Silvanus and Croy Hill
Readers of my May Gallivanting post might recall our visit to Aurelius, a giant Roman head at Lambhill Stables, part of a new trail along the Antonine Wall. I mentioned that there is another head on Croy Hill in North Lanarkshire, but that it was currently out of bounds to us plague-ridden Glaswegians. As soon as restrictions lifted and we were allowed to leave the city we were off to meet Silvanus!
We parked at Auchinstarry Quarry, between Kilsyth and Croy, and set off along the Forth and Clyde canal on the opposite bank to Auchinstarry Marina, passing the ruins of Craigmarloch Stables, which served the horses using the canal in its heyday.
At Craigmarloch Bridge, we crossed the canal where a family of geese were enjoying the weather (as were we).
We took the footpath up and over Croy Hill, heading back in the direction from which we came, high above the other bank of the canal. We met Silvanus very quickly.
As at Lambhill, there is also a replica distance stone from the wall here. If you enlarge the information panel below you can see the original, now in the University of Glasgow’s Hunterian Museum, and read about the sculptors and stonemasons involved in the installation.
Walking on beyond Silvanus, we could see the clump of trees where the Roman fort stood more than 1,800 years ago, guarding the northernmost frontier of the Empire.
Continuing to the summit of the hill, we had fine views all around us.
Our descent took us through the sensory trail behind Auchinstarry Marina – other than this rather nice pole with local history scenes on it, the garden looked as though it could do with a little TLC though.
This was a lovely Sunday afternoon stroll, essentially the right hand loop on the rather stylised map above. We’ve also done the left hand loop to Bar Hill Fort several times, and on occasion the whole circuit taking in both forts. It was so refreshing just to get out of the city after so long, and to see some different scenery.
The Glasgow Gallivanter 
This looks like a wonderful place to visit. Stunning views!
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Thanks, it was!
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Your mention of North Lanarkshire early in this post reminded me of New Lanark:
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/New_Lanark
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That’s a very interesting place to visit, both for the village itself and the riverside walks and waterfalls surrounding it. It’s in South Lanarkshire rather than North Lanarkshire (the county was divided in a local government reorganisation a few decades ago).
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Freut mich das zu lesen. Wolfgang
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Vielen Dank, Wolfgang!
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You had some nice walks and I really like the way the hiking trails are done. I love the image of the melancholy Prisoner( well he would not be dancing) and Triton. I’m also so glad that art students can create what was made centuries before.
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Thanks Birgit, it was a lovely walk.
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Wow, that looks like a big head! I think I prefer the distance stone. I find Triton very charming, and not just because The Little Mermaid was one of my favourite movies as a child. The poor prisoner doesn’t look too happy though.
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It’s a very big head indeed! The prisoner looks every bit as abject as you might expect.
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a wonderful escape 🙂
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How’s Mum? Hope things are going okay xx
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Fine thanks! Will email.
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It was! So happy to see somewhere other than the city.
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What a beautiful place to visit. I’m glad you enjoyed. Have a great day.
http://www.rsrue.blogspot.com
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Thank you!
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Anabel, I am another fan of your walks. One subject I love viewing is sculptures, and Silvanus is outstanding.
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Isn’t he? I think I prefer him to Aurelius.
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It’s great that we’re all able to get out more – though isn’t it BUSY out there??! Love Silvanus – he looks splendid – now trying to figure out how I can wangle a visit to him on the next trip to see the rellies.
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It is busy, but this particular walk wasn’t. As last year when things were opening up we’re playing safe with the less touristy bits. I do hope you get to meet Silvanus and Aurelius.
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I love your walks and the varied locations you have so close to home. I always feel like we have to go a long, long way to see something different.
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I love this gentle green landscape, but we don’t have to go much further in a different direction until we hit the Highland line. It’s good finally to be able to explore again.
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What a gorgeous walk! I especially liked the marina. And I’m so very glad you are able to get out and travel again!
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It’s such a relief! Thank you.
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I really like that area. Walked my bike over it a few years ago as part of a larger cycle tour. Impressive that so much of the Antonine Wall is left to see yet even in Scotland a lot of folk have no idea it’s there.
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I know, I was astonished the first time I saw the ruins in Bearsden because having grown up near Hadrian’s Wall, the Antonine Wall didn’t really get a look in.
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What a great walk, exactly the sort of mini adventure we love. Not too steep a hill with great views at the top and of course Silvanus to top it off. Fascinating.
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It’s a lovely little walk which fitted nicely into the amount of time we had on Sunday afternoon and, as I mentioned, it can be expanded when we have more time.
