Mains Castle and a trip back home

No games for a couple of weeks as we finally managed to get away for a week to visit family in Rutherglen, near Glasgow.  A combination of Covid restrictions and lots of decorating and refurbishment at my mum's house meant we haven't been able to get up for a year so it was great to finally be able to see everyone.

The week was pretty much all spent locally with family so we didn't get out to see any sights but I did get out early most mornings with the dogs and tried to walk in few different places locally to give them (and me!) a bit of variety from the local park.

Eek!!  The Return of
 the Giant Hogweed

The Clyde

Not far from home is the Cuningar Loop,  new woodland Park created on industrial ground in Dalmarnock.  This was originally reservoirs which were filled in with rubble from the demolition of the Gorbals in the 1960s.  After the 2014 Commonwealth Games the site was redeveloped and transformed into a lovely woodland park on the  banks of the Clyde.

There's an interesting project being run here and in Rutherglen looking at using naturally heated water which fills disused mining tunnels as a source of geothermal heating.  Of course it isn't worrying at all that the town seems to be riddled with disused tunnels...

We also had a walk at Stewartfield near East Kilbride.  This is another new-ish country park.  This was made by creating a loch out of several marshy fields and has attracted a host of wildlife

Now for the wargamey bit...

Mains Castle

I haven't been inside...this is taken
from a  news article!

Next to the park is Mains Castle.  This was built in the late 15th century by the Lindsay family who had been given the lands   during the reign of David II.  The original landowners were the Comyns who came unstuck fighting against Robert the Bruce. The castle gradually declined and was eventually abandoned in 1723 before being restored in the 19th Century.  Its now a private home... one day, when I win the lottery...