Archives » River Leven

The Back Burn, Balbirnie (i)

The Back Burn runs through the Balbirnie Estate on its way from the East Lomond round Markinch and on to the River Leven near Methilhill. It’s good for walks – even when you’re not cooped up by a lockdown.

After wandering under the A 92 and through a wooded glen it runs past the eighteenth hole of the golf course built over half of the estate:-

Balbirnie burn

Then down a cobbled slope:-

Burn

Under a bridge:-

Back Burn

On:-

Burn

And on:-

Back Burn

Back Burn

Before swinging under another bridge to make a turn under Stob Cross Road across to the railway line and down the east of Markinch:-

Back Burn

One of the things you might not expect to see in Fife but is present in the estate is a Giant Redwood tree:-

giant redwood tree

There’s a wildlife pond between the boarded path and the redwood as seen from near the burn:-

A Giant Redwood in Fife

Balbirnie Estate has a lot of rhododendron plants. They’re just about on the point of coming into flower this year. This was from 2019:-

Rhododendron, Balbirnie, Fife

Dumbarton Football Stadium

I’ve been aware for a long time that though I have a category for Scottish Football Grounds in which I post pictures of those theatres of disappointment I’ve never actually featured what Sons fans know as The Rock.

Given that this season promises to be one of the most dismal in over twenty years for said fans what better sight to lighten the mood?

The stadium has had several sponsored names over its years since the club moved from the traditional Boghead: Strathclyde Homes Stadium, the Bet Butler Stadium, the Cheaper Insurance Direct Stadium,* the YOUR Radio 103FM Stadium, and now the C&G Systems Stadium reverting to Dumbarton Football Stadium in times between sponsorships.

It really is in a fantastic location.

Dumbarton Rock and Dumbarton Football Stadium from Castle Road:-

Dumbarton Rock and Dumbarton Football Stadium from Castle Road

From car park and pedestrian access. The turnstiles here are for the home end:-

Dumbarton Football Stadium from Car Park and Pedestrain Access.

Stadium, Stand and Dumbarton Rock from main car park:-

Dumbarton Football Stadium and Dumbarton Rock

Stadium and Dumbarton rock from western part of car park:-

Dumbarton Rock and Dumbarton Football Stadium

Showing Stand seating:-

Dumbarton Football Stadium Stand Seating

Stand from River Leven side:-

Dumbarton Football Stadium Stand

Stand from west car park:-

Dumbarton Football Stadium Stand from Car Park

Main Entrance from car park entrance:-

Dumbarton Football Stadium Main Entrance from Car Park Entrance

From Home support end of Stand. Kilpatrick Hills (known locally as the Long Crags) in right background:-

Dumbarton Football Stadium, From Home End of Stand

Pitch panorama. Dumbarton town in background. The large red brick building, once part of Ballantine’s Distillery, has now been demolished:-

Pitch Panorama, Dumbarton Football Stadium

Away end of pitch:-

"Away" End of Pitch, Dumbarton Football Stadium

I caught this disinterested spectator before a game once:-

Disinterested Spectator, Dumbarton Football Stadium

*When that one was first referred to by a BBC Radio Scotland reporter at a game I remember the programme’s presenter Richard Gordon wailing, “Noooo.” It was bit of a minter.

Dumbarton, River Leven and River Clyde from Dumbarton Rock

These are the good lady’s photographs. She took them while I was at one of the play-off games at The Rock, in May last year.

River Leven and Dumbarton from Dumbarton Rock:-

River Leven and Dumbarton from Dumbarton Rock

River Leven and Dumbarton with Ben Lomond in background:-

River Leven at Dumbarton, Ben Lomond in Background

Rivers Leven and Clyde at Dumbarton:-

Rivers Leven and Clyde at Dumbarton

River Leven and Dumbarton From Dumbarton Rock. As a child the good lady used to play on the rocks on the riverside below where this was taken from:-

View of River Leven and Dumbarton From Dumbarton Rock

Somewhere else she used to play was in this burn by the Swing Park. Well, that’s what it was always called when I was young. It’s apparently known officially as the East End Park:-

Burn by the Swing Park, Dumbarton

Dumbarton Rock and River Leven

I think my only previous posting about Dumbarton Rock was here. Those photos were taken from across the River Clyde at Langbank in the former Renfrewshire.

There is a more familiar view from the quayside (of the River Leven) at Dumbarton itself:-

River Leven and Dumbarton Rock

Dumbarton Rock from River Leven

Boats on River Leven, Dumbarton:-

Boats on River Leven, Dumbarton

River Leven, Boats and Levengrove Park:-

River Leven, Boats and Levengrove Park, Dumbarton

Dumbarton War Memorial

The Memorial is unusually situated some way out of the town centre, in Levengrove Park, on the banks of the River Clyde near its confluence with the River Leven, with a great view of Dumbarton Rock.

This is the view looking from the Park towards the Clyde. It’s the front of the Memorial which as a whole is surrounded by a metal fence and features a bronze angel.* Note the Elephant and Castle crest of Dumbarton on the gate:-

Dumbarton War Memorial, View Towards River Clyde

Reverse of the Memorial – the view towards the Park, again with Dumbarton crest on the fence:-

Dumbarton War Memorial

Again looking into Levengrove Park but from an angle:-
Dumbarton War Memorial from Side

The names of the First World War dead are on each side, above in the original engraving; Second World War ones added below, on two sides only. This is the east side of the Memorial:-

Dumbarton War Memorial Names

The west side:-

Dumbarton War Memorial Details

*This may actually be a winged Victory rather than an angel.

Kinlochleven

On our way back home we stopped briefly to walk on to the bridge over the mouth of Loch Leven at Ballachulish. The good lady bagged these two photos first.

Looking back towards Loch Linnhe from Ballachulish bridge:-

Loch Leven from Ballachulish bridge:-

Having time to spare and it being a lovely evening we decided to take the long way round the loch through Kinlochleven.

There used to be an aluminium smelter at Kinlochleven for which its own (hydroelectric) power station was required. As a result Kinlochleven became the first village in the world to have every house connected to electricity, coining the phrase “The Electric Village.” The smelter shut down in 1996. The photo below is of the power station outflow.

Hills (and bridge over the River Leven) at Kinlochleven:-

From the bridge above I could see a chippy with an Art Deco style frontage. The photo was taken from a distance so it was difficult to tell if the business is still going.

Situated on the outskirts of the village on the southern edge is the War Memorial; a simple Celtic cross on a stepped pyramidal base. Dedicated to the men of Kinlochleven who gave their lives in the Great Wars, 1914-18, 1939-45:-

Fife'€™s Art Deco Heritage 12: Methilhill

Methilhill is a part of Methil, up from the main town and the sea and situated between the lower part of the town and the curve of the River Leven.

This is The Douglas Arms. (Poked out eyes again, sadly.)

Douglas Arms, Methilhill, Fife

This is a flat roofed extension to a house right next to The Douglas Arms.

It may have been deco once but is more likely just flat-roofed.

Next Door to Douglas Arms, Methilhill, Fife

Black Swan

After the game on Saturday I took a trip down to the quay at Dumbarton. I’ve always liked the fact there are loads of swans on the river there.

I’d never seen a black one before, though. It was swimming all on its own.

Black Swan in River Leven

Black Swan in River Leven

The good lady said it had flown in from Russia or somewhere and wouldn’t find a mate as it’s a different species from the white ones.

It’s actually more of a deep brown colour than black. It’s a beautiful thing with a red beak and striking red eyes.

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