Residents of Dumbarton and the Vale are being offered the chance to see behind the scenes at the local fire station as part of Scotland's largest free festival.

The Scottish Fire and Rescue Service will invite the public to have a look around the Castlegreen Street facility as part of this year's Doors Open Days festival in West Dunbartonshire, taking place on Saturday, September 10.

The fire station open day will include a demonstration of the dangers of using oil to put out a chip pan fire, as well as the right way to administer CPR and throw line techniques.

This year's Doors Open Days festival in West Dunbartonshire will also include a demonstration of water safety and rescue techniques on the River Leven, in a direct response to the number of drownings on the river and in Loch Lomond and also to the theft of lifesaving equipment along the Leven over the past year.

Those events are just a few of the highlights of the festival, which will see venues across West Dunbartonshire open their doors to allow people to get a look behind the scenes.

The event is a celebration of the places, history and culture of attractions right on residents' doorsteps and a chance to see some great buildings as well as learn through the open access, tours, walks, demonstrations and exhibitions.

A series of guided walks is also taking place in the week leading up to September 10.

What's on, when and where?

VENUES: Open on Saturday, September 10 from 10am until 4pm. All will be free to enter:

  • Maid of the Loch - the paddle steamer. Pier Road,
  • Drumkinnon Bay, Loch Lomond, near Balloch. On the slipway.
  • Winch house, engine house and Balloch Pier slipway - next to the Maid of the Loch.
  • Masonic Lodge, Gilmour Street, Alexandria.
  • Knowetop Community Garden, Castlehill Road (the very very end), Castle Hill, Dumbarton.
  • Armed Forces Veterans Association at Dumbarton Central railway station.
  • St Augustine's Church, High Street, Dumbarton.
  • Riverside Parish Church, Church Street/High Street, Dumbarton.
  • St Patrick's Church, Strathleven Place, Dumbarton. 
  • West Kirk, West Bridgend Road, Dumbarton.
  • Denny Tank (Scottish Maritime Museum), Castle Terrace, Dumbarton.
  • Dumbarton community fire station, Castlegreen Street, Dumbarton.
  • Clydebank community fire station, Kilbowie Road, Hardgate, Clydebank.

The fire stations will each hold a chip pan fire demonstration unit at 12 pm in Dumbarton and at 2pm at Clydebank. This illustrates the dangers of cooking with too much oil, what happens when the oil gets too hot and what happens if water was to be applied to the pan when alight.

Demonstrations such as CPR and throw line demonstrations will also be available and you can try your hand too.

Guided walks (all starting at 2pm)

  • Tuesday, August 6: Faifley Roman Fort and beyond, with Sam Gibson. Meet at the east gate at parking off Kilbowie Rd / Glasgow Road roundabout (G81 6AP)
  • Thursday 8th: Cochno History Walk, with Sam Gibson. Meet at Auchnacraig car park on Cochno Road (G81 5QR) next to entrance to Edinbarnet.
  • Friday 9th: Carman Hill Fort with archaeologist Fiona Baker. Above Cardross Road up from Renton. Meet at the gate o nto dust road. (There is no parking at this point, but parking is available at laybys.)
  • Saturday 10th: Vanished Railways of West Dunbartonshire in Bowling/Old Kilpatrick. A guided walk with author Stewart Noble. Meet at Bowling Basin canal bascule bridge (G60 5AF).

Demonstrations

  • Wednesday, September 7: Water safety and rescue demonstration on the River Leven. View from the paths on each side of the footbridge at Renton at 2pm. This has been arranged in response to the large number of drownings in Loch Lomond and the Leven over the past years.
  • Also see the fire safety demonstrations at the fire stations above.

Exhibitions

  • Dumbarton Library, Strathleven Place, Dumbarton. Celebration Days : The communities of Dumbarton and the Vale of Leven commemorate special days and dates. 9.30am-5pm weekdays; 9:30-1pm Saturday.
  • Back Door Gallery in the Dalmuir Library, Lennox Place, Dalmuir. The Antonine Wall : Beyond Boundaries. Our Roman heritage. 9.30-5pm weekdays; 9.30am-1pm Saturday.
  • Clydebank Town Hall Museum and Gallery, Dumbarton Road (but accessed from Hall Street), Clydebank. Art and history - 'more than sewing machines and shipping'. Mon-Fri.
  • Maid of the Loch: Chariots of Steam exhibition of Clyde-built ship models by Lachie Stewart.