Gryffe Valley & Inverclyde

9 miles / 14 km

A scenic, lovely walk over the hill to Greenock. The first part is on a walking/cycling path before the walk leaves this path for some small roads on tarmac and gravel over the hill before it rejoins the same path again for the last miles/kms down to Greenock.

Hard

The first half of the walk is a blend of flat road but mostly climbing. The climbs are not bad. The final parts is a blend of descents and flat paths. Plenty of drinks and good shoes are required here.

McGill's Bus 7/7A from Paisley Town Hall to Linwood 4 - 6 times an hour. Then bus X7 to Kilmacolm.
McGill's Bus X7 from Glasgow/Braehead/Linwood 1 -2 times an hour.

Leave the bus at the village square and take road past the Coop Shop down towards the old railway station, now a bistro. Follow the Greenock/Port Glasgow path signposts from there through a housing estate before the path starts up a small climb up the Gryffe Valley. At the first crossroad, 1 mile / 2 km up this good path, and just after crossing under a bridge, take the first road to the left and then left again up to the bridge crossing this path. Walk over this bridge to Auchenbothie Road and take this road to the left up the valley. After 150 yards/meters, this road reaches a crossroad. Take the road under the bridge to Auchentiber Road which you will follow up to Devol gravel road (yes, I did this walk during the winter... A cold, sunny day in February.).




After crossing a flat piece of road, this road climbs steadily towards the Devol gravel road. The scenery here are excellent and this is a great walk. There are normally a lot of farm animals here which will view any walkers with bemusement.

At the Auchentiber Road - Devol crossroad, take the Devol signposted gravel road up the hills. The road takes you past a windmill and then the Port Glasgow Golf Course. The two following pictures are from the top of this road.

The road now descends towards Port Glasgow and River Clyde. First down a steep descent on this gravel road to the clubhouse at Port Glasgow Golf Course and then on the now tarmac surface Devol Road down to Dubbs Road. Continue straight ahead down (on the pavement) Barr's Brae. Halfway down this descent towards Port Glasgow, a tarmac cycle/walking path goes off to the left. Choose this path.
The path on this disused Greenock to Glasgow railway line is pretty flat in the beginning. The views towards River Clyde and Greenock are great here. Due to a bridge which fell down and was never replaced, the path goes into a steep descent down to a footbridge and then a steep climb up to the ex-railway line. I wish they had repaired this bridge but that is not to be.

The path now slightly and gently descends towards the end of the path at Bridgend Street. Take this road down to the right and under a bridge on the Wemyss Bay line down to East Crawford Street. Take this street to the left until it reaches Belville Street. Take this street to the left and then the first road to the right, St Lawrence Street past the Royal Mail depot down to the motorway, Rue Street. Take the pavements here past Morrissons to Greenock town centre and then follow the signposts to Greenock Central train station where this walk ends.

Train to Glasgow/Paisley 2 times an hour.