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44-556: Clyde Muirshiel Regional Park is the collective name for areas of countryside set aside for conservation and recreation on the South Clyde estuary in Scotland . The park covers an area of 280 km (110 sq mi) of Inverclyde , North Ayrshire and Renfrewshire , stretching from Greenock in the north, down the coast to Largs and West Kilbride and inland to Dalry and Lochwinnoch . There are three visitor centres within

88-488: A distance of 5 + 1 ⁄ 2 miles (9 km). It collects some of the water from streams that cross its path, and a series of sluice gates incorporate an ingenious automatic way of releasing surplus water. Seams of Baryte minerals were found in three gullies about 2 kilometres (1.2 mi) north of Hill of Stake , cut into the slope by tributaries of the River Calder, Renfrewshire . Small-scale open cast mining of

132-452: A finer quality, which was taken directly to a dressing plant in Glasgow . Production was 1,580 long tons (1,610 t) in 1944, rising to 16,987 long tons (17,260 t) in 1949. Up to this stage there was no electricity at the mine, and minerals were transported in wagons on rails, moved to the surface by human or horse power. The workforce came from Lochwinnoch and Kilbirnie . In 1960 the mine

176-549: A late Gothic style with a rectangular body and square tower at the west end and a three sided apse at the east end. The Church is in the care of Historic Scotland . The small temple building or folly on the Kenmure Hill knoll to the northern end of Castle Semple loch is one of the few remains of the Castle Semple estate. Col. William MacDowell was responsible for the 'Temple' and also for building of Castle Semple House, which

220-546: A regional park which would be intensively used for recreation would be linked together by footpaths, with a view to reducing pressure on areas of sensitive farming and forestry interests. Regional parks can be designated by the regional authorities in consultation with the CCS and subject to the approval of central government, and generally they will be managed by the regional authorities with funding support from central government. By 1990 there were four regional parks in existence, however

264-704: Is a United Kingdom-based walking, wheeling and cycling charity, and the custodian of the National Cycle Network . Its flagship project is the National Cycle Network , which has created 12,763 miles (20,540 kilometres) of signed cycle routes throughout the United Kingdom, including 5,273 mi (8,486 km) of traffic-free paths. The rest of the network is on previously existing and mostly minor roads, in which motor traffic will be encountered. In Scotland, Sustrans has established partnership teams, embedding officers in local councils as well as NHS Scotland ,

308-606: Is connected by a shore walk along the coast to Inverkip . Loch Thom and the Greenock cut provide easy walks in a context of industrial history, and the Collegiate church and Castle Semple are of interest to historians of an earlier era. There are numerous other sites, such as the Haylie Brae, with car parking for visitors to enjoy picnics, good views, wildlife, walks and cycles, and wide opportunities for hillwalking , with Hill of Stake

352-775: Is now responsible for their section of the Regional Park within their catchment. The Park stretches across Inverclyde, Renfrewshire and North Ayrshire councils. Two Country Parks with visitors centres are located within the regional park at Castle Semple Loch and Muirshiel, together with a separate visitors centre, the Greenock Cut Centre, at Cornalees Bridge, Loch Thom , to explain the Greenock Cut. An outdoor activity centre and boat and bike hire facilities are based at Castle Semple. Community woodlands are to be found at Locherwoods and Outerwards. The sandy beach at Lunderston Bay

396-463: Is the planned section of the Bodmin & Wenford Railway between Boscarne Junction and Wadebridge . In 2000, requests by EWS and English China Clays to reopen former rail links for freight paths such as the former Weedon to Leamington Spa line were objected to by the charity. Sustrans refused to support the application unless the rail promoter provided an alternative cycle track; EWS responded it

440-507: The Beeching Axe closed many British railways that the government considered underused and too costly. One such railway was the former Midland Railway line between central Bristol and Bath , closed in favour of the more direct, former Great Western Railway between the cities. Led by John Grimshaw , Cyclebag leased part of the old route and together with many volunteers and the help of Avon County Council (Bristol and Bath were then part of

