Trying to figure out where to walk from to get there

Brilliant

I grew up in a street a stone throw away from here. At 4:18 James Young. Known as James ‘Paraffin’ Young was a young chemist from Glasgow and died in Wemyss Bay in Kelly House. Obviously by his middle name you can tell what he was famous for, creating paraffin from coal. His wife, Mary Young was from Paisley who he married in August 1838. A year later they moved to England (Lancashire). 44 years later he died. I used to explore this graveyard at length for hours and hours with my best pal at the time. There is so much history in this graveyard. There is a headteacher buried at the bottom corner, far corner on the left as you walk in the gates. Also, on the right hand side far corner there is a stone with a skull and cross bone. The myth is it belongs to a pirate. It used to be at the top right hand corner but after the place got cleaned up it was discovered it had been moved. It has since been placed back to its original owner. Lots of history in here. PS; just outside the graveyard are the ‘Devils Fingerprints’. Yes, you read that correctly. On the wall going up the graveyard road there is a hand print in the brick. Believe it or not, the story goes… The minister who was one night doing his own thing in the old manse which is now the house just at the start of the road you would take if you wanted to go into the graveyard(s). His attention was attracted to shouting and hysterical screaming. He ran out and saw what looked like a witch (Inverkip is extremely famous for witchcraft. There are lots of documentation and books on this). He pulled out his crucifix and held it up to the ‘witch’. Said ‘witch’ burst into shreaks of screams. Fell against the wall and burned. That’s the story behind the handprint.

And now? The building was purchased by a private developer and is being converted into a home. Awesome idea I think as the building itself is absolutely solid as you can imagine. History: This building was for training future HMS Dalriada sailors. HMS Dalriada was a ship, an aircraft carrier. This was built exactly like the inside of the ship and young Navy men/woman were taken and trained here before boarding the ship. After that the sailors would do a 2 on 2 off rotation. 2 months on the ship then 2 months in the building to help train the new guys. I remember seeing the army vehicles going up and down Langhouse Road when I was a kid (I must have been around 7/8 years old. Maybe younger). Then it was closed and sealed up. I’m not sure why. I don’t know if the ship itself was decommissioned or not. I’ll try do some research and perhaps make a video. A few years after the building was sealed up, it was set on fire. It was most certainly deliberate as there was evidence of the building being broken into. The back doors had been forced open and as far as I remember, for a couple of years before this, travellers used to come and park up all their caravans and vehicles etc for a few months at a time. One night my Dad and I were out walking and he pointed up towards that direction and said “Look, Son. The tinkers have a fire going” (yes, he called the travellers, “Tinkers”). I wondered what was so special about it as it was nothing new. They always had a fire going at night. So, I said this to my Dad. He replied with “Yes, but that smoke is not just wood, they are burning plastic or rubber”. He followed this with “They’re burning the coating on copper wire”. I remember looking and noticing the smoke was different from normal and even the smell. Suffice to say, they had robbed the place of the copper wiring. Was it them that set it on fire? Who knows. Anyway, I remember the night it went on fire very clearly. A never ending flow of fire engines coming and going. Took them all night to get the blaze under control. After that it was bricked up, rear doors and front. However, that still didn’t stop people from getting entry. I admit, I did go in myself a few times. Extremely dangerous obviously. A few of my pals and I took advantage of a hole that had been made in the rear door area, just enough to squeeze through. The smell of fire and dampness was so bad it took a while to get used too. Masked and armed with torches and climbing gear we made our way in. I remember it so clearly I could still, to this day draw a map of the place. You could walk right around the massive room in the middle which was, from what we could make out and from what we were told by a fiend who had been in before the fire, a map room. A massive map with colour coded pins which were strategically placed. In the middle there was a massive table with more burned maps, manuals, folders etc. So, this is a bit much for a KZbin comment lol. It brings me to the idea of making a video about my experience and history of the place. Watch this space.

HMS Dalriada.

i remember this,even the tunnel under the docks to the fishing spot,think its been flooded and sealed off.i grew up in the tribe in larkfield,think they call it the top end now,

Before the street light switch over to LED

I was born and grew up about 1/4 of a mile towards the Clyde of this on Ardmore road and never knew this existed

I prefer approaching from the east as well with elevation in harmony,😁😁😁 it makes for a better plate of mince and tatties at end of day.

Very sad to see these historic docks filled in

LOVLEY VIDEO AND VIDEO QUALITY

Many a bit for a joint lost in er 😆

Where exactly is it ? Any idea who owns this land?

Needs a voiceover to explain what you are showing.

Gourock...I remember thy well. As a young man I walked your streets, radiating out from the from the pier area; South, West, East ward (North would be a bit tricky with a big splash). First stop the Pilot Bar in what was a beautiful station. In the alternative, there was the Victoria Pub or the Kempoch. In the late night, I would return to Cardwell Bay pier and sleep in the shelter as I waited on a boat to return me to work. Yes, this place shall live in my memory until death do us part ( or dementia, which ever comes first!). Thank you for sharing.

Good to see the old hometown again..

👏👍

Inverkip?! I LIVE IN INVERKIP

Perfect for looking for btl dumps 👍 Would make a Stunning overhead view for video Of detectors on the ground 👌👍

this was great! Did you do anything in post to take out noise?

Gd Vid Buddy I'm Near To You 👍

Nice mate 👌

Greenock here. 👍

Nice work Jim!

2 way traffic and MV Juno...greatly missed!

A very pretty sunset ! And Gourock Town is a wonderful place by the sea, I'd love to visit some day from Canada ! ❣️

Great video of a sad and forgotten time. Thank you for all the information provided, i do hope someone or maybe the whole town can pitch in and save this historical set of buildings. 👍

Good video in ax 700.

Come from Dunoon but loved Gourock and people just pity inverclyde council don’t spend money in Gourock that it deserves

It's very well filmed and I love the music.

I CLIMED THAT HILL SO MANY TIMES IN THE 60S. LOVE.. LOVE

Broomberry dr. was my childhood home in the 60s . Next to the quarry. Holds the biggest part of my heart. Any one know Laureen Robinson or Ann Mckenon?

Gobblegook to me! I want to see a SOP for this camera. Hope you are enjoying life, take care. Flying on my part pretty much cancelled 2020, with the floods at the airfield Jan and Feb and then virus and all flying cancelled its a challenge to get back to normal, thinking of buying a really easy jigsaw puzzle which is sad.

Nice one Jim. Those cameras are brilliant. The zoom is very clear. Congrats on the new camcorder :-)

wow i can see am house.

Up the back fae me.

Outstanding Jim!

Puts the colosseum in Rome to shame that.

Thank it's in a sorry state now

Aye a wee bit breezy LOL

Brilliant, never knew you had a channel

Wonderful drone footage, beautiful weather, stirring Scots pipe music and informative video description. Prize winning work indeed. Thank you. I enjoyed this film very much.

@gourockguy That footage is stunning and superbly filmed. You have a wonderful gift. The music you chose to frame your work is perfect.

by far the most Beautiful station anywher

has the bay hotel and post office gone

Sad sign of times, what with HP Erskine no longer manufacturing as well..

Nae wonder they never took that land if they built a fort there.

Can anyone point me in the right direction as to what happened to the old ship that sat here in the 90's please?

I am absolutely obsessed with history and the romans, and I had no idea about this. so so impressive

Wow nice one, your braver than me Jim