Part of the magic of the site lies in the sense it is a forgotten corner of the city, a wild wood hiding in plain sight
Beneath them an exotic mixture of native wildflowers, garden plants and invasive aliens grew, the most notable (and notorious) being giant hogweed (Heracleum mantegazzianum). This native of the Caucasus is a monster, growing up to five metres high, with coarse leaves and branched hollow stems topped with parsley-like white flowers. Introduced as an ornamental plant in the 19th century, it was soon discarded into the wild once its unpleasant habits were discovered; it can cause phytophotodermatitis to such an extent that the resulting blisters scar for life, and contact with the eyes can cause blindness. An old Google Earth view of the site, shows Cuningar Loop as a white thumb jutting into the Clyde – the colour coming from the thousands of hogweed plants that had colonised the peninsula like malevolent triffids. The presence of such a noxious weed, along with the occasional sudden subsidence from the long-lost shallow mine shafts, added to the sense that Cuningar Loop was a place to keep out of.
The comparative lack of human intervention did, however, create a haven for wildlife, with numerous species of nesting birds, mammals and insects finding the ideal home in the middle of the city. Bullfinch, orange tip butterfly, goldeneye duck, otters, woodcock and roe deer are some of the highlights in this most incongruous of nature reserves.
The presence of an established woodland structure, abundant wildlife and, on the other hand, deeply undesirable toxic weeds has led to some interesting challenges for the team working on the project. An ecological clerk of works has been appointed to ensure wildlife is protected throughout the development phase. The plans include the creation of two looping tracks for mountain biking, BMX cycling and dirt jump bikes. There will also be an outdoor bouldering park for freestyle rock climbing, the first of its type in Scotland. Many of the stunted self-sown trees on the site are ideal for climbing too, and this will be encouraged.
To date about 15,000 trees, 30,000 shrubs and 40,000 bulbs have been planted. In addition, meadow grass has been sown along the new path network, and natural play facilities, picnic areas and an amphitheatre for outdoor learning have been created. The machines will fall silent for the duration of the games, but will start up again once the Paralympic athletes have gone, with the aim of reopening the woodland by spring next year.
It is hard not to compare the development of Cuningar Loop to the high-profile landscaped parkland created at the London Olympic 2012 site. Both were made on land deeply scarred by industry, and for long periods left to rot. Cuningar Loop may be on a more modest scale than the 2012 park – recently reopened as one of the largest post-Victorian parks in the UK – but its position in the city, and its goal to reconnect the east end of Glasgow’s inhabitants to a wilder place, are equally important. Part of the magic of the site lies in the sense that it is a forgotten corner of the city, a wild wood hiding in plain sight. If the development team can pull off the trick of maintaining that magic, it really will be a great legacy for Glasgow.
Matthew Wilson is managing director of Clifton Nurseries in London
Slideshow photographs: Gillespies; Pattyn Wouter/Alamy; Torbjörn Arvidson/Alamy; John Drysdale/Getty; Graham Bell/Getty