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whitelee wind farm

PostPosted: Sat May 23, 2009 8:15 am
by lordbarneth
searched online but could not find anything definite. i read a news report about a visitor centre being built and that the wind farm will have dedicated cycle paths, i can't find anything about cycle paths.anyone know anything about this?

Re: whitelee wind farm

PostPosted: Sat May 23, 2009 9:58 am
by onyirtodd
There's a wee bit on here re both visitors centre and "plans for improved access via a new network of
footpaths, cycleways and bridleways."

http://www.scottishpower.com/uploads/Wh ... eaflet.pdf


Question. If you stand on the bridge on St Vincent Street over the M8 and look south there are wind turbines on the skyline. Is that Whitelee?

Re: whitelee wind farm

PostPosted: Sat May 23, 2009 10:28 am
by Dave
onyirtodd wrote:Question. If you stand on the bridge on St Vincent Street over the M8 and look south there are wind turbines on the skyline. Is that Whitelee?


Yes, it pretty much covers the moorland in the area from Eaglesham to Fenwick and across to Strathaven. How far across it's going I don't know but it's a fairly large scale project.

Re: whitelee wind farm

PostPosted: Sat May 23, 2009 10:35 am
by floweredpig
Whilst taking the train to East Kilbride yesterday they are visible as you pass through Thorntonhall.

Re: whitelee wind farm

PostPosted: Sat May 23, 2009 10:54 am
by onyirtodd
dave3009 wrote:
onyirtodd wrote:Question. If you stand on the bridge on St Vincent Street over the M8 and look south there are wind turbines on the skyline. Is that Whitelee?


Yes, it pretty much covers the moorland in the area from Eaglesham to Fenwick and across to Strathaven. How far across it's going I don't know but it's a fairly large scale project.


Thanks. I noticed yesterday for the first time.

Re: whitelee wind farm

PostPosted: Sat May 23, 2009 11:13 am
by BrigitDoon
dave3009 wrote:How far across it's going I don't know but it's a fairly large scale project.

It's big. The spur road that runs along its length is sixteen kilometres long, or ten miles.

I've been up there twice and because the tracks aren't marked on the maps yet, I was worried about getting off the hill before dark.

Re: whitelee wind farm

PostPosted: Sat May 23, 2009 11:14 am
by Dave
If you get the opportunity you could take a tour along the old Eaglesham Moor road inatween Eaglesham and the old M77. I have to say it's fairly impressive and I think they've a long way to go. They are doing something similar at the Glennifer Braes but I don't think they'll have the space for such a grand project as alot of the land is farmed and therefore nae use for the big turbines just yet.

Re: whitelee wind farm

PostPosted: Sat May 23, 2009 11:39 am
by onyirtodd
BrigitDoon wrote:
dave3009 wrote:How far across it's going I don't know but it's a fairly large scale project.

It's big. The spur road that runs along its length is sixteen kilometres long, or ten miles.

I've been up there twice and because the tracks aren't marked on the maps yet, I was worried about getting off the hill before dark.


Is there vehicle access to the site or did you sneak in on foot?

Re: whitelee wind farm

PostPosted: Sat May 23, 2009 11:53 am
by Dave
As far as I know it is considered a building site so there is security. There is no boundary fence so you could park up and walk into the area. I doubt you'll be stopped unless you are in an active construction area, H&S would prevail as would sensibility.

Re: whitelee wind farm

PostPosted: Sat May 23, 2009 12:06 pm
by onyirtodd
dave3009 wrote:As far as I know it is considered a building site so there is security. There is no boundary fence so you could park up and walk into the area. I doubt you'll be stopped unless you are in an active construction area, H&S would prevail as would sensibility.


I was thinking more of a noctural visit :wink:

Re: whitelee wind farm

PostPosted: Sat May 23, 2009 12:18 pm
by Dave
Plenty of parking spots with forestry access so you're definately onto a winner if you were planning a wee outing ;)

Re: whitelee wind farm

PostPosted: Sat May 23, 2009 12:23 pm
by BrigitDoon
onyirtodd wrote:
BrigitDoon wrote:
dave3009 wrote:How far across it's going I don't know but it's a fairly large scale project.

It's big. The spur road that runs along its length is sixteen kilometres long, or ten miles.

I've been up there twice and because the tracks aren't marked on the maps yet, I was worried about getting off the hill before dark.


Is there vehicle access to the site or did you sneak in on foot?

First time, I climbed over a fence near Auldhouse having crossed a some boggy terrain. The second time, I walked up from Eaglesham and followed the road up to the wind farm. There are a couple of private houses up there but it's not clear from the OS map where the path leads through the properties. On both occasions I walked off the moor without being challenged, first time at the Strathaven end of the spur road and on the second occasion through the main entrance.

I was accosted once, on a Sunday afternoon, by a security man in a 4x4 pick-up who'd wondered if I'd seen the quad-bikers who given him the slip. It seems that hill-walkers with cameras are tolerated, but noisy bikers aren't.

Re: whitelee wind farm

PostPosted: Sun May 24, 2009 12:50 pm
by BrigitDoon
Whitelee Wind Farm

12th October 2008

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Map below Myers hill with windmills marked. Don't trust the roads that are marked on it. They were different when I got up there.

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Windmill research station at the top of Myers Hill

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One of 140

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Heavy plant used during construction

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Windmill under construction

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Laid out ready for assembly

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Slideshow >>

'Scuse old bus timetables and maps to start with.

Remember: if you're going up there, it's ten miles by about six and it's not marked on the Ordnance Survey yet.

I find it difficult to assess the size of the windmills, yet they dominate the landscape and so determine one's perception of the size of the open space. They're a lot larger than they appear to be, but this only becomes apparent once you're among them. Suddenly you'll feel like an ant in an alien environment. Sixty square miles is not to be messed with. If you think you're out for a stroll, forget it. You need good hiking boots and stamina. If you're good for a twenty mile hike in day, you'll be alright, but if your usual stroll is a five minute walk to the pub, forget it.

Also, don't forget the reason why those windmills are there in the first place. Wind, and plenty of it.

Pack some sandwiches and enough water to see you through an afternoon. Make sure your mobile is charged and all the rest of the usual precautions when dealing with wide-open wild spaces.

Re: whitelee wind farm

PostPosted: Mon May 25, 2009 6:57 am
by Alycidon
Once the construction work has been completed, the plan is to have a network of pathways and cycleways around the wind farm, the visitor centre has been built, it can be seen nestling in the side of Queenseat Hill if you drive the moor road from the Fenwick direction. It looks as though the access road will be just after you breast the hill from Fenwick in the dip before you climb back over the shoulder of Ballageich hill, Grid Reference NS 530 493.

Re: whitelee wind farm

PostPosted: Tue May 26, 2009 12:22 pm
by Kennedy Heroin
I managed to find a pdf version of Brigit's map photo above, on the East Ren Council wesbite via a MTB blog.

http://www.eastrenfrewshire.gov.uk/whit ... hi_res.pdf

Edited to add: If you can get hold of a copy of Saturday's Guardian, there's a nice picture on the centre pages which gives a good idea of the scale of these turbines. Bloody massive!