This 10 mile route along the River Kelvin feels surprisingly rural when walked from North to South, with the hustle and bustle of the city becoming more apparent the further along you go. Rather poorly way-marked for the first half, signage is then very easy to follow for the remainder of the route down to the Riverside Museum, where the Kelvin meets the Clyde.
Calculated time: 4h50[?] 
Distance : 17.02km
Vertical gain : 3m
Vertical drop : 47m
Highest point : 52m
Lowest point : 5m 
Difficulty : Moderate
Back to starting point : No
Walking
Location : East Dunbartonshire
Starting point : N 55.94114° / W 4.314165° 
Ending point : N 55.865583° / W 4.305714° 
(D) With Milngavie train Station car park behind you, and the entrance to the station in front of you, turn right (North) to walk to the end of the station then turn left (West) before reaching the main road, to follow a path around the back of the station. Turn left again (South) to walk down the back of the station.
(1) You will pass a parking area and into some trees. Go down a set of steps then across a bridge over the Allander Water.
Turn left (East) along Keystone Avenue to the A81/Glasgow Road.
(2) Turn left (North) to cross the railway bridge, looking out for the continuation of the route on your right at the other side of the A81. Cross over onto this path.
The path now closely follows the Allander Water for 2.2km, crossing over twice along the way, until it reaches the B8049/Boclair Road.
(3) Turn left (North East) and walk along the B8049/Boclair Road, again looking out for the continuation of the route on your right a short distance along. Cross the road onto the path. The river should be on your left-hand side.
(4) After 1.5km the Allander Water joins with the Kelvin to become the River Kelvin which you now follow downstream for 1km to reach a large bridge onto A879/Balmore Road.
(5) Cross the bridge. The walk continues at the opposite side of the road and runs alongside the Kelvin for 2.7km (keep the river close to your right-hand side, ignoring any paths off to the left). You will come to a small footbridge over a stream, immediately followed by a crossroads where the river veers off to your right but the trail continues straight ahead (South).
Where the path ends turn right (West) which gradually takes you out of the trees and into a built up area.
Continue West along Acre Road to reach a small roundabout - turn left (South West) to stay on Acre Road.
At a larger roundabout on A81/Maryhill Road turn left (South East) and follow the roadside pavement along for 280m, crossing over when safe.
(6) Just after a bus stop the Kelvin Walkway continues on the right, signposted ‘West of Scotland Science Park’.
At the crossroads turn left (South West) across some cobbles and left again (South East) onto a wide surfaced path through a corridor of trees.
(7) At the bottom of the hill turn right (South) then right again (West) to enter Dawsholm Park. Keep left (South) at a fork, following a wall along to meet up with the River Kelvin.
(8) With the river close to your right-hand side the entire time (ignore any paths which take you away from it), follow the now way-marked path along for 3.5km, passing through several impressive road and rail bridges as you go, as well as the beautiful iron bridge which leads across to Glasgow Botanic Gardens.
(9) On reaching the ruins of North Woodside Flint Mill, use the footbridge to cross the Kelvin and enjoy the last section of woodland walking. The river should now be on your left-hand side.
(10) After passing beneath the cast iron Kelvinbridge, the path once again crosses the River Kelvin.
(11) Stick to the paths closest to the river at all times (without crossing it) until reaching the Kelvingrove Park Play Area 800m along.
Turn right (North West) to cross the bridge.
Turn left after the bridge (signposted Kelvingrove Art Gallery and Museum) and follow the riverside path to emerge at Kelvin Way.
(12) Cross Kelvin Way to pick up the path at the other side of the road. There are numerous footpaths all over this area but stick to the one closest to the river and after 500m you will arrive Sunlight Way.
Turn left (South West) on Sunlight Way then left again (South) to cross Snow Bridge.
Come off the bridge and turn right (South West) to cross over Argyle Street onto Burnhouse Road.
At the end of Burnhouse Road turn right (West) onto Old Dumbarton Road.
At the end of Old Dumbarton Road turn left onto Ferry Road.
(13) At the end of Ferry Road walk beneath the railway bridge then turn right (North West) onto the cycle path.
(A) Walk along the cycle path a short distance. Keep right at a fork to loop round and pass beneath the Clydeside Expressway and across Castlebank Street to arrive at the entrance to the Riverside Museum, the end point of the Kelvin Walkway,
Waypoints :
D : km 0 - alt. 49m - Milngavie Train Station
1 : km 0.49 - alt. 48m - Steps and bridge
2 : km 0.76 - alt. 45m - Cross the A81
3 : km 3.13 - alt. 37m - Cross Boclair Road
4 : km 4.45 - alt. 32m - The Allander and Kelvin merge
5 : km 8.57 - alt. 33m - Footbridge then crossroads
6 : km 9.69 - alt. 44m - Cross at bus stop and enter Science Park
7 : km 10.22 - alt. 47m - Dawsholm Park
8 : km 13.29 - alt. 32m - Bridge to Glasgow Botanic Gardens
9 : km 13.78 - alt. 33m - North Woodside Flint Mill ruins
10 : km 14.31 - alt. 19m - Kelvinbridge
11 : km 15.19 - alt. 18m - Kelvingrove Park Play Area
12 : km 15.82 - alt. 19m - Sunlight Way - turn left then cross bridge
13 : km 16.68 - alt. 8m - Cycle path
A : km 17.02 - alt. 5m - Riverside Museum
For more information and a walk review visit Gillian's Walks
Transport
Terrain
Expect a mixture of earth paths, pavements, cycle tracks and some mud. The first half can become overgrown with vegetation during the summer months.
Visorando and this author cannot be held responsible in the case of accidents or problems occuring on this walk.
155.91km
+2870m
-2881m
7 days
Difficult
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30.75km
+488m
-517m
10h10
Moderate
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149.63km
+2960m
-2983m
5 days
Difficult
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4.41km
+155m
-155m
1h40
Moderate
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5.6km
+114m
-114m
1h55
Easy
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The GPS track and description are the property of the author.
