River Kelvin
Encyclopedia
Banton, Scotland
Banton is a village located near to the town of Kilsyth in Scotland. Originally a cluster of houses and a farm to the north was what existed of the village and then coal-mining brought about the settlement we see today...
, east of Kilsyth
Kilsyth
Kilsyth is a town of 10,100 roughly halfway between Glasgow and Stirling in North Lanarkshire, Scotland.-Location:...
- Photo. At almost 22 miles (35km) long, it initially flows south to Dullatur Bog where it falls into a man made trench and takes a ninety degree turn flowing west along the northern boundary of the bog parallel with the Forth & Clyde Canal. Its first important (and considerably larger) confluence is with the Chantyclear Burn which originates from the ridge of Dullatur
Dullatur
Dullatur is a village within the vicinity of Cumbernauld, Scotland. Its name is anglicised from the Gaelic "Dubh Leitir", which means dark slope...
. It then continues its westward flow being joined by the often depleted (due to water being diverted to the canal) Shawend Burn to the west of Craigmarloch bridge. The next important tributary is the Garrel at a point south-east of Kilsyth
Kilsyth
Kilsyth is a town of 10,100 roughly halfway between Glasgow and Stirling in North Lanarkshire, Scotland.-Location:...
south of Dumbreck Marsh. The Kelvin then passes through the large flood plain north of Twechar
Twechar
Twechar is a small former mining village in East Dunbartonshire, Scotland. It lies between the larger towns of Kirkintilloch and Kilsyth.The Forth and Clyde Canal runs close to the village to the north, and closely follows the line of the Antonine Wall...
where is fed by the Dock Water, Queenzie Burn, the Cast Burn and the Board Burn before reaching Kirkintilloch
Kirkintilloch
Kirkintilloch is a town and former burgh in East Dunbartonshire, Scotland. It lies on the Forth and Clyde Canal, about eight miles northeast of central Glasgow...
at its confluence with the more substantial waters of the Glazert and Luggie, it then flows past Torrance
Torrance, East Dunbartonshire
Torrance is a village in East Dunbartonshire, Scotland, located 8 miles north of the Glasgow city centre, the name of which comes from the Gaelic An Toran which means 'under the hills'. Torrance used to mainly consist of farmland, but in 2001 had a population of 2,480 and this is expected to have...
, meanders through Balmore
Balmore
Balmore is a hamlet in East Dunbartonshire, Scotland, located 1 km West of Torrance and 5 km East of Milngavie....
Haughs, to the south of Bardowie where it joins the Allander Water
Allander Water
The Allander Water is a river in East Dunbartonshire and West Dunbartonshire, Scotland, and one of the three main tributaries of the River Kelvin, the others being the Glazert Water and the Luggie Water.The Allander Water flows through Milngavie...
after which it takes a south-westerly direction towards Maryhill
Maryhill
Maryhill is an area of the City of Glasgow in Scotland. Maryhill is a former burgh. The population of Maryhill is about 52,000. Maryhill stretches over along Maryhill Road...
, Hillhead
Hillhead
Hillhead is a district of Glasgow, Scotland. Situated north of Kelvingrove Park and to the south of the River Kelvin, Hillhead is at the heart of Glasgow's fashionable West End, with Byres Road forming the western border of the area, the other boundaries being Dumbarton Road to the south and the...
, through Kelvingrove Park
Kelvingrove Park
Kelvingrove Park is a public park located on the River Kelvin in the West End of the city of Glasgow, Scotland, containing the world-famous Kelvingrove Art Gallery and Museum.-History:...
before falling into the River Clyde
River Clyde
The River Clyde is a major river in Scotland. It is the ninth longest river in the United Kingdom, and the third longest in Scotland. Flowing through the major city of Glasgow, it was an important river for shipbuilding and trade in the British Empire....
at Yorkhill Basin in the city of Glasgow
Glasgow
Glasgow is the largest city in Scotland and third most populous in the United Kingdom. The city is situated on the River Clyde in the country's west central lowlands...
.
River fauna
Wildlife along the River Kelvin corridor includes the grey squirrelEastern Gray Squirrel
The eastern gray squirrel is a tree squirrel in the genus Sciurus native to the eastern and midwestern United States, and to the southerly portions of the eastern provinces of Canada...
, magpie
Magpie
Magpies are passerine birds of the crow family, Corvidae.In Europe, "magpie" is often used by English speakers as a synonym for the European Magpie, as there are no other magpies in Europe outside Iberia...
, grey heron
Grey Heron
The Grey Heron , is a wading bird of the heron family Ardeidae, native throughout temperate Europe and Asia and also parts of Africa. It is resident in the milder south and west, but many birds retreat in winter from the ice in colder regions...
, cormorant
Cormorant
The bird family Phalacrocoracidae is represented by some 40 species of cormorants and shags. Several different classifications of the family have been proposed recently, and the number of genera is disputed.- Names :...
, blue tit
Blue Tit
The Blue Tit is a 10.5 to 12 cm long passerine bird in the tit family Paridae. It is a widespread and common resident breeder throughout temperate and subarctic Europe and western Asia in deciduous or mixed woodlands...
, great tit
Great Tit
The Great Tit is a passerine bird in the tit family Paridae. It is a widespread and common species throughout Europe, the Middle East, Central and Northern Asia, and parts of North Africa in any sort of woodland. It is generally resident, and most Great Tits do not migrate except in extremely...
, chaffinch
Chaffinch
The Chaffinch , also called by a wide variety of other names, is a small passerine bird in the finch family Fringillidae.- Description :...
