That is unless you’re one of the many who enjoy a run or a cycle, safe from the dangers of traffic.

Even then, though, you’re not going too fast, or hopefully not pushing too hard.

There’s no chance the same will be able to be said come Saturday in Maryhill in Glasgow. That’s the same Maryhill where Taggart would declare: “There’s been a murdurrr!”

And the entrants in the second Red Bull Neptune Steps event will doubtless feel half dead by the end.

It’s the toughest open-water swimming race in the UK, with 200 hardy souls – they came from as far afield as Sweden and France last year – tackling a challenge only for the hardiest.

It involves a swim through 420 metres of cold water while climbing 18 metres over eight canal lock gates.

There was a time, not that long ago, when diving into the waters really would have been taking your life in your hands. Stagnant, algae-ridden and weed-covered, with broken-down banks and battered bridges, the canal network was a sorry sight.

But just a few miles away, within sight of the M8 right in Glasgow’s city centre, you can get another look at how things have changed.

A walk along the banks at Speirs Wharf, with the old warehouses now smart flats, is a breath of fresh air. The signs also point to it being the starting point for the 54-mile Glasgow to Edinburgh Canoe Trail.

And a derelict basin area at neighbouring Pinkston has been turned into Scotland’s only artificial whitewater course, where you can kayak, canoe, open-water swim and more.

It’s one more example of how hundreds of years of history have been brought spectacularly back to life.

And the tap on the multi-million-pound flood of investment isn’t being turned off. The last time I was at the Falkirk Wheel, just in the past year, it seemed smart and modern, with the boat trip packed with visitors from across the world.

But it’s 13 years since the Wheel became a must-see – a record 600,000 people visited the only rotating boat life in 2015 – and it’s now getting a mini-revamp.

By the end of summer the facilities at the Wheel, which links the Forth & Clyde Canal to the Union Canal 115 feet above, will have had a £1million makeover.

And the investment goes right across the country.

In the lovely village of Laggan, Scottish Canals recently opened two bothies and a grab-and-go café as part of a scenic routes initiative. There are beautiful views of Loch Lochy.

Towpath work in general has made cycling much more of a pleasure with smooth surfaces replacing rutted, muddy stretches.

Take a stroll along any canal these days and you’ll get used to the tinkling of bells and stepping aside for hardened cyclists and fun-seeking families alike.

The former are especially likely to tackle one of the most challenging routes, the Great Glen Way.

It covers 79 miles from Fort William to Inverness, along some of our most scenic shores, forest tracks and pretty canal-side villages, including Fort Augustus and Banavie

That’s the home of one of the most spectacular sights in the country, Neptune’s Staircase. The eight locks, built on the Caledonian Canal by William Telfer at the start of the 19th Century, is the longest staircase lock in Britain.

Just as they have for hundreds of years, spectators still gather to watch boats’ stately passage.

Those looking to push themselves can complete the cycle in a day, but two or three is more like it for most.

And, really, canals are mostly about dialling down the pace of modern life with a great chance to catch wildlife from otters to swans.

But there’s always loads to do with the Neptune Steps day just one of the #CanalMagic events going on this year.

The Edinburgh Canal Festival on June 18 is another of them, with raft racing, canoe polo, taster sessions and free boat trips.

And Inverness will see another festival staged on September 17.

More info on all that’s going on at www.scottishcanals.co.uk

10 cracking canals

The Avon Ring

It’s a circuit of 109 miles and 131 locks. Highlights include a mile-long tunnel on the Stratford upon Avon canal.

Monmouthshire & Brecon canal

Isolated Welsh beauty gives plenty of opportunity to admire the Brecon Beacons.

South Pennine Ring

Follows two of the trans-Pennine canals and the 71 miles contain 197 locks. The Huddersfield Narrow is Britain’s highest canal.

The Lancaster canal

There’s 42 miles of lock-free cruising. The Lake District Fells act as a backdrop and you hug the coast around Morecambe Bay.

Oxford canal

Deservedly one of the UK’s most popular waterways. Get a sense of history at Tooley’s Boatyard, the oldest of its kind.

Grand Union Canal

The 137-mile main section, linking London and Birmingham, threads its way through the Chiltern Hills right into England’s second city.

Leeds and Liverpool canal

England’s longest and most varied canal. One of the best stretches is through the stunning Yorkshire Dales National Park.

Llangollen Canal

Telford’s aqueduct Pontcysyllte is known as the stream in the sky. It’s a steel trough a bracing 126 feet above the River Dee.

Four Counties Ring

A cruise here takes you through the heritage of the Potteries as well the marvel that is the 3000-foot Harecastle Tunnel.

London Ring

The secret back door into the capital includes a ride along the Thames before you join the Grand Union at Brentford.

Plan a holiday at one of our 10 favourite canals