I think that we might have found Glasgow’s closest beach yesterday when we visited Boden Boo out in Erskine. It’s one we’d never been to before, and hadn’t even heard of before a friend mentioned it the other day.
Boden Boo is located right under the Erskine Bridge and is both a tidal beach and a river beach. When the tide is out that’s the Clyde you are splashing in, and when the tide is in its a mix of river and sea.
Safety note: As with any tidal beach/water source it’s really important to be careful around the water, especially with kids. Currents and tides are very strong so never leave kids unattended and be sure they don’t go out of their depth anywhere, but especially here!
The beach is quite small but the sand is nice & it’s not really stony except for a few rocks & boulders lying about.
It was pretty clean too. There was a bit of rubbish under the trees where I’m assuming the cool kids like to sit, but that really didn’t affect our day at all. It’s worth noting that Boden Boo is not a council run park, so anything you leave behind will lie there until it gets swept into the sea with some rain. As you would anywhere else, make sure you take any rubbish with you when you leave.
The kids had a fab time running around with their buckets & watering cans, paddling in the water and building sandcastles. It was a lovely afternoon out. Best of all we were home (to the south side) in 17 minutes. In 4.30pm traffic. This must be our closest beach, surely?
The Walks
There are roughly 2 miles of trails through the woods at Boden Boo, plus there are some little grassy bits perfect for a picnic or a play with the frisbee. Boden Boo is also on the Clyde Coastal. If you head east along the Clyde (in the direction back towards Glasgow) you’ll find a nice smooth path that runs right alongside the river, amongst the trees, all the way back to Milngavie. Head in the opposite direction and the path takes you right round the coast to Wemyss Bay. Lovely wee spot for a stroll and a scoot.
The Extra Info
- This is a big dog walking beach so if you aren’t a fan of the furry fam, take note! (During winter and bird nesting season dogs should be kept off the beach so they don’t disturb the wildlife.)
- The waters here are tidal, and it’s the River Clyde. The currents and tides can be very strong so please absolutely DO NOT SWIM in the water. We were just in the water to our ankles and that was plenty.
- During particularly wet weather the area can be prone to quicksand. So be extra careful on the beach when there have been heavy rains.
The Location
How to find Boden Boo: The postcode is PA8 6AX. Turn down towards the crisis counselling centre and keep going to the very end. The car park will be on your left. (The car park is small though. Just warning you.)
The Cost
Boden Boo is totally free.
The Verdict
Boden Boo is a nice spot for a picnic by the water. It was pretty clean when we were there, and we all had a great time splashing at the edge of the water and playing in the sand. We really enjoyed it. And it’s honestly so close to Glasgow. For a beach addict like myself this is a huge bonus!
Boden Boo is located at in Erskine. The postcode is PA8 6AX.
It’s a beautiful place but it’s actually a tidal beach so river clyde and sea together several times a day as tide ebbs and flows so everyone needs to be careful in the water. Also it isn’t a managed beach so you need to take your litter home or at least to the bin. Otherwise you spoil it for all the nature animals and people who enjoy it every day
Hi Ann. I meant to reply to your comment ages ago – thanks so much for writing. I would never recommend swimming in there to anyone – just a wee dip of the toes! I did update the post a while ago with some info re safety.
Is there any toilet facilities nearby?