, snipe
Snipe
A snipe is any of about 25 wading bird species in three genera in the family Scolopacidae. They are characterized by a very long, slender bill and crypsis plumage. The Gallinago snipes have a nearly worldwide distribution, the Lymnocryptes Jack Snipe is restricted to Asia and Europe and the...
, great spotted woodpecker
Great Spotted Woodpecker
The Great Spotted Woodpecker , Dendrocopos major, is a bird species of the woodpecker family . It is distributed throughout Europe and northern Asia, and usually resident year-round except in the colder parts of its range...
, blackbird, redwing
Redwing
The Redwing is a bird in the thrush family Turdidae, native to Europe and Asia, slightly smaller than the related Song Thrush.-Taxonomy:...
, carrion crow
Carrion Crow
The Carrion Crow is a member of the passerine order of birds and the crow family which is native to western Europe and eastern Asia.-Taxonomy:...
, kingfisher
Kingfisher
Kingfishers are a group of small to medium sized brightly coloured birds in the order Coraciiformes. They have a cosmopolitan distribution, with most species being found in the Old World and Australia...
, mallard
Mallard
The Mallard , or Wild Duck , is a dabbling duck which breeds throughout the temperate and subtropical Americas, Europe, Asia, and North Africa, and has been introduced to New Zealand and Australia....
, goosander, roe deer
Roe Deer
The European Roe Deer , also known as the Western Roe Deer, chevreuil or just Roe Deer, is a Eurasian species of deer. It is relatively small, reddish and grey-brown, and well-adapted to cold environments. Roe Deer are widespread in Western Europe, from the Mediterranean to Scandinavia, and from...
, red fox
Red Fox
The red fox is the largest of the true foxes, as well as being the most geographically spread member of the Carnivora, being distributed across the entire northern hemisphere from the Arctic Circle to North Africa, Central America, and the steppes of Asia...
, otter
Otter
The Otters are twelve species of semi-aquatic mammals which feed on fish and shellfish, and also other invertebrates, amphibians, birds and small mammals....
, water vole, mink
Mink
There are two living species referred to as "mink": the European Mink and the American Mink. The extinct Sea Mink is related to the American Mink, but was much larger. All three species are dark-colored, semi-aquatic, carnivorous mammals of the family Mustelidae, which also includes the weasels and...
and brown rat
Brown Rat
The brown rat, common rat, sewer rat, Hanover rat, Norway rat, Brown Norway rat, Norwegian rat, or wharf rat is one of the best known and most common rats....
.
Successive attempts at improving the quality of the water have been rewarded by the return of salmon
Salmon
Salmon is the common name for several species of fish in the family Salmonidae. Several other fish in the same family are called trout; the difference is often said to be that salmon migrate and trout are resident, but this distinction does not strictly hold true...
. The river has always been home to brown trout
Brown trout
The brown trout and the sea trout are fish of the same species....
and both species can be fished by obtaining the relevant permits .
Bridges over the Kelvin
The Kelvin is bridged at several points throughout Glasgow. Most notable is the Great Western Bridge on Great Western Road in the city's West End. Below this bridge is an underground stationGlasgow Subway
The Glasgow Subway is an underground metro line in Glasgow, Scotland. Opened on 14 December 1896, it is the third-oldest underground metro system in the world after the London Underground and the Budapest Metro. Formerly a cable railway, the Subway was later electrified, but its twin circular lines...
that bears the name Kelvinbridge
Kelvinbridge subway station
Kelvinbridge subway station serves the Woodlands, Woodside and Hillhead areas of Glasgow, Scotland. It is named after the bridge crossing the River Kelvin, next to the station...
, a name commonly attached to the area. Other bridges include Partick Bridge on Dumbarton Road, the bridge at Queen Margaret Drive and a number in the grounds of Kelvingrove Park
Kelvingrove Park
Kelvingrove Park is a public park located on the River Kelvin in the West End of the city of Glasgow, Scotland, containing the world-famous Kelvingrove Art Gallery and Museum.-History:...
.
Also notable is the Kelvin Aqueduct
Kelvin Aqueduct
The Kelvin Aqueduct is an aqueduct in Glasgow which carries the Forth and Clyde Canal over the River Kelvin. It is long and high, and when opened in 1790 was Britain's largest. It is protected as a category A listed building.-External links:**...
which carries the Forth and Clyde Canal
Forth and Clyde Canal
The Forth and Clyde Canal crosses Scotland, providing a route for sea-going vessels between the Firth of Forth and the Firth of Clyde at the narrowest part of the Scottish Lowlands. The canal is 35 miles long and its eastern end is connected to the River Forth by a short stretch of the River...
over the river. It was Britain's largest when it was opened. The river is used as an overflow for the canal.
The famous physicist William Thomson, 1st Baron Kelvin
William Thomson, 1st Baron Kelvin
William Thomson, 1st Baron Kelvin OM, GCVO, PC, PRS, PRSE, was a mathematical physicist and engineer. At the University of Glasgow he did important work in the mathematical analysis of electricity and formulation of the first and second laws of thermodynamics, and did much to unify the emerging...
was named Baron Kelvin in honour of his achievements, named after the river that flowed past his university.
See also
- Allander WaterAllander WaterThe Allander Water is a river in East Dunbartonshire and West Dunbartonshire, Scotland, and one of the three main tributaries of the River Kelvin, the others being the Glazert Water and the Luggie Water.The Allander Water flows through Milngavie...
, Allander Burn - List of places in East Dunbartonshire
- List of places in Scotland
External links
- Friends of the River Kelvin River Kelvin based charity
- River Kelvin Angling Association River Kelvin Angling Association
- Kelvin Walkway - Glasgow West End Illustrated guide to riverside walk