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Paddling Doon the Watter

By Kenneth Kavanagh

Tell someone that you are going “doon the watter,” and you will be met with puzzled looks. Unless of course they are from Glasgow, in which case they will immediately understand you plan to sail “down the waters” of the river Clyde.

In the days before affordable travel and package holidays, generations of Glasgow families would escape from city life by cruising in one of dozens of paddle steamers to the genteel seaside towns on the river’s banks.

The fresh sea air would have been a welcome relief from the stifling heat and incessant clanging of hammers that most workers encountered in the shipyards and work sheds that peppered the city. For, while London was the seat of the British Empire’s power, Glasgow – known as the “Second City of the Empire” – provided the brawn: thousands of ships, trains and trams were built here and exported around the Globe.

Times have changed. Only a couple of shipyards remain on the Clyde and Glaswegians can buy plane tickets to Europe for no more than the price of a cup of coffee. Luckily, however, Glasgow’s inhabitants are a sentimental lot and a daytrip doon the watter still remains a treat for citizens and visitors alike. And the sea air is just as good.

The Waverley is the only paddle steamer left on the Clyde now, and with her black, white and cardinal red funnels and slender masts, she is a majestic sight as she glides through the water carrying excited passengers.

During the summer months the Waverley and her sister boat, the Balmoral, provide a full range of day trips into the Firth of Clyde from Glasgow. Although there are several itineraries, all of them offer breathtaking scenery with glimpses of sea lochs, misty peaks, ancient castles, woodlands and islands.  

For many of the Waverley’s passengers the thrill is to go up on deck, breathe the salty air and listen to the rhythmic “shwoosh” of the twin paddles splashing the water. Other passengers relish the opportunity to go down into the steamer’s bowels and visit the engine room to experience the deafening noise of pistons and the smells of hot grease used to lubricate the engines.

The Waverley offers something for everyone: if you don’t want to relax on her decks, then sample a wee dram of Scots whisky in one of the bars or take afternoon tea in the restaurant. And catching the sun setting behind Arran or the Mull of Kintyre is something that lives in the memory for a long time.

There’s no shortage of history either. On these banks some of the world’s most famous ships were built. Within minutes of leaving the Waverley’s Glasgow quay you pass the birthplaces of famous liners such as the Queen Mary and QE2.  

At the mouth of the river, only a few miles from the city centre, the 240ft (73m) Dunbarton Rock juts into the skyline is a reminder that the story of the Clyde is a long one. The ancient fort perched on the rock’s basalt peak was once the capital of an ancient tribe that went on to lend its name to the rest of the country – the Britons. With its unobstructed views of the Clyde, the rock has always been strategically important and the fortification is one of the oldest in the British Isles. The famed Dark Ages historian the Venerable Bede wrote about it in 730, and 600 years later William Wallace, of Braveheart fame, was imprisoned there before being taken to London to be executed. Later still Mary Queen of Scots sheltered from her enemies here.

As stately as an empress the Waverley winds her way down the river. A few miles further on and the cranes of Greenock come into view. Built on the proceeds of its busy docks and shipyards sons of the town include the prestigious such as James Watt the inventor of the steam engine, as well as the infamous; the pirate Captain Kidd was thought to have been born here. Now it is the home to more modern industries such as IBM and Amazon and is the port of call for cruise ships.

Further down the Clyde is the pretty little town of Largs. With its backdrop of rolling green hills, the town is famed for its cafes, ice-cream and marina, and is a perfect place to break a journey and sample a traditional fish and chip supper – best eaten with lashings of vinegar.

Usually very welcoming to tourists, there is one bunch of visitors that the locals are famed for seeing off their premises. Indeed, the town was so insistent, that the visitors decided never set foot on the British mainland again. Every year in September the town holds a cultural festival to commemorate the event – the 1263 Battle of Largs, the result of which saw the Vikings banished from mainland Britain.

Hopping off at Largs, Arran or Millport and you might be able to explore a country park or squeeze in a game of golf on one of the Clyde’s famed courses, take a windsurfing lesson or learn some sailing techniques before the Waverley returns to pick you up.

Travel Tips

Even in summer the weather in Britain is unreliable and it can get cold sailing on the Clyde even when the sun is shining on the land so it is useful to take layers of clothing with you.

Weekend sails can be busy so it is worthwhile to book in advance (online or phone bookings are taken)

The Waverley only sails between Easter and October and spends some of the summer in the Thames and around Bristol, when the Balmoral replaces her on the Clyde. If you want to travel on the Waverley check out her website to make sure that she will be sailing when you visit. http://www.waverleyexcursions.co.uk/

For general tourist information visit http://www.visitglasgow.com

Picture credits: K Kavanagh and Seeglasgow

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