BUCHANAN CASTLE SOUTH AVENUE BRIDGE and WOODEND LODGE
ACCESS : The house is private, but you can reach the bridge over the Endrick River by wandering down the small tarred road from the clubhouse. Access across the bridge is resticted.
Listed B & C respectively.
Bridge : https://w3w.co/sundial.schooling.trails
Woodend Lodge : https://w3w.co/rats.receive.catapult
Also see BUCHANAN CASTLE : index.asp?pageid=736941
As you will note elsewhere, the estate of Buchanan Castle had been developed over time to include various buildings and features. The policies of Buchanan Castle are included in the Inventory of Gardens and Designed Landscapes in Scotland. [Listing]. Today the main feature is the golf couse with its club house, but it is also pleasant to explore some the old roads set out in the heyday of its exisitence. One of these strolls may be down to the Endrick Water. When you arrive you will encounter this bridge, also known by the name South Avenue Bridge to differentiate it from some of the smaller bridges over water courses. South Avenue suggests that this road was intended to be something grander; an impressive approach road to the heart of the estate. It begins on the Old Millatary Road (A811) where there is a grand gate and a lodge house called Gargowan Lodge, but changes of ownership and perceptions of privacy have meant that you cannot proceed further down here as the bridge has been gated on the other side. Accross the bridge is Woodend House.
This bridge was built in the mid-19th century. Bridge carrying S avenue over Endrick Water. it is marked "suspension bridge" on maps of the period. More accurately it is a cast-iron girder bridge with ashlar terminal piers, pyramidal caps; ashlar boundary walls with saddleback coping. Bowed Double Warren truss; semicircular arch. [Listing].
Woodend Lodge was also built in the 19th century, but has been much modified.
A sign warning of safety concerns on the bridge.
The bridge builders plaque : ALEXr FINDLAY & Co. BRIDGE BUILDERS MOTHERWELL
The gate, another warning sign and Woodend Lodge.
A late afternoon view down the river.
HISTORIC ENVIRONMENT SCOTLAND : https://portal.historicenvironment.scot/designation/LB43912
