A Glasgow perspective: bridge over troubled water

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Hump-Back Bridge, River Kelvin

There are many bridges over the Kelvin in Glasgow, but this one is my favourite. We have crossed it many times on our lockdown walks, and before. Built in 1908 by Messrs Orr, Watt and Co. Ltd of Motherwell, it links the Botanic Gardens and the Kelvin Walkway. It used to be black, and for many years it was blocked off awaiting restoration, until suddenly it burst back into life with its new blue and cream paintwork. Here are a few more perspectives on the bridge.

Hump-Back Bridge, River Kelvin
Hump-Back Bridge, River Kelvin
Hump-Back Bridge, River Kelvin

And here is a perspective from the bridge, looking up to the road bridge on Queen Margaret Drive from which the opening image was taken. As a bonus, here is the same view with John during our first year in Glasgow, 1986.

Queen Maragret Drive bridge
John in July 86

My second favourite bridge over the River Kelvin is this one at Garscube Estate, and by coincidence John also stood there in 1986. It seems our walking routes haven’t changed much in 30+ years!

Garscube bridge
Garscube bridge
John in May 86

The water doesn’t look very troubled in any of my photographs (though you should have seen it in February after two months of rain).  However, I’m not going to let that affect my choice of music. Bridge Over Troubled Water came out in 1970 and, although it certainly wasn’t my first record, it was the first LP I remember choosing and buying myself. I still love Simon and Garfunkel and regret never having seen them live as a duo, although I’ve seen them individually twice each. In both cases, the first time was great – and the second time? I should have held on to my memories.

Linked to Becky’s SquarePerspectives challenge.

Scotland, UK , , ,

57 Comments »

  1. Who doesn’t love a bit of Simon and Garfunkel and Bridge over Troubled Waters is one of their best. Love the cool hump-back bridge over the river, can never resist crossing a bridge like that.

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    • I think I took all of these but I’d have to go back to the metadata on the PC to find out. Can’t seem to work it out from iPad! Ha ha, I can assure you his appearance might resemble Ringo Starr there, but his sense of rhythm bears no comparison. I would not put a drumstick in his hand!

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  4. I’m also a Simon and Garfunkel fan from the beginning … and a fan of bridges both big and small.

    Water is very deceptive when it’s all still and calm, but it makes the best photos!

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  9. The bridge looks lovely with its fresh coat of paint and what pretty surroundings. Does 1986 seem like only yesterday? I was expecting my first daughter in the second half of 1986, and now I am the mother of a 33 year old. I can’t quite believe. it.

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  10. A favourite walk of mine as well. I remember the first time I heard S and G’s The Boxer and as I love good lyrics It made a strong impression. Too many young bands these days, especially live, mumble or distort the lyrics and after listening to a few TRNSMT concert offerings I gave up as if you didn’t know before hand what they were you were not going to learn them in a live venue and to me good lyrics and hearing them clearly are half the song.

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    • I like The Boxer too, and Homeward Bound. I certainly think you can’t beat Art Garfunkel for clarity and purity of sound. Paul Simon was a songwriting genius (I know he’s still going, but I think he’s lost his touch), but I don’t think he’d have made the same impact using his own voice.

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  11. I like the blue and cream bridge, it looks very smart. A great choice of song too, I discovered S & G when Bridge Over Troubled Water came out as a single and have liked them ever since. I have all their albums and know all the songs word for word but Bridge Over Troubled Water, both the album and the single, is my all time favourite 🙂

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  13. I love the bright colour of the bridge because, most often,they are painted black or a dull grey. John looks so young…didn’t we all:) I would have loved to have seen Simon & Garfunkel …what a shame they don’t quite get along any more.

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  15. I found the bridges interesting particularly the Queen Margaret Drive Bridge, which is the one I used for my post heading. I have recently changed it to the Glasgow “Squinty Bridge” but I am not too keen on that and will probably change it back shortly. I still like the music – it’s not Sinatra but it is still acceptable. John looked very different in 1986 – but then I guess we all did.

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  23. Fantastic shots of the bridge, Anabel 👏 The waters certainly did look a lot more troubled in Feb when I was visiting the Botanic Gardens; weird but cool that we were possibly there the same day 😃

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