5 . LANDSCAPE CHARACTER TYPE S

INTRODUCTIO N

5.0.1 In this section of the report the landscape character of Glasgow and the Clyde Valley isexamined. In examining the principal influences on landscape character, and identifyin gthe combinations of features or qualities which are critical in defining that character, abasis for future landscape planning and management is established .

SUMMARY METHODOLOGY

5 .0 .2 In analysing and describing the landscape of Glasgow and the Clyde Valley, th eapproach has been followed which is recommended in the document Landscap eassessment: principles and practice published by the Countryside Commission forScotland (Land Use Consultants, 1991) . The guidance issued by the CountrysideCommission in their document Landscape assessment guidance CCP 423 (Cobha mResource Consultants, 1993) was also considered . The method comprised threeprincipal stages .

i . Desk Study wherein a range of information on geology, landform, land use, lan dcover and settlement are mapped and analysed to identify draft landscape characte rtypes and draft landscape character units which group together areas with simila rattributes . The desk study stage of the assessment also included a review of othe rdescriptions of the landscape and consultation with relevant parties . Given the larg eamount of previous survey work within and surrounding the study area, part of th eexercise comprised the review and rationalisation of previous assessments to provid ea comprehensive overview of the entire study area . Key documents reviewedincluded the following reports .

• Borders landscape assessment (ASH, 1998)

• Clyde Muirshiel Regional Park landscape assessment (Cobham Resourc eConsultants, 1994)

• Central Region landscape assessment (ASH, in press )

• Central Southern Uplands ESA baseline landscape assessment (Richards ,unpublished)

• Landscape assessment of Argyll and the Firth of Clyde (Environmenta lResources Management, 1996 )

• Clyde Valley AGLV landscape assessment (Atkins, unpublished )

• Ayrshire landscape assessment (Land Use Consultants, 1998b )

• Loch Lomond and the Trossachs landscape assessment (Turnbull JeffreyPartnership, in press )

• Landscape action in the Greenbelt (Strathclyde Regional Council, 1996)

5: Landscape Character Types

59

ii. Field Survey when the draft landscape types and units are tested on the ground an dthe character of the landscape recorded, using both written description andphotographs .

iii.Analysis and reporting when the desk and survey information are brought togethe rto produce definitive descriptions of each landscape character type .

ASSESSMENT HIERARCHY

5.0.3 This approach enabled the landscape to be described in a hierarchical framework whic hestablished the pattern of variation in the landscape. Landscape assessment can takeplace at many different scales, and it is important that the results of these studies areapplied at the correct scale . This framework is based upon the identification an ddescription of Regional Character Areas . Landscape Types and Landscape Units (o rLocal Landscape Areas) defined as follows .

i. Regional character areas are recognisable as distinct landscape regions at a broadscale, based upon general characteristics such as landform, geology, soils, land use ,ecological associations, historical associations and urban and industrial activity . Theprincipal regional character areas are described later in this section .

ii. Landscape types are tracts of countryside which have a unity of character due toparticular combinations of landform, landcover and a consistent and distinct pattern o fconstituent elements .

Differences in landscape character reflect both physical and historical or cultura linfluences including geology, drainage, landform, landcover and land use . Each ofthese landscape types has a distinct and relatively homogeneous character . Thereare, of course, subtle differences within each of the landscape types, some of whichare referred to in the descriptions . It should be noted that the descriptions oflandscape types are generalised and that the boundaries between types, illustrated i nFigures 5.1 and 5.2, often indicate transitions rather than marked changes on th eground . This is particularly the case in lowland areas where changes in relief (often amajor direct or indirect influence on landscape character) tend to be more subtle . Thebulk of the analysis and description for this study related to landscape types .However, there is also reference, where appropriate, to landscape units (described i npoint (ii) below). Landscape types are usually given generic names reflecting thei rkey characteristics (e .g. Plateau Moorland) . A total of 21 landscape types wa sidentified .

iii.Landscape units are discrete geographic areas of relatively uniform character whic hfall within particular landscape types .

The diagram on the following page illustrates some of the different scales and purpose sof landscape assessment .

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Example assessment

Character areas/zones

Purpose of assessment

Natural Heritage Zones

• Highland• Coastal• Lowland et c

Glasgow and the Clyde

21 landscape character types :

To inform the development o f

Valley Structure Plan Area

• Plateau Moorland

strategic planning and• Southern Uplands management policies includin g

• Rugged Moorland Hills the Glasgow and the Clyde Valley

• Rolling Farmland Structure Pla n

• Incised River Valley etc

AClyde Valley AGLV

9 landscape character types :

To inform local planning and• Valley floor management within the• Valley side designated area and to review it s

• Valley shoulder boundaries

• Narrow incised rivers etc .

