Provincial Grand Lodge of Renfrewshire East
Provincial Grand Masters Cycle Across The Province
As the Zip Slide over the Clyde fund raising event on behalf of Prostate Scotland had been cancelled due to the passing of Her Majesty The Queen, the Provincial Grand Master decided to look for an alternative task to undertake in it’s place. Ideally, during the period of suspended Masonic activity.
A cycle across the Province could be arranged at fairly short notice, so the PGM agreed to undertake the challenge of cycling from East Kilbride in the East to Lochwinnoch in the West. This would be done on a conventional cycle, no batteries or electric motors involved, muscle power only.
On Tuesday 13th Sept I left my home in East Kilbride at 7.45am, first stop was the Douglas Hall, the meeting place of Lodge Douglas No 1557 and Lodge Kil Bryd No 1667, then to Kittoch Street, home of Lodge St Andrew No 524 and Lodge McLaren No 1688.
The third leg was to Hawthorn Road in Busby where Lodge St John Busby No 458, Lodge Albert Edward No 592, Lodge Sir George Cathcart No 617 and Lodge The Kings Park No 1386 meet. There was a 10 minute stop here as the hill up through Busby was quite a challenge.
Leaving Busby the route took me through Clarkston and Rouken Glen to the Thornliebank Hall where Lodge Thorntree No 512 meet and then on to the Pollokshaws Burgh Hall, home of The Pollokshaws Royal Arch Lodge No 153 and Lodge St Christopher No 1453.
Leaving Pollokshaws Burgh Hall I went through Pollok Country Park and Linthouse, emerging at Ross Hall Hospital on Crookston Road, along to Penilee and next stop was Lodge Georgetown No 1170. Proceeding along Paisley Road West, through the centre of Paisley I arrived at Maxwellton Road where Lodge Paisley St. Mirrins' No 129, Lodge Renfrew County Kilwinning No 370, Lodge Paisley St. James No 1116, Lodge Craigielea No 1218 and Lodge Gleniffer No 1219 all meet.
The final two legs were along national cycle route 75. Firstly stopping at Lodge Houstoun St Johnstone No 242 in Collier Street, Johnstone and finally, to Lodge Garthland St Winnoch No 205 in Lochwinnoch, a total distance of 50km.