Strathclyde Country Park

Listed in: Activities - Cycling • Attractions - Days Out • Activities - Fishing • Attractions - Gardens and Parks • Activities - Jogging and Running • Activities - Walking • Activities - Watersports • Activities - Walking • Activities - Watersports

What's On at Strathclyde Country Park »

About Strathclyde Country Park

Thousands of visitors every year come to enjoy the huge range of activities available at Strathclyde Country Park from sailing to sunbathing, birdwatching to bicycling, water ski-ing to watching the world go by.

Ideally situated, with excellent road and public transport links, the park plays host to a series of major events throughout the year, all with their own special excitement and attractions to offer the visitor.

On the water

Based on the excellent facilities of the Watersports Centre and Strathclyde Loch, the park is a licensed outdoor activity centre and caters for the following water activities:

For the enthusiast - rowing, windsurfing, dinghy sailing, canoeing and water ski-ing. Craft are available for hire, or you may bring your own if you prefer. Expert instruction in the necessary skills, all in accordance with the standards laid down by the sports' national governing bodies, is available from the instructors at the park.

For fun - pedalos, bumper boats, boat trips, wavebobs and canadian canoes. There are rescue boats on the water and modern equipment is provided to ensure the exciting but safe enjoyment of all loch users.

All fresh water lochs are dangerous, particularly those like Strathclyde Loch with its shoreline shelving down to a lower layer of cold water. So swimming is not allowed and you should make sure that you and your companions always wear lifejackets or buoyancy aids when you are on the water.

On land

Land sports - served by well-equipped and meticulously maintained sports pavilions, Strathclyde Country Park caters for the following variety of sports on dry land. Football (3 hard porous pitches, 2 floodlit, 2 grass pitches and Lanarkshire's 7-a-side football centre), jogging tracks, coarse angling permits available for the loch, rivers and ponds, horse riding permits available for 7 miles of bridle paths, wayfaring and competitive orienteering - 3 different courses, cross country running, mountain bikes for hire, and to get in shape for all the above.

The countryside in the country park

Footpaths and nature trails with miles of surfaced footpaths connect through dense woodlands, wetlands and open parkland and to the long distance Clyde Walkway system. Historical features include Bothwellhaugh Roman Fort and Bathhouse and Orbiston Tower House. Wildlife refuges provide breeding sites and refuge for more than 150 different species of wild animals and birds. An all year round series of nature walks led by members of the North Lanarkshire Countryside Ranger Service is programmed.

Major events

Throughout the year the park hosts various major events which are well worth seeing. Cycling and 10k/5k races, world class international rowing, canoeing and sailing regattas on the loch, leisure exhibitions, country fairs on the showgrounds, some events attract upwards of 100,000 visitors, truly providing "something for everyone".