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Happy to see that you are able to get out of the city. I loved the post. I suppose I am like many of the city people, we very rarely appreciate what we have around us. I need to ask when these “heads” were constructed and placed. I know nothing about them.
We- in South Australia – do not have many restrictions left and we have unrestricted travel within the state, and with some other states. Internal tourism is experiencing a bit of a boom at the moment. Of course the government handing out travel and accommodation vouchers helps..
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The heads are very new – just a month or so ago. I think the project to promote the Antonine Wall has been around for a while but, like everything else, was probably delayed because of covid.
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I’m glad you were finally able to get out in the country for your stroll. Roman ruins are fascinating. It really makes you wonder what it was like to live in those times. They had a lot of sophisticated technology and knowledge. I’m reading a book right now on the Christians’ destruction of the classical world. Fascinating stuff.
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It does! I imagine all these young men arriving from warmer parts of the empire to shiver on the North West frontier.
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Just how DID all those Scots survive winter in kilts?
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Hmm, I would wear very thick socks!
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Silvanus is very handsome, and you really had a lovely day for your walk. The scenery is gorgeous and it’s all so green. Hopefully this is the first of many more walks a bit further away from home.
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It was a beautiful day, we have had some good weather lately. Of course, now that freedom beckons, we have rain forecasts! Ah well, how else would we get all that green?
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Yay! Sone kind of freedom at last and what a lovely walk you took us on. Silvanus is magnificent. I wonder whether we’ll ever get back up to Scotland, but it is more promising than anywhere abroad.
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I know! Even if it’s only half an hour away it felt good. I certainly wouldn’t want to go abroad just yet, but accommodation up here is jammed solid till the autumn now. I’m sure it’s the same with you and everywhere else.
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Delightful tour (as usual).
Silvanus is breathtaking!
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Thanks, he is rather stunning!
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Looks lovely. I’ve been out a few times but having trouble with the ankle I twisted last summer, and not managing to walk that far without my best walking shoes, which happen to be my orienteering shoes. And then I went and got a groin strain last time I orienteered (in May) and you’d be surprised how many side effects that brings!
Keep up the walks. I’m spending most of my time gardening 🙂
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Oh dear, that’s not very good! I hope the gardening doesn’t interfere with your various injuries (and you don’t give yourself any more).
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Isn’t Silvanus great! I’m glad you are managing to escape to new places a bit more. X
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He’s fabulous! It’s nice to be allowed out of Glasgow at last.
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Are English people allowed in Scotland, I have no idea. X
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Yes, you can travel across the border either way now.
https://www.gov.scot/publications/coronavirus-covid-19-guidance-on-travel-and-transport/
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Oh lovely 🥰
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Beautiful range of views in one trip out. I’m so glad you have a bit of freedom again, it has been a long old haul!
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It certainly has! This felt exhilarating – so good to get out of the city.
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Hi Anabel – how wonderful to see … Silvanus is impressive – being able to see both sculptures again will be good. I’m loving the look at this ‘tour’ etc … I’d love to see them and learn more, as too seeing the context of the walk on the wall of 1800 years ago. Thanks … so glad you were able to escape the city for a short time – cheers Hilary
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It’s strange trying to imagine what the Romans might have made of their surroundings here!
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Silvanus looks very impressive. A figure standing beside it would have given us a better idea of the size of the head but I presume it is pretty enormous. I’d love to see this and when I have the nerve to leave my locality but not to travel to Europe, if I can find a suitable tour as I no longer drive, I may well take a trip to Scotland before we’re locked down again!
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It’s huge! A tour to Scotland would be wonderful (not that I’m biased, of course). You might even come through Glasgow …
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The Silvanus sculpture is impossible to ignore. It’s an imposing work of art. Hi. Glad you’re truly out and about again.
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It certainly makes a statement! It was really good to be somewhere else – even though we have a lot of green space in the city, this was different.
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I’m still being nosy when I have time, Anabel, and this looks a lovely jaunt. No idea when I’ll be sharing again, but if I remember I’ll include this 🤗💕
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Thanks Jo! Hope you enjoy a well deserved test from blogging.
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Looks like a nice walk, i like the views from the top of the hill. Of the two heads I think I prefer Silvanus, he looks more forgiving than Aurelius, probably because of the colour of the stonework. I like the fancy pole too, it looks quite pretty 🙂
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Yes, I think I like Silvanus better too, though I need to go back to see Aurelius once he is fully installed.
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I am glad that you are free to roam again.
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Thanks – so am I!
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