Falls of Clyde

7 landscape character types

To inform reserve managemen tand to provide site specifi cinformation and advic e

Scale

NATIONAL To provide a national landscap eFramework

REGIONAL

1 :25,000

1I :I0,000

5 : Landscape Character Types

61

Regional Character Areas

5.0.4 This section of the report describes the Regional Character Areas (RCAs) that may b eidentified in Glasgow and the Clyde Valley . Ten RCAs have been identified . It will beappreciated that several of these areas extend well beyond the boundaries of the stud yarea. The RCAs, which are shown in Figure 5.1, are as follows :

i .

Inner Firth of Clyde . Although comprising only a small part of the study area, th eInner Firth of Clyde comprises a distinctive regional character area, characterise dby medium distance views across semi-sheltered water to steeply rising shorelines ,often backed by wooded slopes . Many of the coastal fringes are settled . It is aconstantly changing landscape reflecting changing light and weather. Thecombination of settled and unsettled coastlines, open water, pleasure craft an dcommercial shipping gives this area a distinctive character .

Key features include :

• narrow raised beaches and steep relict clifflines ;

• tidal river and mudflats ;

• policy landscapes ;

• rich `hanging' woodlands ;

• castles and other defensive features ;

• industrial features based on ship building ;

• extensive views .

II . Renfrewshire Heights . In the north western part of Glasgow and the Clyde Valle ylies a distinctive range of moorland hills, forming a broad triangle with its apex i nAyrshire to the south . Largely unsettled, but with a rich legacy of historic sites, andof importance for informal recreation these hills comprise the Renfrewshire Heights .

Key features include :

• terraced hill slopes ;

• moorland vegetation ;

• extensive natural and manmade waterbodies ;

• some areas of forestry ;

• Neolithic and Bronze Age remains .

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Glasgow and the Clyde ValleyLandscape Character Assessmen t

Figure 5 .1 Regional Character Areas

(I)

Inner Firth of Clyd e

(ii) Renfrewshire Heights

(iii) Clyde and Ayrshire BasinsMoorland s

(iv) Central Plateau Moorland s

(v) Kilpatrick and Campsie Fell s

(vi) Southern Uplands :

(vii) Clyde Basin Farmlands :

(viii) Inner Clyde Valle y

(ix) Loch Lomond .

(x) Southern Upland Foothill s

(xi) Pentland Hill s

not to scale

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iii . Clyde and Ayrshire Basins Moorlands . Separating the Clyde Basin to the eastand the Ayrshire Basin to the west, lies an extensive area of plateau moorland . Thehills are broad and often shallow sloped, comprising areas of moss and blanke tbog . Large areas are afforested with coniferous plantations . Settlement is focuse din the series of upland river valleys which cut through the hills, often providing acorridor for communication .

Key features include :

• plateau landscape of moorland and grassland ;

• faultline river valleys ;

• coniferous plantations ;

• settlement and communications concentrated in valleys ;

• shelterbelts woodlands, field boundary trees and designed landscapes in lowervalleys .

iv . Central Plateau Moorlands . Separating the Clyde Basin to the south and west an dthe Forth basin to the north and east, lies a further area of plateau moorland .Slightly lower than the Clyde and Ayrshire Basins Moorlands, this area has agreater proportion of farmland though moorland and commercial forestr ypredominate . The moors are also more settled, and have been subject to minera lworking, particularly open-cast coal extraction .

Key features include :

• mixture of farmland, moorland and forestry ;

• mineral working ;

• peatland and moss areas ;

• scatter of agricultural and semi-industrial settlement.

v. Kilpatrick and Campsie Fells . These Fells comprise a broken line of ruggedupland which encloses Glasgow and the Clyde Valley to the north . The hills aremarked by steep south facing slopes which are visible from much of th econurbation . Although dominated by rough, often craggy moorland, these hill sinclude areas of commercial forestry and a number of lochans and small reservoirs .Settlement and farmland are confined to the lower slopes of these hills .

Key features include :

• steep scarp slopes and terraced landform ;

• small lochans and reservoirs ;

• heath moorland and acid grassland ;

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• conifer plantations but little other tree cover ;

• Neolithic and Bronze Age remains ;

• sparsely settled .

vi. Southern Uplands . Lying to the south of the Southern Upland Boundary Fault, thi sRCA covers a large part of Dumfries and Galloway, but a relatively limited area ofGlasgow and the Clyde Valley, forming the upper catchment of the River Clyde .The underlying geology is predominantly Ordovician and Silurian greywackes an dshales. The area is characterised by smooth conical peaks with extensive foothill sand plateaux, and deep, glacial valleys . Forestry and upland sheep farm are theprincipal land uses .

