20 Attractions to Explore Near Formakin House

A majestic castle which was built upon top of a volcanic plug. It has the longest recorded history of any stronghold in Scotland. Conquer more than 500 steps to stand atop one of Scotland’s greatest strongholds. The iconic Rock of the Clyde has heritage as breathtaking as its views over the Clyde, Loch Lomond and Argyll.

Levengrove Park, is located on a dramatic stretch of land where the River Leven meets the estuary of the River Clyde. It offers many play areas for children, making the Dumbarton-based Levengrove an ideal day out for the entire family. It occupies a south facing slope overlooking the Leven to the north and east and the Clyde to the south. The park consists of a formal garden with extensive spring and summer bedding displays, there is also mixed shrub planting, an Arboretum and so more.

Loch Bowie is a small freshwater loch located in West Dunbartonshire, Scotland. To the west of the Loch is the former Iron Age Hillfort of Dunbowie Dun, a volcanic plug on the edge of the Kilpatrick Hills plateau, that overlooks the loch at 158 metres. A beautiful location for a short picnic and also there are options for a walk and for fishing.

Lords Meadow Leisure Centre is a large facility in a lovely setting with welcoming staff and a friendly atmosphere. Meadows consists of a 25metre, five lane pool and a 12.5 meter learner pool complete with changing village, family cubicles, accessible changing room and school/club changing areas. Designed to be fully accessible and with a wide range of activities available Meadows is the ideal facility for all the family.

This is an artificial loch in Kilmacolmhaving been created by a local angling club in the early 20th century. It is a lovely place for a peaceful walk.The Loch and the area around it is used for recreational activities and events in the village.

Finlaystone is an 18th-century mansion with a rich history dating back to the 13th century.Tthere are soo many things to do and see in this area which paves light to the ancient history of this castle. It was the seat of the Earl of Glencairn until 1796, and is now the property of the Chief of Clan MacMillan. The house is protected as a category A listed building, and the grounds are included in the Inventory of Gardens and Designed Landscapes in Scotland.

A beautiful and stunning country house in West Dunbartonshire. Overlooking the town of Dumbarton and the River Clyde. It boasts historic gardens, picnic areas, Victorian architecture and wonderful wildlife. It is now home to a Centre for Hope and Healing, a tearoom serving snacks, hot and cold drinks and homebaked cakes and also it offers some ruraL walks also. This Scottish Baronial architecture is protected as a category A listed building.

A majestic bridge which was on the approaching road to Overtoun House, near Dumbarton in West Dunbartonshire, Scotland. It was a category B-listed structure completed in 1895, based on a design by the landscape architect H. E. Milner.

The Erskine Bridge is a major crossing of the Clyde Estuary to the west of Glasgow. It is the only bridge in Scotland with single cables over central main supports, and was a precursor of the Millau Viaduct in France. Including the approaches, Erskine Bridge is 1,322m long and cost some £10.5 million to build. It is the lowest crossing point of the River Clyde.

The Saltings is a 19 hectares regenerated area of woodland, meadows and wetland habitat. It was located near the Erskine Bridge and is bounded by the River Clyde and the Forth and Clyde Canal. The marshy grassland is home to hundreds of wild orchids and different types of butterflies like the Peacock and Orange-tip. The area is popular with dog walkers. For something a bit more energetic, the Kilpatrick Hills are not far away.

The Auchentoshan distillery is located in the Glen between the hills Kilpatrick and the Clyde just northwest of the city of Glasgow. You can take a guided tour of the distillery, sample a wee dram, and browse round the gift shop which stocks the full range of Auchentoshan Lowland Single Malt Whiskies and a selection of branded merchandise.

Weaver’s Cottage vividly re-creates the living and working conditions of a typical handloom weaver. With low ceiling beams and period furniture, it helps give an insight into life before the Industrial Revolution. The property has an attractive garden, where traditional dye plants including woad and madder are grown, along with a wide range of cottage garden plants.

Duchal Castle was an extensive 13th century fortified site. The castle is naturally well defended on a piece of ground cut off steeply on the N and S by the confluence of the Green Water and the Blackwater burn. The castle stands at the bottom of the valley of the River Gryfe on a peninsula created by the Blacketty and Green Waters which have their confluence beyond the two deep gorges.

The Titan is one of Scotland's most unusual engineering feats. , A century-old crane that has been transformed into a popular tourist attraction. It was designed to be used in the lifting of heavy equipment, such as engines and boilers, during the fitting-out of battleships and ocean liners . It was also the world's first electrically powered cantilever crane, and the largest crane of its type at the time of its completion at the John Brown & Company shipyard.

A majestic museum which was opened in 1980 in Clydebank Town Hall. It has a vast collection of Local, social and industrial history collections including shipbuilding and engineering. It was originally operated by volunteers drawn from the local communities that had lobbied for its creation

Thomas Shanks Park is named after a leading industrialist of the nineteenth century who owned a company of heavy machine toolmakers, Thomas Shanks and Company. The park contains play areas, a skateboard ramp and two grass football pitches.

Newark Castle is a well-preserved castle sited on the south shore of the estuary of the River Clyde in Port Glasgow, Inverclyde, Scotland. The original castle had a tower house within a walled enclosure or barmkin entered through a large gatehouse. All that remains of the outer defensive wall is from one of the original corner towers. For centuries this location was used to offload seagoing ships, and led to the growth of Port Glasgow close to the castle on either side and to the south.

A majestic hill in Scotland. It is the highest point in both West Dunbartonshire and the Kilpatrick Hills, at an elevation of 401 metres. It lies near Loch Humphrey. There is an easy path to the summit from the south-west, which passes over two subsidiary peaks, Little Duncolm and Middle Duncolm. It is also a beautiful location which offers you good views of this area.

St. Peter's Seminary is a former Roman Catholic seminary near Cardross, Argyll and Bute, Scotland. It has been described by the international architecture conservation organisation DOCOMOMO as a modern "building of world significance. It is one of only 42 post-war buildings in Scotland to be listed at Category A, the highest level of protection for a building of "special architectural or historic interest.