484-620: The Big Lottery 's 'Living Landmarks; The People's Millions' competition, following a public vote. In 2015, Sustrans ran the Campaign for Safer Streets, which encouraged people to write to Prime Minister David Cameron to encourage him to commit to funding safer walking and cycling routes to schools. In October 2015, Sustrans released its first Bike Life report. It was a survey of residents in seven UK cities, undertaken in conjunction with local councils and transport authorities, attempting to assess

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528-601: The Campsie Fells . This suggestion was supported by the Scottish Campaign for National Parks in 2018, along with proposals for a new regional park covering the Ochil Hills . In 2022 Avich and Kilchrenan community council proposed that the area surrounding Loch Awe should be designated a regional park by Argyll and Bute Council . Each regional park is managed by a joint committee consisting of members appointed by

572-566: The Countryside (Scotland) Act 1967 and the Countryside (Scotland) Act 1981 . There are currently three regional parks, all located in the country's densely populated central belt : Clyde Muirshiel , the Pentland Hills and the Lomond Hills . Combined, these three cover 440 square kilometres (168 sq mi), or about 0.5% of Scotland's total land area. As of 2018 it was estimated that

616-515: The Millennium Lottery Fund to extend the National Cycle Network to smaller towns and rural areas, as well as launch the "Safe Routes to Schools" project, based on earlier state projects in Denmark. The five-year project, Connect2 was launched in 2006, and it aimed at improving local travel in 79 communities by creating new walking and cycling routes. In 2007, it received £50 million from

660-656: The Scottish Environment Protection Agency , Scottish Natural Heritage , and Transport for Edinburgh . Sustrans was formed in Bristol in July 1977 as Cyclebag by a group of cyclists and environmentalists , as a result of doubts about the desirability of dependence on the private car, following the 1973 oil crisis , and the almost total lack of specific provision for cyclists in most British cities, in contrast to some other European countries. A decade earlier,

704-498: The 12.5 km (7.8 mi) Semple Trail from the visitor centre of Castle Semple, the Greenock Cut route at 11.5 km (7.1 mi) or the shorter 2.5 km (1.6 mi) Shielhill Glen Nature Trail , both from the Greenock Cut visitor centre. Hill walking routes from the visitor centre at Muirshiel include a 2 km (1.2 mi) trail up to Windy Hill , and a more challenging 10 km (6.2 mi) circular route past

748-578: The 2004/05 financial year, its income was £23.6 million: £2.1 million from supporters' donations, £8.5 million from the Department for Transport and a further £2.5 million from the National Opportunities Fund specifically for the Safe Routes projects. Additional funding comes from charitable grants and trusts, local government, and the sales of maps and books. In Scotland in 2020, in response to

792-595: The Barytes Mine to Hill of Stake , the highest hill in the Regional Park. Routes from the Greenock Cut visitor centre include a strenuous 5 km (3.1 mi) walk up Dunrod Hill, and a 10 km (6.2 mi) walk over Corlick Hill. The Sustrans Lochwinnoch Loop Line cycle track runs through the Castle Semple Loch visitors centre. It is 14 miles (23 km) long and is part of the Lochs and Glens Route. It follows

836-622: The COVID-19 pandemic, £30 million of Spaces for People funding was granted to Sustrans by the Scottish Government to assist local authorities and statutory bodies in Scotland to provide safe walking and cycling infrastructure. The National Cycle Network was officially opened in June 2000, when 5,000 mi (8,000 km) had been completed, although some routes had been open for over a decade. In 2005

880-527: The County of Avon) turned it into its first route, the Bristol & Bath Railway Path . In the early 1980s, when unemployment rose, the organisation took advantage of government schemes to provide temporary employment to build similar "green routes". British Waterways and Cyclebag collaborated to improve towpaths along some canals , which resulted in increased use of the towpaths, especially by cyclists. In 1983,

924-628: The Cycling Embassy of Great Britain criticised Sustrans for the extensive use of "shared use" provision—in which cycle routes are placed on pavements and footpaths without separation from pedestrians—in designs that Sustrans prepared for London. In 2016, the University of the West of England 's Centre for Transport and Society identified shared use designs, and in particular Sustrans Design Guidance which encouraged such designs, because shared-use paths can offer

