16 Bridges of Glasgow Blog

The challenge starts by crossing the Millennium Bridge, opened in 2002, and then the nearby Bell's Bridge which was built in 1988 to coincide with the Garden Festival (see below). It is so named because it was sponsored by Bell's whisky company.

Right by the start, on the south bank, is the Glasgow Science Centre and adjoining IMAX cinema, both built in 2001. Next to the centre is the Tower, which at 127m is the tallest structure in the city. It was also built in 2001. Sadly it is often closed.

The centre, together with the nearby BBC Scotland building (2006) and Scottish Television building (2007) are built on the site of the old Prince's Dock which was the largest dock on the River Clyde when it opened in 1900. The site was also used for the Glasgow Garden Festival in 1988. This event had 4.3m visitors over 152 days.  The area is now known as Pacific Quay.

On the north bank is the SEC centre, Scotland's largest exhibition centre. Opened in 1985, it is built on the site of the former Queen's dock which closed in 1969.  The area (officially known as the Scottish Event Campus) alos includes the SEC Armadillo (1997) and the Ovo Hydro (2013).

This photo shows the 2 bridges and all of these buildings apart from the Hydro:

The 3rd bridge is the Clyde Arc  (rechristened the Squinty Bridge) opened in 2006.  The photo below shows the bridge and also the Finnieston Crane and both North and South Rotundas:

The two Rotundas (B-listed) were built in 1890-96 and housed lifts which took both pedestrians and vehicles down to tunnels across the river.  The tunnels were closed in 1980 and 1986.  The North Rotunda is currently being developed as an event space and the South one is used as offices. 

South Portland St Suspension Bridge (A-listed along with Calton Place on the south bank) was completed in 1853 :

Before the Sherriff Court was built  

(photo also shows, to the right of Victoria Bridge the Glasgow Central Mosque, A-listed, built 1983, it is Scotland's largest mosque:

The Smart pedestrian bridge is so called because it carries a range of power, IT and telecomms infrastructure to the nearby business parks.  Close by on Carstairs Street are the former Cotton Spinning Mill, built 1884-9, Cat B listed:

And the former Strathclyde Primary School, built 1903, now a Business Centre:

Here's an old photo of Dalmarnock Bridge, most of the housing has since been demolished:

To get to the final bridge you will go through the Cuningar Loop.   This has been redeveloped as a woodland park since the mid 2010s. It used to house several reservoirs which used to supply Glasgow's water before the Loch Katrine aqueduct was built.  The park includes the "Evolve" metallic sculpture, which I've renamed the "Mobot":

The footbridge where the Challenge ends was built in 2016, and links the Loop to the Legacy Village - the housing that was used as the Commonwealth Games Athletes Village in 2014.