Bo'ness and Blackness Paths

Discover the paths in and around Bo’ness and Blackness easy to use map and 10 suggested locations something for everyone includes three Bo’ness Town Centre trails and part of the John Muir Way Discover the paths in and around Bo’ness and Blackness Bo’ness John Muir Way 3 2 Firth of Forth 6 1 7 Dean Road 8 5 A904 Crawfield 9 Blackness Road 10 From 4 Grangemouth A706 A904 B903 B9109 Finding your way some great countryside, A map wildlife, fantastic views, and a wealth of history, Take a close look at the waiting to be discovered map for each route. This all right on your doorstep. Paths should be all you need to find the start point and get 1 Bo’ness town on your way. OS Explorer Further Exploration centre Trail A map 349 covers the area. Some sites have options for further exploration, or 2 Bo’ness town Signs you could join together centre Trail B Look out for sign posts and three of the suggested 3 Bo’ness town interpretation boards giving routes to take in the full centre Trail C more information along the foreshore path from Kinneil Local Nature Reserve to 4 way. West Lothian Blackness Castle, which Golf Club It’s up to you is now part of the John 5 Muir Way. Kinneil House This leaflet gives details & Woods of 10 locations, with Where else can I visit? 6 Bo’ness Harbour information on green transport options, path You could also combine to Kinneil Local your exploration of the Nature Reserve surfaces, gradients, parking and facilities. Just choose paths with a visit to one 7 Bridgeness to a route that suits your of the superb museums Muirhouses interest and ability and or visitor attractions such enjoy the paths in as the Bo’ness and Kinneil 8 Carriden Woods and around Blackness Steam Railway, The Bo’ness Motor Museum, 9 Bo’ness to and Bo’ness. Blackness - The Kinneil Museum or Take a wander along Blackness Castle. Each of John Muir Way some of your local paths these sites offers toilets 10 Blackness Castle or follow the John Muir and parking. Way and you will find There is also an opportunity for shopping and refreshment stops in Bo’ness Town Centre. Visit the Hippodrome, Scotland’s first purpose built cinema,, or see how the town centre is reclaiming its heritage with the restoration of many listed buildings in its historic heart. A Very Short History of Bo’ness! A producer of coal and salt, Bo’ness developed as a port in the late 16th century and, in its heyday day, was ranked the second largest port in Scotland after Leith. However, the opening of the Forth and Clyde Canal in 1792 which terminated at Grangemouth put paid to Bo’ness’ ambition as Glasgow’s east coast port. Many of the buildings in Grangepans takes its Production finally came the town are characterised name from one of the to an end in the 1890’s. by red pantile roofs, the town’s earliest industries, tiles of which were the saltpans belonging Ref: Richard Jaques imported from the to Grange estate. At its (2001) Falkirk and District. Netherlands as ballast for height, there were 16 pans An Illustrated returning coal ships. employing 30 salters. Architectural Guide. The John Muir Way logo is used throughout this publication to highlight the routes which follow part of this long distant path. 1. Bo’ness Town Centre: Trail A short ‘figure of 8’ route round Bo’ness Town Centre leads you past several superb buildings. As you follow the route, remember to look up at the details of many of the buildings on this route to fully appreciate the architecture of the area. A Journal & Gazette Building and E The Anchor Tavern Two tall corners dominate the view along North Street - the candle-snuffer tower on the Journal & Gazette building, and the Anchor Tavern’s fish-scale slated roof. Access Information Bo’ness Town Bo’ness developed first as B Bus: For further a harbour, and then as a Dymock’s Building information on bus trading post on the Forth Built some time before times, numbers, routes, in the days of sailing ships. 