Discover Bishopbriggs: Canal and Heritage

Bishopbriggs offers several starting points for a trip: paths along the Forth and Clyde Canal, the long history of Cadder Church, historic traces and leisure activities at the Leisuredrome. If you’re looking for a hotel, you can consider which themes matter most for your stay — such as canal history, religious heritage or sports facilities.

Canal paths and Georgian engineering

The Bishopbriggs–Cadder-&-Mavis-Valley-Trail starts at the leisure centre on Balmuildy Road and follows the canal towpath towards Cadder Church. By contrast, the 18-kilometre Thomas Muir Heritage Trail runs between Kirkintilloch and Bishopbriggs along the Forth and Clyde Canal towpath. The routes therefore differ in their specific starting point and direction on the one hand, and in their stated total length and two endpoints on the other.

A listed section of the Forth and Clyde Canal stretches for about six kilometres from west of the Bishopbriggs Sports Centre to Westermains in Kirkintilloch. It includes the water, the banks and the towpath running along one side. The section between Bishopbriggs and Kirkintilloch is considered a nationally significant example of Georgian engineering. The canal thus brings together a striking landscape and a tangible aspect of architectural and engineering history.

Cadder Church and Roman remains

Cadder Church has been a place of worship and prayer for almost 900 years. The churchyard contains a small watch house and a so-called mort-safe. After a burial, the heavy mort-safe was placed over the newly buried coffin for several days and then removed for reuse. Its use is a distinctive detail in the history of the churchyard, taking the story beyond the site’s long religious tradition.

The remains of the Roman fort at Cadder are another part of the area’s history. They lie north of Bishopbriggs, west of the roundabout at the junction of the A803 and A807, and south of a sharp bend in the Forth and Clyde Canal. You can therefore choose between different historical aspects according to your interests: the long history of worship at Cadder Church, the history of the churchyard or Roman remains.

Leisure and outdoor activities

Bishopbriggs Park is a place for outdoor activities, including walking and experiencing the natural surroundings. The park is considered a biodiverse area of importance for wildlife. If you’d like to include time outdoors in your trip planning, this offers a different focus from the historic canal routes.

At the Leisuredrome, Charlie’s Big Adventure is open to the public and can also be hired exclusively. Check the availability of sessions before visiting. During the 2023/24 reporting cycle, the Leisuredrome’s 25-metre swimming pool was used by competitive swimmers from the surrounding area to prepare for national swimming competitions. During the same reporting cycle, EDLC’s Swimming Development Team offered swimming lessons for beginners at the Leisuredrome pools. Check the current pool arrangements and the availability of the lessons before your visit.

Visitors to Bishopbriggs Golf Club can hire golf club trolleys, electric trolleys and pull trolleys. Check with the club in advance to find out whether these rental options are available.

Getting there and planning your trip

The nearby Bishopbriggs railway station offers regular train services to Glasgow and Edinburgh. Check the timetable for your travel dates when planning your journey. Along with the specific routes, historic themes and leisure activities, this provides a practical basis for choosing Bishopbriggs to suit your travel interests.

Discover more destinations: Lennoxtown, Bearsden, Milngavie, Campsie Glen, Balgrochan.

Back to the main travel overview: East Dunbartonshire.