Greenock, Inverclyde

3 miles / 5 km

An easy walk to this spectacular scenic viewpoint over Gourock. This vista over Gourock from the viewpoint is featured in calendars all over the world. That is why everyone living in the Clyde area should visit this viewpoint too. Good shoes and some water are recommended. It is an all-year walk as I discovered when I visited this last time in January. This after a visit to a dentist in Glasgow, no less...

Easy

Starting from the Branchton train station/bus stop is the easiest way of approaching this hill as the hardest climb has already been done by the train/bus. There is one moderate climb from Inverkip Road to Lyle Hill. The return to Greenock West is easy.




(The Wemyss Bay) Train from Glasgow to Branchton train stop 2 times an hour (fastest).
McGill's Bus 906 from Glasgow/Braehead to Branchton bus stop 4 times an hour (slowest).

The train and the bus stops are only 15 yards/meters from each others. Start the walk from here by crossing Inverkip Road to the other pavement and take this road to the right from the train/bus stops in the direction of Greenock.
At the ClydeAutosales shop where the road is starting to drop towards Greenock, take the Old Inverkip Road to the left and over a small hill before it drops down the hill to Grieve Road. At this crossroad, take this road up the only hill climb of the walk.
The road becomes a bit more flat 300 yards/meters further on and become pretty easy on some good pavements. The road bends to the right after some shops and a hill comes into view...Lyle Hill.. Well, the Greenock Golf Course, it is. Just walk straight on until you reach the crossroad where the road from Gourock arrives.
You are glad you have not climbed that road. Just continue straight on at this crossroad and the French Cross is now coming into view. These final 300 yards/meters to this cross, Lyle Hill, is very scenic and beautiful. The official, correct name for this cross is the Free French Memorial. It is in memory of the French forces 1940-45 who fought on the Allied side during WWII. The three pictures below tell the full story of Lyle Hill and why you must visit this viewpoint.










For the rest of the walk, continue on this road down the hill towards Greenock. The road now changes name to Newton Road just after the first bend after Lyle Hill. The road descends down to the Greenock centre with some scenic views towards the river, Helensburgh and Ben Lomond. At the end of Newton Road, after the school, cross Nelson Street before the walk re-joins Newton Road on the other side of Nelson Street for the next 200 yards/meters. At the next crossroad, take the first road/pavement to the left. After 10 yards/meters after turning this corner, you are at the Greenock West train station.

Train back to Paisley/Glasgow 2 times an hour.

Enjoy the walk !!