John Golbourne's spectacular construction - the Lang Dyke - can be seen in mid river. This huge structure was designed and built to turn the River Clyde from a shallow non-navigable river into a seaway capable of taking the largest ships of the 19th and early 20th centuries. The resultant seaway was known as the Clyde Navigation and it was presided over by the Trustees of the Clyde Navigation whose spectacular and opulent headquarters still occupies the corner of Robertson Street and Broomielaw in Glasgow - now owned by the private company Clydeport Ltd. The Lang Dyke prevented the large sandbanks off Langbank from filling in the dredged channel. In the distance is the remaining structure of the Dumbuck Lighthouse - the only lighthouse on the whole length of the dyke. The Lang Dyke has not been fully maintained for many years now and is gradually deteriorating. The lantern of Dumbuck Light collapsed into the structure a few years ago and has never been replaced.

Taken from opposite bank.