Helensburgh
Helensburgh Baile Eilidh | |||
Location Map ( geo) | |||
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County | |||
Dunbartonshire | |||
Highway Authority | |||
Argyll and Bute | |||
Places related to the A814 | |||
Helensburgh is a large resort town on the north bank of the Clyde at the entrance to the Gare Loch. Lying just a few miles from Glasgow, it grew up as both a resort for Victorian day trippers, and commuter belt for the more affluent Glaswegians who first travelled to town by boat, and then train. Laid out on a Grid iron street pattern climbing the hill, many of the upper streets are home to large villas set in spacious gardens, including the famous Hill House designed by Charles Rennie MacKintosh, which is now open to the public.
The main road through the town is the A814, which follows the Clyde coast from Dumbarton and Glasgow, before turning north to Garelochhead and Arrochar. Meeting it in the centre of town is the A818, which has crossed the hill from the A82 on Loch Lomond side. For many years, this was the B832, but was upgraded to an A road on 7th January 2005. To the north of Helensburgh, the military installations around Faslane and Coulport have seen a lot of investment to the roads infrastructure, with the A817 crossing the hill from Loch Lomond to Garelochhead, and so providing the main access route for heavy vehicles. Nevertheless, a lot of people in Helensburgh work in the establishments, so the A814 to the north is a good quality route.
In the past ferry services operated across the Clyde to Kilcreggan on the Rosneath peninsula and Greenock, although it is doubtful if cars were ever carried. However, it appears that this service has been indefinitely suspended since 2012
Routes
Route | To | Notes |
Garelochhead | Clyde Sea Lochs Trail | |
Dumbarton | Clyde Sea Lochs Trail | |
Balloch, Tarbet (A82) | was B832 |