Key features include :

• high, smooth, domed hills with steep, glacially eroded slopes ;

• deep glacial valleys ;

• unimproved grassland with some commercial forestry ;

• sparse settlement ;

• archaeological sites including Roman roads and forts and castles along maincommunication routes ;

• industrial heritage based on lead mining .

vii . Clyde Basin Farmlands . This RCA comprises much of the lowland area of theClyde Basin surrounding the Glasgow conurbation . It includes the platea ufarmlands that form the transition from the enclosing moorlands ; the rollingfarmlands lying over glacial and fluvio-glacial deposits and the remaining floodplai nfarmlands on fluvial deposits . This is the most settled area within the study are aand has the greatest density of designed landscapes . Urban areas, focused on theGlasgow conurbation, occupy the central part of the zone . Green corridors an durban greenspace are found within the urban area . Areas within this RCA hav ebeen subject to mineral working and industrial development, resulting in areas o fderelict or damaged land .

Key features include :

• drumlins and other glacial or fluvial glacial landforms ;

• river landscapes ;

• deciduous woodland in the form of farm woodlands and field boundary trees ;

• pastoral and some arable farming ;

• historic settlements and archaeological sites ;

5: Landscape Character Types

65

• castles and historic houses with associates estates ;

• numerous features relating to the area's industrial heritage ;

• current mineral working .

viii . Inner Clyde Valley . This area lies within the Clyde Basin Farmlands RCA ,comprising the incised valley of the River Clyde to the south east of Glasgow . Itoccurs where the Clyde has downcut into the surrounding plateau areas . The areahas a fertile valley floor with a history of productive agriculture, horticulture and fruitgrowing . The valley sides are often steep with broadleaf woodland, much of i tancient or semi-natural in origin . Policy landscapes are an important component o fthis landscape type . Although well settled, villages tend to be small, with large rsettlements on the plateau farmland areas above .

Key features include :

• the River Clyde and its tributaries ;

• distinctive valley landform with steep sides, sections of gorge, rapids an dwaterfalls ;

• broadleaf woodland ;

• policy woodlands and hedgerows ;

• orchards, active and derelict;

• horticulture including glasshouses ;

• vernacular settlements .

ix. Loch Lomond . Within Glasgow and the Clyde Valley the Loch Lomond RCAincludes the southern part of the loch itself, the Leven valley, the ridge of hills to th ewest and rolling farmlands to the east, extending up to the northern edge of theKilpatrick Hills . The Leven Valley provides a lowland link between the Firth of Clyd eand Loch Lomond and the Highlands . Settlement has been concentrated within th eLeven Valley which forms an almost continuously developed corridor south fro mBalloch to Dumbarton .

Key features include:

• Loch Lomon d

• River Leve n

• policy landscape ;

• recreation landscape ;

• moorland habitats on higher ground ;

66

• archaeological features on higher ground ;

• industrial heritage .

x. Southern Upland Foothills . These foothills form a transition zone between th eextensive mass of the Southern Uplands to the south and the lowland and platea umoorland landscapes of the Clyde Basin . The landform is generally smooth an drounded with a number of distinctive conical hills, most notably Tinto Hill whic hdominates views in the surrounding area . The hills are cut by the valley of theupper River Clyde which forms an open corridor of farmland through the uplands .

Key features include :

• smooth conical landform ;

• steep slopes ;

• heather moorland ;

• archaeological sites including hill forts, cairns, hut circles and field systems ;

• pattern of shelterbelts on lower slopes ;

• dispersed pattern of settlement on lower ground .

xi. Pentland Hills . Extending into the eastern part of Glasgow and the Clyde Valley i sa section of the Pentland Hills, old red sandstone hills which grow in stature to th enorth east. Within the study area, the hills comprise open moorland with littlesettlement or tree cover . The hills are fringed by farmland .

Key features include :

• landform rising to the north east ;

• moorland and acid grassland ;

• little or no tree cover;

• farmland fringe ;

• unsettled .

5 : Landscape Character Types

67

LANDSCAPE CLASSIFICATION

5.0.5 The following sections describe landscape character areas and individual landscap eunits

1 Raised Beach 9 Green Corridorsla Inverkip 9a River Clydelb Inner Firth 9b River Leven

9c Duntocher Burn2 Alluvial Plain 9d Forth and Clyde Cana l

Houston 9e River Kelvi n9f Brock Burn

3 Urban Greenspace 9g White Cart Wate r3a Pollok 9h Black Cart Water3b Hurlet 9€ Levern Wate r

4 Rolling Farmlands 10 Broad Valley Lowlan d4a Gartocharn 10a Lochwinnoch4b Kirkintilloch 10b Kelvin Valley4c Blantyre4d Lanark 11 Broad Urban Valley