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968-540: The National Cycle Route 75 from Paisley Canal Railway Station to Johnstone and then heads southwest to Kilbarchan , Lochwinnoch and Kilbirnie passing Castle Semple, Barr and Kilbirnie Lochs. Being mainly built on an old railway line it has easy gradients and is mostly traffic free. National Cycle Route 753 branches south off Route 75 in Gourock to Lunderston Bay , where it passes the toilets and picnic areas within

1012-630: The Park Castle Semple Loch , Muirshiel Country Park and The Greenock Cut (formerly Cornalees Bridge), ,. Muirshiel , a Scots language name, translates to "moorhut" in English . Originally a grouse shooting estate, based around Muirshiel House - a shooting lodge among Duchal Moor and Queenside Moor. The estate passed through a number of owners including Lord Howard of Glossop , the Marquess Conyngham . Lord Howard of Glossop sold part of

1056-465: The baryte began around the mid 18th century, with horizontal tunnels or adits cut to follow the seams of the mineral. Between 1859 and 1920, production was 17,678 long tons (17,962 t). A track was formed running around 4 kilometres (2.5 mi) downhill to a grinding mill sited on the River Calder, where the mineral was dressed or processed. Stables and houses for the workers were built adjacent to

1100-409: The charity Sustrans was founded. It had 11 directors (trustees, members, and board members of the charity) chosen by the existing board. The executive board was composed of the chief executive, John Grimshaw, and one of the two company secretaries. By the early 1990s, Sustrans had a growing number of supporters, and the network of national routes was emerging. In 1995, it was granted £43.5 million from

1144-620: The constituent local authorities, alongside representatives of local landowners and other interested organisations. Funding for park activities is provided by the constituent local authorities, but since 2005/6 there has been no direct funding of the parks from the Scottish Government . The lack of central funding has led to a reduction in staff numbers at all three parks. Within each regional park certain areas are designated as country parks , "core areas" with more concentrated provision for outdoor recreation: Sustrans Sustrans

1188-604: The creation of Muirshiel Country Park in June 1970. Castle Semple Water Park followed in 1971 and the Cornalees Bridge Visitor Centre opened in 1973. Responsibility for the parks was taken over by Strathclyde Regional Council in 1975 before the Clyde Muirshiel Park Authority came into existence in 1990. The Park Authority oversaw the running of the Park until it was disbanded in 2021. Each local council

1232-469: The current state of cycling in the UK. It covered areas such as safety, provision of cycling infrastructure and people's attitudes towards cycling. In 2020–2021, Sustrans' executive team had a combined payroll cost of £715,000 , with its CEO receiving over £110,000 . The National Cycle Network was the first project to receive Millennium Commission funding in 1995. Sustrans has many sources of funding, and in

1276-492: The estate to the county council and to a mining company in the late 1930s and early 1940s. The remainder was sold to Renfrewshire County Council in 1952. A Regional Park designation for the area was first proposed in 1947. However it was 20 years later that Renfrewshire County Council proposed the Renfrewshire Regional Park and implemented a programme to manage an area of 30,000 acres (12,000 ha) including

1320-504: The figure had risen to over 420,000,000 journeys. The data collected by Sustrans to compile monitoring reports, from traffic counters and user surveys, showed that National Cycle Network usage is predominantly urban and on traffic-free sections. Furthermore, surveys show that only 35% of usage on urban sections of the NCN is for leisure purposes. In 2018, Sustrans published the "National Cycle Network Review: Paths for Everyone" report which reviewed

1364-428: The highest point of the park at 522 metres (1,713 ft). Clyde Muirshiel offers year-round instructor led activities include sailing, kayaking, canoeing and raft building on the shallow inland Castle Semple Loch as well as land activities such as archery, mountain biking, hill walking, orienteering, navigation and first aid. Popular walking routes in the park include the 4 km (2.5 mi) Johnshill Loop and

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1408-587: The mill, and a bridge crossing the river connected by a lane down to Lochwinnoch . By about 1918 the mine was run by the Muirshiels Mineral Co. of Lochwinnoch, but production ceased in 1920. Keir and Cawder Ltd. and James Millar Son and Co. Ltd. reopened the mine in 1942. They formed the Muirshiel Barytes Co. in 1947, and constructed new shafts to depths between 64 metres (210 ft) and 64 metres (210 ft). This gave access to veins of baryte of

