Glasgow North Accommodation

Dumbarton Castle, Dumbarton, Clydebank North

Dumbarton Foreshore Walks, Clyde River Views

Hill House Gates, Rennie Mackintosh Design, Helensburgh

Hill House, Helenburgh

Dumbarton, Dumbarton Castle, Helensburgh Rennie Mackintosh, Dunbartonshire Scotland

Just to the North of the Clyde bank a number of top locations offer a host of historic (some ancient) sites and serve as excellent bases for pushing into the Highlands and Loch Lomond and the Trossachs. Dumbarton has two superb tourist attractions - Dumbarton Castle and the Scottish Maritime Museum's unique Denny's Tank Experience. It's worth keeping your eye on tourist developments around the Forth and Clyde Canal links, formally named the Millennium Link Project (see canal weblinks right). The vision of creating a canal stretching from Glasgow up into both West and East Dunbartonshire and across to Edinburgh which began in the late 1700s, is now seeing a revival. Much attention has been around the engineering masterpiece, the Falkirk Wheel, but plans are afoot for pleasure canal boat trips and more visitor centres all the way along this historic canal stretch.The Clyde & Forth Canal stretches upto Bowling just south of Dumbarton. Check the Millennium Link's weblink right for developments underway.

Move upto Helensburgh, port of call for the Waverley Steam Paddler, and discover one of Charles Rennie Mackintosh's most exquisite domestic designs - Hill House. Mackintosh was born in the town. Moving into East Dunbartonshire, you've a choice of bases close to Glasgow yet with a rural village feel including pretty Milngavie which borders Mugdock Country Park and is the start of the West Highland Way. For exploring Scotland's Roman history you won't find a better base than Bearsden, which has a number of Roman sites in and around the town including Roman Baths and an Antonine Wall.

Dumbarton & Dumbarton Castle

Two major tourist attractions are situated in Dumbarton on the Clyde's northern banks, and both are highly recommended for a tour. Dumbarton Castle is another of Scotland's striking castles situated on an old volcanic rock just to the southeast of the town centre. Serving as a strategic hill fort as far back as the Roman period, Mary Queen of Scots visited Dumbarton Castle later in 1548.

Hauling yourself up the 547 steps to the peak of Dumbarton Castle is well worth the effort for spectacular views across the Firth of Clyde. From the 5th century up until 1018, Dumbarton Castle was a central powerhouse within the Kingdom of Strathclyde and often used as a retreating place of safety by Royals. You can see why - this Scottish castle is particularly impenetrable. Dumbarton Rock, on which Dumbarton Castle is situated is a site of special scientific interest holding both archeological and wildlife gems.

Another attraction treasure at Dumbarton is the Scottish Maritime Museum's Denny Ship Model Experiement Tank. If you want the detail on Victorian ship design then a tour of the Denny Tank, dating from 1882 will reveal much. Carefully restored to full woking order, the Denny Tank is an important piece of shipbuilding equipment once used by William Denny and Brothers, who operated from 1844 to 1963. You're touching Clyde shipbuilding history here, as the Denny Tank was the first commercial ship model testing tank built in the world, and is huge. See the Scottish Maritime Museum's weblink right for details on the Denny Tank and their other sites at Irvine and Braehead.

Dumbarton Castle, Castle Road, Dumbarton, Dunbartonshire G82 1JJ. Scotland. Tel. 01389 732167. (see Historic Scotland's Dumbarton Castle weblink right for opening times and directions). Visit also the Denny Tank, Castle Street, Dumbarton, G82 1QS. Tel. 01389 763444. (weblink right, free parking is on-site).

Helensburgh, Charles Rennie Mackintosh & Hill House

A popular stopover on the way upto the Highlands, Helensburgh also offers plenty to linger for. Charles Rennie Mackintosh hails from here, and Hill House (considered the finest of Rennie Mackintosh's domestic designs) is situated here in Helenburgh. Mackintosh fans will certainly want to include this on their Mackintosh trail. Hill House dates from 1902 when Mackintosh was commissioned by Glaswegian publisher Walter Blackie to design Hill House. Blending the modern art nouveau style with traditional country house, a visit here gives you a real sense of just how far ahead of his time Macintosh was on interior design. Around Hill House are also attractive formal gardens.

Hill House, Upper Colquhoun Street, Helensburgh, Greater Glasgow & Clyde Valley G84 9AJ. Tel. 0844 4932208. (see National Trust of Scotland weblink right for opening times). A tea room is on-site.

The Waverley Steamer (weblink right) offers several package sailing tours from Helensburgh, including a 5 Scottish Islands tour and boat trips to Brodick on Arran, Dunoon, Largs, Millport and Rothesay. Helensburgh seems to have hailed a few famous sons. Henry Bell, operator of the world's first sea-born steamboat was from Helensburgh, and more recently pioneer and inventer of the television John Logie Baird was born here. There are memorials to both situated in Helensburgh's Kidston Park.

Helensburgh is one of the best locations serving as gateway to the Highlands, with a choice of hotels, B&Bs and other accommodation in and around the town. It's well served by rail links into the Highlands via the West Highland Line which moves on up to Oban and Fort William beyond. You've also easy access into Loch Lomond and the Trossachs from here, with boat trips galore departing from Helensburgh Pier to Loch Lomond and elsewhere. Call in at the Helensburgh Tourist Info centre to find out more about local walks, Hill House and the choice of boat trips from Helensburgh Helensburgh Tourist Information Centre, The Clock Tower, East Clyde Street, Helensburgh, Scotland. Tel. 01436 672642.

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