Union Canal, West Lothian

9 miles / 14 km

This walk is the finest walk on the canals (towpaths) in Scotland. It is also one of the finest walks in Scotland, full stop.
After a gentle start, the canal winds itself through some pretty spectacular landscapes before it ends in Broxburn. It is a bit hard to get home again from Broxburn to the Glasgow area and that is the only negative aspect about this walk. This is still a must-do walk.

Hard

The canal is flat. The towpath is very narrow at times. The surface is still good, but the narrow path means full concentration is required throughout. Walk, stop to take in the landscape and walk again is the recipe here. Bring plenty of water, good shoes and perhaps a walking pole too.

Train to Linlithgow from Glasgow Queen Street station 3 - 4 times an hour.

Cross the railway line on the footbridge from the station and head straight up Strawberry Road and Manse Road to the canal here where this walk starts properly... See the two pictures below.








The scenery is not particularly remarkable in the first mile/ two kilometres or so. Tranquil is the word. The path is rather pleasant here compared to what it later becomes.



The canal passes a farm shop (or something like that) and under a scenic bridge. I took a picture of it, looking back at it. Quirky and scenic.



The canal now enters a landscape full of slag heaps from the mining era of this area. The landscape, and indeed the walk, now becomes a lot more interesting and scenic.



The canal now enters a narrow canyon between some slag heaps and rocks. This narrow canyon is perhaps the most dramatic feature of the whole of the Union Canal. See the two pictures below.







After this canyon, the canal enters a forest, a magic forest whose beauty takes the breath out of those who visit this part of the canal. The towpath is also very narrow here and requires full concentration from the walker. The two pictures below are from this magic forest.







The landscape opens up again with some good views in the direction of the Edinburgh Airport and the east. The path becomes a bit better and wider here too.



The canal takes a turn to the right and goes straight south and passes through Winchburgh before it enters the rural area again, surrounded by slag heaps.



The canal passes next to Greendykes Bing, which is an impressive feature as you can see below.



The canal now enters Broxburn and goes through it until it reaches the Broxburn Bridge over the canal. Walk under it as seen in the picture below..



Take the steps up to West Main Street. You now have two choices if you are going back to Glasgow..

The preferred choice is to ring for a taxi from Broxburn Taxi at phone number 01506 300000. Book the taxi to Uphall train station. The taxi costs around £ 8 - £ 13. Then take the train from Uphall to Glasgow Queen Street lower level 2 times an hour.

Another choice, by far the slowest and least comfortable alternative, is either to take the CityLink Glasgow - Edinburgh Airport bus to either Glasgow or the nearby Edinburgh Airport with then the proper CityLink 900 bus to Glasgow again. The CityLink bus is every 2nd hour, and the waiting time may be very long. Taxi to Uphall and the train to Glasgow is by far the best, only viable choice.