1452-497: The mine, including 11 skilled miners, each with an assistant, as well as maintenance and surface workers. Annual production reached a peak of 16,987 long tons (17,260 t) in 1964. Production ended on 5 September 1969. When the country park was formed, the Muirshiel Visitor Centre was built a short distance downhill from the pre-1920 site of the mine. The original workings and bridge over the river have fallen into ruin,

1496-407: The network reached 10,000 mi (16,000 km). In urban areas, almost 20% of the network is free from motor traffic, though these sections can account for up to 80% of use. The more rural parts of the network see less motor traffic and are used primarily for leisure cycling. Sustrans estimated that in 2005, the network carried 232,000,000 journeys by all classes of non-motorized users. In 2010,

1540-417: The number dropped to the current three in 2002, when the new Loch Lomond and The Trossachs National Park replaced the regional park covering Loch Lomond . Since then there have been proposals for the creation of additional regional parks, generally in other popular hill areas close to large cities in central Scotland. In 2012, Scottish Natural Heritage suggested that a new regional park could be created in

1584-458: The park, before it continues along the coast of the bay to terminate at Inverkip War Memorial. Short sections of the route are on public roads (Albert Road, Gourock & Harbourside, Inverkip). A separate stretch of Route 753 runs from Seamill to Ardrossan, near the southern extremity of the park. The Loch is the home of the following clubs; Castle Semple Sailing Club (founded 1966), Castle Semple Rowing Club and Clyde Windsurfing Club. This Church

1628-545: The quality and usage of the Network and set out a vision for its future. It estimated that in 2017–2018, 4.4 million users carried out 786 million cycling and walking trips on the Network. Sustrans has opponents within organisations that wish to reduce road haulage and motor travel by promoting the expansion of the modern railway network. It has also received criticism from members of the heritage railway movement. It has been accused of being uncompromising on route sharing; an example

1672-422: The three regional parks together received at least 2 million visits each year. The origins of the regional parks can be traced back to the work of the former Countryside Commission for Scotland . In a 1974 report the commission outlined the main aims of the regional park designation: [Regional parks] could be some thousands of hectares in area, with recreation as the dominant use in parts only. The areas within

1716-491: The track over a new bridge constructed nearby in the 1960s gives access for walkers. Part of the site is used for off-road vehicle driving instruction. At the mine itself, a seismometer transmits measurements by radio to the British Geological Survey Regional parks of Scotland Regional parks are defined and managed by local authorities , supported by NatureScot , using powers granted in

1760-425: The whole scheme officially opening on 16 April 1827. The aqueduct supplied both a dependable flow and a good quality of water to the town for both domestic and business purposes. Leaving Loch Thom at Cornalees, The Cut , with its footpath, runs westward and then turns northward as it follows the contour of Dunrod Hill which it follows round until running directly above the town of Greenock at Overton , having come

1804-440: Was an uneconomic provision for both reopening and building replacement pathway expenses. Sustrans have occasionally been criticised by other cycling organisations and activists over allegedly giving approval to cycle facilities regarded by critics as inadequate or dangerous, allowing local councils and similar bodies to reject criticism by pointing out that Sustrans have approved of the design being questioned. In 2013, for example,

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1848-423: Was destroyed by fire in 1935. All that remains of this 900-acre (360 ha) estate is the folly, a walled garden and a pair of gate arches. A freshwater loch known as Shaws Water used to exist at a level high above Greenock until the civil engineer Robert Thom prepared a scheme to turn this into a reservoir, subsequently named after him as Loch Thom . He also created the aqueduct which became known as "The Cut",

1892-402: Was founded and endowed ; it stands near where the original Castle Semple once stood. Castle Semple was a Collegiate church , which means that it was administered and served by a college of canons or prebendaries , presided over by a dean or provost. Collegiate churches were often supported by lands held by the church, endowed here in 1504 by John, 1st Lord Sempill . The church is built in

1936-420: Was taken over by Anglo Austral Mines Ltd., and electrical power was introduced to power winding gear for the wagons and lift them to the surface, where the barytes was loaded into lorries . In 1962 Rio Tinto Zinc became the operator. A new dressing plant was constructed just downhill from the mine, to process output from a lower quality vein. At this time up to 48 people from Lochwinnoch and Kilbirnie worked at

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