11 a Carmyle - Newton5 Plateau Farmlands 11 b Bothwell - Motherwel l5a Barrhead5b Western Plateau 12 Upland River Valley5c Central Plateau 12a Neilston

12b Avon Wate r6 Rugged Upland Farmland 12c Douglas Wate r6a Kilmacolm 12d Duneaton Wate r6b Johnstone 12e Inverkip6c Neilston

13 Broad Valley Uplan d7 Fragmented Farmlands Clyde Valley : Douglas-Biggar-7a M73/Drumpelier Abington7b North Calder7b South Calder 14 Upland Gle n

14a Culter Wate r8 Incised River valley 14b Upper Clyde and Tributaries8a Uddingston Clyde8b North Calder Water 15 Foothill s8c South Calder Water 15a Tinto Hills8d Rotten Calder Water 15b Biggar Hill s8e Mid-Clyde Valley8f Avon Water 16 Drumlin Foothills8g River Nethan Milngavie - Torranc e8h Mouse Water

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17 Old Red Sandstone Hills 20 Rugged Moorland Hill sWestern Pentland Hills 20a Renfrewshire Heights

20b Kilpatrick Hill s18 Plateau Moorland 20c Campsie Fells18a Central Platea u18b Western (Ayrshire) Plateau 21 Southern Upland s

Lowther Hills and Southern Uplands19 Moorland Hills and Ridges

Bromley Muir - Carman Muir

The landscape types and units are shown on Figure 5.2 and 5 .3

Colour photographs on pages 75, 117, 161 and 196 show examples of the landscape types .

5 : Landscape Character Types

69

GLASGOW AND THE CLYD EVALLEY LANDSCAPE ASSESSMEN T

LANDSCAPE CHARACTER AREAS

Figure 5 . 2

1

RAISED BEACH

2

FLOOD PLAI N

3

URBAN GREENSPAC E

4

ROLLING FARMLAN D

5

PLATEAU FARMLAN D

RUGGED UPLAND FARMLAND

7

FRAGMENTED FARMLAN D

rB I INCISED RIVER VALLE Y

9

GREEN CORRIDOR S

10

BROAD VALLEY LOWLAND

11

BROAD URBAN VALLEY

12

UPLAND RIVER VALLEY

13

BROAD VALLEY UPLAND

14

UPLAND GLE N

15

FOOTHILL S

16

DRUMLIN FOOTHILLS

17

OLD RED SANDSTONE HILLS

18

PLATEAU MOORLAN D

19

MOORLAND HILLS AND RIDGE S

20

RUGGED MOORLAND HILL S

21

SOUTHERN UPLAND S

URBAN

A0

2.5

5

10

15

20

KILOMETRES

Reproduced from the Ordnance Survey mapping with the permission o fthe Controller of Her Majesty's Stationery Office © Crown Copyright .SNH Licence number GD03006GI199 9

6

INVERCLYDE

-,et '0

NORTH LANARKSHI R

'rtli k̀

. .

SOUTH LANI KSHIRE

GLASGOW AND THE CLYD EVALLEY LANDSCAPE ASSESSMEN T

LANDSCAPE CHARACTER AREAS

Figure 5 .3

RAISED BEAC H

FLOOD PLAI N

URBAN GREENSPAC E

ROLLING FARMLAN D

PLATEAU FARMLAN D

RUGGED UPLAND FARMLAN D

FRAGMENTED FARMLAN D

INCISED RIVER VALLEY

GREEN CORRIDORS

BROAD VALLEY LOWLAND

BROAD URBAN VALLEY

UPLAND RIVER VALLEY

BROAD VALLEY UPLAN D

UPLAND GLEN

FOOTHILLS

DRUMLIN FOOTHILLS

OLD RED SANDSTONE HILLS

PLATEAU MOORLAN D

MOORLAND HILLS AND RIDGES

RUGGED MOORLAND HILL S

SOUTHERN UPLANDS

URBAN

A0

2 .5

5

10

15

20

KILOMETRES

Reproduced from the Ordnance Survey mapping with the permission o fthe Controller of Her Majesty's Stationery Office © Crown Copyright ..SNH Licence number GD03006GI1999

1

2

3

4

6

7

8

1 5

1 6

2 1

WI

4

LANDSCAPE 1 . Raised Beach - Former beach and relict cliff line at Por t

CHARACTER2 .

Glasgow .

Alluvial Plain - View across Black Cart Water floodplai nTYPES from Gleniffer Braes .5

3 . Urban Greenspace - Pollock Country Park .Figure 5.4 4 . Rolling Farmland - South of Loch Lomond .

5 . Plateau Farmland - Looking east towards East Kilbride .

6 . Rugged Upland Farmland - Farmland near Calderbank .6

2