Duchray

Antonine Wall

Hillfoot · 14 miles

Across the Central Belt of Scotland a line of Roman turf fortifications marks the former northern frontier of the empire. Ordered by Emperor Antoninus Pius around AD 142, the barrier stretches roughly 63 kilometres from the Firth of Clyde to the Firth of Forth. Built on stone foundations, the wall stood about three metres high and five metres wide, with a deep ditch on its northern side and, according to archaeological inference, a wooden palisade topping the turf. Lidar surveys have confirmed its length and the Roman distance units employed in its construction. Although intended to supersede Hadrian’s Wall, the Antonine Wall was abandoned after only eight years, when its garrisons retreated southward. The line was defended by sixteen forts and a series of smaller fortlets, linked by the Military Way road. The best-preserved of these is Rough Castle Fort, while the most visible fortlet is Kinneil near Bo’ness. Decorative distance slabs, of which twenty survive, originally bore bright paint; copies of some, such as the Bridgeness Slab, are displayed in Bo’ness. Remains of the wall and its associated forts now fall under the care of Historic Environment Scotland and the UNESCO World Heritage Committee. Classified as ruins, the site lies close to the village of Hillfoot, providing a reference point for visitors seeking the surviving fragments of this second-century Roman frontier.

Antonine Wall

Hillfoot · 14 miles

Stretching across the Central Belt of Scotland, the Antonine Wall marks the northernmost frontier that the Roman Empire ever established on the island. Built on stone foundations and covered with turf, the barrier measured about three metres in height and five metres in width, extending roughly 63 kilometres from the Firth of Clyde to the Firth of Forth. A deep ditch on the northern side and a likely wooden palisade on top added to its defensive profile. Construction began around AD 142 at the order of Emperor Antoninus Pius and, according to contemporary estimates, may have taken up to twelve years. The wall was intended to replace Hadrian’s Wall further south, but it was abandoned after only eight years, with the garrisons retreating northward. Nineteen forts, including the well-preserved Rough Castle Fort, and at least nine smaller fortlets such as Kinneil punctuated the line, linked by the Military Way. Decorative distance slabs, of which twenty survive, record the work of individual legions and are now cared for by Historic Environment Scotland and the UNESCO World Heritage Committee. Visitors to the ruin near Hillfoot can walk along visible sections of the wall, explore the remains of forts and fortlets, and view replica stone slabs such as the Bridgeness Slab in Bo’ness. The site is open as a historic ruin; no specific admission charges or visitor facilities are detailed in the available information. The landscape surrounding the wall offers a tangible glimpse of Roman frontier engineering within a Scottish setting.

Riverside Museum

Govan · 17 miles

Set on the River Clyde at Pointhouse Quay in Glasgow’s Partick district, the Riverside Museum occupies a striking, angular building designed by Zaha Hadid Architects with engineering by Buro Happold. Opened to the public in June 2011 as part of the Glasgow Harbour regeneration scheme, the structure won the 2013 European Museum of the Year Award and sits opposite the confluence of the River Kelvin and the Clyde. A pedestrian and cycle link, the Govan–Partick Bridge, has been in use since 2024, providing direct access from the museum across the water to the Govan neighbourhood. The museum’s collections encompass a broad spectrum of transport heritage. Visitors can see the world’s oldest surviving pedal cycle, a substantial assembly of Scottish-built cars and trucks—including examples from Argyll, Arrol-Johnston and Albion—as well as a large showroom display sponsored by Arnold Clark. The Clyde Room holds around 250 ship models that illustrate the River Clyde’s shipbuilding legacy, while the railway and municipal transport galleries feature seven historic Glasgow tramcars, trolleybuses and a reconstruction of a 1930s street scene with a replica subway station and cinema. The site also allows the tall ship Glenlee and other visiting vessels to berth alongside the museum. Opening times are published on the museum’s website, and the venue is reachable on foot or by cycle via the new bridge, with further access through the surrounding Partick area.

The Clydeside Distillery

Kelvinhaugh · 18 miles

Located on the River Clyde’s quayside in Glasgow, the Clydeside Distillery occupies the former pump house that once managed water levels for the Queen’s Dock. The site, refurbished in 2017, lies just west of the SEC Centre and is linked to the Kelvinhaugh and Yorkhill neighbourhoods by a footbridge that passes beneath the Clydeside Expressway and the Argyle Line railway. Vehicles reach the distillery via Stobcross Road, which connects to the expressway at the Finnieston and Pointhouse exits. Water used in production is drawn from Loch Katrine in the nearby Trossachs. When production started in 2017, Clydeside became the second active distillery in Glasgow after a century-long gap. The enterprise is operated by Morrison Glasgow Distillers Limited, with Tim Morrison as principal owner and Andrew Morrison as operations director; the family’s historic ties to the dock date back to John Morrison’s 19th-century construction of the original pump house. The distillery’s facilities include two two-tonne Forsyth stills and a capacity of up to 500,000 litres of spirit per year, producing a Lowland-style single malt that entered the market in 2021 under the Stobcross label. Visitors can join interactive tours that showcase the production process, and the premises house a shop and a café. Pedestrian access is provided by the footbridge, while parking is available in the adjacent SEC car park. The location’s industrial setting and proximity to cultural venues such as the SWG3 arts space make it a distinctive point of interest along Glasgow’s waterfront.

Glasgow Science Centre

Stobcross · 18 miles

Located on the south bank of the River Clyde within the Clyde Waterfront Regeneration area, the Glasgow Science Centre serves as a science-focused museum near Stobcross. The complex comprises three distinct structures – the crescent-shaped Science Mall, the rotating Glasgow Tower and an IMAX cinema – each wrapped in a different metal skin. As a registered Scottish charity it attracts visitors who pay an admission charge, and it also oversees the visitor centre at Whitelee Wind Farm. The attraction carries a five-star rating from VisitScotland. Opened by Queen Elizabeth II on 5 July 2001, the centre formed part of the Pacific Quay redevelopment that followed the 1988 Glasgow Garden Festival. The architects Building Design Partnership designed the Science Mall, while the tower’s original concept came from Richard Horden with engineering by Buro Happold. Inside the Mall, three floors host more than 250 interactive exhibits, a planetarium with a 15-metre dome, a children’s area called The Big Explorer, and themed galleries such as Powering the Future, Idea No59 and BodyWorks. The ground floor houses ticketing, cafés, a gift shop and a cloakroom, together with flexible spaces for education and events. The Glasgow Tower, intended as the world’s tallest freely rotating tower, was closed from August 2010 until July 2014, and the IMAX cinema – Scotland’s first – seats 370 patrons before a 24 × 18 metre screen capable of 3D presentation. A 2021 “Connect: Outer Space” project added a two-way cycle lane, expanded greenspace and outdoor science exhibits along the waterfront.

Roman Bath House

Hillfoot · 14 miles