The Clyde coast is part of the Firth of Clyde that encompasses some of the British Isles. It features amazing scenery and a lot of history is on offer. There are organized coach and walking tours for all passengers arriving by cruise ship. There are also cycling tours along River Clyde. You will get to sample the local industrial history, beautiful middle age castles, churches and cathedrals.
Walks
Most tour companies will organize walks that include;
- A guided walk of the Greenock cut, one of the best walks you can take in Scotland
- A walk through Kelburn Country estate, the magic Forest, graffiti castle and magnificent waterfalls.
- A walking tour of Largs that will offer you the opportunity to learn about the Vikings and the history of the thistle flower.
- A walk through the gardens of Finlay Estate. It was a venue for John Knox’s sermons and where warlocks performed their dances. It is also a great venue for family day outs with beautiful picnic areas and gardens.
- A walk to Inverkip from Greenock, another really pleasant walk with beautiful views.
Bespoke tours
There are also bespoke tours available with mini luxury buses to ferry tourists travelling by cruise ships in guided trips to Glasgow, the Island of Bute and Loch Lomond. Tourists with British Citizen’s passports and travelling via cruise ships on a round trip will require a Turkish visa to enter Turkey.
The most prolific experiences that you should not miss include:
The Greenock Cut Walking tour
It is actually among the top 50 walks in all of Scotland. It offers some of the most stunning views. The Greenock Cut is an ancient monument that was designed and constructed in the 1820s as a water supply for the local industries that included refineries and shipyards. There is a museum dedicated to the designer of the cut, Robert Thom housed at the Cut Visitor centre. The cut is about 6km long along difficult terrain. You will catch sights of the beautiful antique bridges that were constructed to allow easy access for the farmers and keep animals out. You will also experience beautiful views of areas as far away as Loch Goil in Argyll and the mountains in Arran, as well as the local wildlife and the sheep.
Largs
This traditional holiday resort is located on River Clyde. It features ice scream parlors and a beautiful promenade. From here you can explore the west coast islands. You can also enjoy a ride on the Waverley Paddle Steamer to the islands from Largs. Other leisure activities include golf, bowling and swimming. The annual Largs Viking festival will give you a chance to sample the Viking heritage with re-enactments of battles that took place on the Scottish coast.
Cycling tours
Cycling tours are also are great way to experience the Clyde coast. Requirements are a minimum of two and a maximum of ten per tour. Services may be operated in three languages English, French or German. The tours mostly start at the Gourock Swimming pool and end at the Inverkip Marina. For this tour though, a higher level of fitness is required as the tour is up to 4 hours long.