its own "blitz".  TV buffs may be interested to know that since 2012 Greenock has been the setting for the BBC drama Waterloo Road, with filming taking place at the Greenock Academy.

Webcam view from Victoria Tower.

Map of the area. 

Custom House, Customhouse Quay Greenock - geograph.org.uk - 1395286. Photo by John Ferguson, via Wikimedia Commons

PORT GLASGOW

Port Glasgow, on the south bank of the River Clyde, was originally a village called Newark.  Ships used to arrive from France and the Low Countries bringing goods for Glasgow, and they were unloaded here and the cargo taken up the Clyde.  The present-day port dates from the 17th century, when port facilities and a grid-iron street pattern were established, and the Clyde was deepened.  In the 19th century the port became a major centre for shipbuilding, which was the principal source of employment in the area.  The first ship to be built and launched from there was the Comet steamship designed by Henry Bell (see the Helensburgh post).  Sadly, there is now only one shipyard left, Ferguson Shipbuilders.  In an attempt to reverse the inevitable resulting decline, work began in the 1990s to regenerate the waterfront.

Near Port Glasgow is Newark Castle, which was built in the 15th century by George Maxwell, and was later expanded by Patrick Maxwell, who added a 3-storey Renaissance mansion in the Scottish baronial style.  The castle has some fine Jacobean features on its exterior.  The area of foreshore called Parklea has a National Trust of Scotland wood, and is home to a bird sanctuary.  The Inverclyde Coastal Path takes in this area.  Another worthwhile place to visit is Finlaystone Country Estate, which has 10 acres of beautiful gardens with views over the Clyde as well as woodland walks and picnic areas.

Map of the area. 

Port Glasgow waterfront - geograph.org.uk - 1340382. Photo by Thomas Nugent, via Wikimedia Commons