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Helensburgh Golf Club
is 1 mile northwest of the Town centre, an 18
hole moorland course built in 1893.
The Lochside Walk 1 mile north takes you to
Kidstone Park with the popular Ardencaple
Hotel for drinks, coffee and meals.
Rhu Marina is 1 mile north 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
north 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 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.
1760s - John Campbell, 4th Duke of Argyll,
gained control of Ardencaple Castle as it had
been abandoned. There were then a number of
owners up to 1939.
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.
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.
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.
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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