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Helensburgh is a town on the southeast side
of Gare Loch in Scotland, 33 miles northwest of
Glasgow,
5 miles west of Loch Lomond.
The town is popular for its Leisure Centre,
Esplanade with Diners and Ice Cream, The Hill
House designed by Charles Rennie Mackintosh,
Sailing Courses, and visiting the villages of
Rhu for the grave of Henry Bell, and
Garelochhead for the Memorial of Isabella
Campbell. Area Walk.
For Images on Mobile swipe right
Click on Map for Area
Attractions
Camping & Touring Parks in
area
The image top right is of the West Esplanade
along the shore at Helensburgh. There is a good
Lochside path from here west to Kidstone Park 1
mile, Rhu Marina 2 miles, and Rhu Point 3
miles.
There is a Bronze Bust of John Logie Baird
on the Esplanade, who invented Television in
1926, and an Obelisk for Henry Bell who built
the first commercial steam powered ship in
1812, both lived in Helensburgh.
The second image right is of the Helensburgh
Leisure Centre
that opened at the Esplanade in 2022 with 2
swimming pools, luxury health suite with steam
room and sauna, two modern fitness studios,
cafe and shop.
Colquhoun Square is about 100 yards north of
the Leisure Centre, up Colquhoun Street, next
to the Railway Station. This is the centre of
Helensburgh, a relaxing area with lots of
Seating, Churches and Celtic Crosses.
The Hill House
is 1 mile north of Helensburgh centre, built
from 1902 - 1904 to designs of Charles Rennie
Mackintosh for the publisher Walter Blackie.
The House had a cover / box put over it in 2019
to help with conversation works, with visits
allowed to view the House from walkways around
the box. The cover may be removed in 2028?
Map
Charles Rennie
Mackintosh 1868 - 1928, is the biggest name
in Scottish design.
Helensburgh Golf Club
is 1 mile northeast of the Town centre, an 18
hole scenic moorland course built in 1893.
The Walk beside Gare Loch 1 mile west takes
you to Kidston Park with a Kids Play and a
Cafe.
Next to Kidston Park is the Helensburgh
Sailing Club
with training courses for non members.
The popular Ardencaple
Hotel for drinks, coffee and meals is a
short walk west of Kidston Park.
Rhu Marina is 1 mile west of Kidstone Park
via a good Lochside Path with a Cafe with great
views.
Rhu Village top
attraction is the Church from 1851 with the
Ornate Grave of Henry Bell, who
built the first commercial Steamship named
Comet, also has a short walk out to Rhu
Point.
The small village of Garelochhead is 6 miles
west at the head of Gare Loch, with the top
attraction being a short walk to the Isabella
Campbell (1807 - 1827) Memorial, one of two
Holy local sisters. See the large images at the
top of this page for Garelochhead. Map
The Faslane Military
Base was opened at Garelochhead in 1941,
converted to operate Nuclear Submarines in
1964, a place most people just want to see as
is the most dangerous place in the UK, between
potential accidents or Russian attacks. The
Image bottom right is from the walk to the
Isabella Campbell Grave.
Helensburgh History
1100s - the original Ardencaple Castle was
built for the Lairds of Ardencaple / Clan
MacAulay where Helensburgh is today.
1752 - Sir James Colquhoun bought much of
this area known as Malig, to build the town of
Helensburgh, with him encouraging companies to
set up business in the Town.
Few businesses moved to Helensburgh as the
Port was shallow and Roads to Glasgow were not
good. Farming and Herring Fishing were the main
businesses in the area.
Sir James Colquhoun named the town
Helensburgh after his wife Lady Helen
Colquhoun.
1760s - John Campbell, 4th Duke of Argyll,
gained control of Ardencaple Castle as it had
been abandoned. He then had it remodeled and
enlarged by Robert Adam. There were then a
number of owners up to 1939.
1776 - Sir James Colquhoun began promoting
Helensburgh as a residential spa seaside town,
leading to wealthy Glasgow businessmen building
large houses in the area.
1806 - Henry Bell
moved to Helensburgh to open a Spa Hotel, with
him being best known for building the Paddle
Steamer Comet in 1812 to transfer passengers
from Glasgow and Greenock to his Hotel in
Helensburgh, with the Comet being the first
Commercial Steamer in Europe.
This led to more Hotels in Helensburgh with
the Town being advertised as a Holiday
Resort.
1807 - 1827 - Isabella
Campbell lived in the area, said to be an
influential religious person. Her Memorial is a
popular short walk from Garelochhead.
1817 - The Quay was built in the Town Centre
for visiting Boats, this being just a Pile of
Rocks, not a real harbour.
1858 - the Glasgow Railway reached
Helensburgh passing through Dumbarton, leading
to the growth of the town.
1888 - John Logie Baird was born at
Helensburgh.
1903 - The Hill House was built to designs
of Charles Rennie Mackintosh, a time a large
number of Victorian Villas were being built on
the north side of the town for wealthy Glasgow
business people.
1926 - John Logie Baird invented the
Television.
1939? - Ardencaple
Castle was taken over by the Royal Navy at
the outbreak of WWII, with it being demolished
in 1957 to make way for Naval Housing, all that
remains is the Tower. You can view the Tower
from Kidstone Park on the north side of
Helensburgh.
1941 - during WWII, Faslane opened as a
Military Base at the head of Gare Loch, 5 miles
north of Helensburgh, with the Railway soon
extended to Faslane.
1946 - John Logie Baird died, he was buried
in Helensburgh Cemetery.
1964 - 1968 - four 7,500 ton Resolution
Class Submarines with Polaris Nuclear
Weapons were built to be operated out of
Faslane.
1994 - 1999 - four 16,000 ton Vanguard Class
Submarines were built with Trident Nuclear
Weapons to be operated out of Faslane.
2010s - much of Helensburgh centre was
upgraded, with Colquhoun Square transformed
into a scenic pedestrian only area, also for
Farmers Markets and Festivals.
2022 - a Leisure Centre was built at the
Quay for Swimming and Fitness.
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