Bothwell Castle Walk
This walk visits the ruins of the 13th century Bothwell Castle next to the River Clyde in Uddingston, near Glasgow.
The castle has an interesting history, playing a key part in the Wars of Independence with England. It regularly passed back and forth between English and Scottish hands during this period. Of particular note is the 13th-century donjon, a circular keep tower considered one of the most significant in Scotland.
The walk starts at the train station in Uddingston and then picks up a section of the Clyde Walkway. You can follow this waymarked trail south to visit the ruins of the photogenic castle. It's about a 1 mile walk along the river to the castle. The route then continues south to visit the David Livingstone Memorial. Here there's a visitor centre and the globe fountain to see.
To extend the walk continue south along the Clyde Walkway and you could visit Strathclyde Country Park and Chatelherault Country Park. In the former there's a fine waterside trail around Strathclyde loch. In the latter there's great cycling and walking trails around the expansive riverside woodland.
For more detail on the history and architecture of the castle see the informative wikipedia page page.
Postcode
G71 8BL - Please note: Postcode may be approximate for some rural locationsPlease click here for more information
Bothwell Castle Ordnance Survey Map 
- view and print off detailed OS map
Bothwell Castle Open Street Map 
- view and print off detailed map
Bothwell Castle OS Map 
- Mobile GPS OS Map with Location tracking
Bothwell Castle Open Street Map 
- Mobile GPS Map with Location tracking
Further Information and Other Local Ideas
A few miles to the west there's Cathkin Braes Country Park on the southern outskirts of Glasgow. The expansive park has miles of walking paths and mountain bike trails with an excellent viewpoint over the city as well.
Cycle Routes and Walking Routes Nearby
Photos
A large medieval castle on the east bank of the River Clyde dating from the 13th C, with a huge cylindrical donjon, damaged as a result of sieges during the Wars of Scottish Independence, and not completed. It was the home of Walter of Moray [de Moravia, de Moray, Murray], and was rebuilt in the 15th C and abandoned in the 18th. It is now managed by Historic Scotland.
Bothwell Castle
Daffodils at Bothwell Castle
The castle seen in the trees above the River Clyde.
David Livingstone Memorial. The visitor centre and shop, with the globe fountain in the foreground.
Globe fountain