1650, Dymock's Building etc call Traveline on is one of the oldest 0871 200 2233 or visit The old town grew up buildings in Bo’ness. This www.traveline.org.uk. round the triangle of North former merchant's house Street, South Street and was restored by National Train: No. the narrow Scotland’s Trust for Scotland in Cycle: Sustrans Route Close. Waggon Road original orange Jacobite 76. followed the route taken colours. It has had many by coal waggons from the uses in its time: as Parking: Car Parks at pits to the harbour. Seaview Place and Union premises for processing whale-oil, a plumber's Street Bo'ness has been business, a motorcycle transformed over the past Distance repair shop, a bakery, and 30 years, with the Suggested route - now converted to eight Townscape Heritage 0.3 miles (0.5 km) social housing flats. Initiative enabling the Alternative paths renovation of a number of available. C ‘Tobacco’ key buildings significant in Warehouse and Path information architectural, historic and Surfaced pavements and townscape terms.. D Bo'ness Library cobbled roads. The work of architects The current Bo'ness Facilities Matthew Steele and Library incorporates two Toilets, shops, cafes and James Thomson has had a old buildings - the West parking available in huge impact on the Port Tavern and an 18th Bo’ness Town Centre. townscape in Bo’ness. This century warehouse Building Key A Journal & Gazette East Pier D Building Street B Dymock’s Building A904 C C B North ‘Tobacco’ Warehouse E Street D Bo’ness Library F North E The Anchor Tavern A Street G F Jubilee Fountain Market Hope Street G The Hippodrome Street I H H 13 South Street South Street I 11 South Street J J Anderson Trust Shop From Grangemouth Icon Key Starting point probably built as a tobacco Main path warehouse. By 1850 the 'Tobacco' warehouse was Tourist used as a granary, and Information later a bake house. It is now home to the base of Bench the library and residential Parking flats. Memorial to F Jubilee Fountain Miners The Jubilee Fountain on Bo’ness & North Street was given to Kinneil Railway the town in 1887. It sits on the site of the old Cross Dog Fouling Bin Well (also know as St John’s Well) which was one of the original main I water supplies for the The fabulous art deco 11 South Street town. The Fountain was picture palace, first opened Now a Hairdressers, this gifted to the people of in 1912, has been lovingly building was designed by Bo’ness for Queen restored for the enjoyment architect Matthew Steele Victoria’s Golden Jubilee. of future generations. in 1907, though only the upper floors were built as G The Bo’ness designed. 11 South Street Hippodrome H 13 South Street has since been renovated Designed by Matthew Rock n Rolls Sandwich to look as it had originally Steele this was Scotland’s Shop is in the old Tolbooth been intended by the first purpose built cinema. built in 1750. architect. 2. Bo’ness Town Centre - Trail B Access Information Bus: For further information on bus Look up and look down Finding Your Way times, numbers, routes, to take in the fantasitc START: etc call Traveline on architectural and industrial at the car park in Seaview 0871 200 2233 or visit heritage. From grain and Place www.traveline.org.uk. tobacco warehouses to the 1 Cross Seaview Place and first purpose-built cinema take the steps up onto Train: No. in Scotland, Bo’ness Town Providence Brae, Cycle: Centre has a wealth of climbing the steep slope Sustrans Route 76. history waiting to be up towards the Town discovered. Hall. When you reach Parking: Car Parks at Stewart Avenue, the Seaview Place and remains of St Mary’s Union Street. Church and the Liberal Club are on your left, Distance with the Town Hall Suggested route - straight ahead. The Town 1 mile (1.5 km) Hall was financed by Alternative paths Andrew Carnegie the available great industrialist. Path information Surfaced paths, 2 Cross the road and take pavements and cobbled the steps up to the Town roads. Hall and into Glebe Park Take a look at the wall of where you will see the Facilities Custom House and you will Bandstand, erected in the Toilets, shops, cafes find a plaque dedicated to park in 1902. Notice the and parking available in the RAF and its significant two clock towers on the Bo’ness Town Centre. history. Town Hall - these clocks Firth of Forth were made by H & R Millar and donated to the people of Bo’ness by Provost George Cadell Stewart the founder of the present day annual Bo’ness Childrens’ Fair. F G Union Street E 3 Turn left following the path round the back of North Street the Town Hall and then left again to the top of the steps that take you back down onto Stewart South Street Avenue. Take a few moments here to enjoy School Brae the magnificent view A across the town and the Stewart Providence B D Firth of Forth. A short Brae Avenue walk along Stewart Avenue will bring you C to the Masonic Hall, designed by local architect Matthew Steele. Icon Key 4 Cross Stewart Avenue and turn left down Starting point School Brae.

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