GAS trip to the deserted mining village Mavis Valley on the Forth and Clyde canal and the remains of Cadder 17 mine, scene of the mining disaster in 1913.

Meet at 10AM on Saturday 27th May at the Bishopbriggs Leisuredrome.

In Bishopbriggs, follow the A803, Kirkintilloch Road, to traffic lights next to The Eagle Lodge/Oregano restaurant. Turn off A803 into Hilton Road passing the Eagle Lodge on your right until you arrive at the Leisuredrome immediately south of the Canal Bridge on Balmuildy Road. Park in the Leisuredrome car park. There is usually plenty of parking space round the back beside the sports pitches. Toilets are available in the Leisuredrome. Meet beside the canal bridge.

Please note no buses pass the Leisuredrome. Buses to Mavis Valley don’t actually go there. Ask the driver to put you off nearest the Leisuredrome and walk downhill towards the canal (about ¼ mile).

We will walk along the towpath to the ruined village of Mavis Valley. A large concrete block beside the towpath indicates where to turn rightup a track. We will go through the village noting various features on the way; at the north end we meet a track leading from Hilton Farm (now East Dumbartonshire’s cleansing depot) to the mine sites. Both tracks are flat and open, possibly a little muddy if it has been wet. We go left along this track until we meet an old stone wall where we leave the track and work over rough ground with undergrowth and tree branches to reach the site of Cadder 17 pit – not far but a bit of a scramble. The surface buildings have been bulldozed but there is still a lot to see including two holes which may be adits or remains of the mineshaft.

We return by retracing our steps along the track to Balmuildy road and turn right to return to the Leisuredrome. Distance about 2miles each way.

Thereafter everyone is invited to Lambhill Stables. Turn left from the Leisuredrome and drive across the canal bridge along Balmuildy road as far as a T-junction with Balmore Road, turn left and pass the cemeteries on the right; just beyond the traffic lights, pass a dilapidated bungalow and go left into Lambhill stables entrance beside an upturned boat. Note that on Balmuildy road you are passing through the Wilderness Plantation dating from the mid 18thC. and very close to the line of the Antonine wall. The site of the Balmuildy fort and bridge across the Kelvin is just North of the junction with Balmore Road. At the Stables you can see the memorial to the miners killed in 1913 and some of the work done for the Coal, Cottages and Canal project will be on view; you can look round the building and garden and finish off with a light lunch of home-made soup, filled rolls and cakes for a ridiculously low price.