All posts by Glenda A. White
Look to the day
The Lord is my shepherd
I believe in Springtime
Saturday, 13 July 2024: The Pipe Track
This month we plan for a circular walk from Blanefield, passing beneath Dumgoyne before following a field path into Killearn. From there the route follows the West Highland Way back towards Blanefield.
This walk is popularly known as the ‘Pipe Track’ as it follows the route of the pipe bringing clean water from Loch Katrine to Glasgow. It was built following a cholera outbreak in 1848 in Glasgow. Water is piped from Loch Katrine to Milngavie. At over 40km long, about half of it was tunnelled by hand through rock.
Saturday, 8 June 2024: Falls of Clyde
With a distance of about 8 miles this walk will be familiar to many. It is hoped, however, to introduce a few variants to the walk. This should make it more interesting for those who are accustomed to doing the usual loop up to Bonnington Linn and then back along the path on the north side of the River Clyde. The Bonnington Hydro scheme was built in the 1920s and opened in December 1927. It was the first major hydroelectric project for the public supply of electricity in Scotland.
If all goes to plan, the route will include the Mouse Water, a tributary of the River Clyde, before descending down through Lanark and back to the starting point.
Saturday, 11 May 2024: River Ayr walk
This is a gentle walk of approximately 8.5 miles along the banks of the River Ayr. The walk is mostly flat and includes some country roads near Auchincruive.
The walk commences from the car park on the north side of Ayr Academy in Beech Grove. The route crosses the University of the West of Scotland – Ayr Campus before joining the path on the north side of the River Ayr. The path heads eastwards towards Dalmilling Golf Course and from there continues on to Mainholm Smallholdings and towards the Auchincruive Estate. The return journey retraces the outward route back to the A77, crosses the river, and then takes the path on the south side of the river before recrossing the river back to the university grounds and the starting point.
The Alloway Loop
Starting Point for the Walk:
Burns Cottage Car Park, Alloway, Ayrshire – OS Reference NS 333 185.
Getting there: 40 miles / 50 minutes
Take your favourite route out of Glasgow onto the M8 (Greenock). Exit onto the M77 (Kilmarnock) and continue south on the M77/A77 until Holmston Roundabout on the outskirts of Ayr. Then follow the signs for Stranraer and Alloway (A77). At the next roundabout (Bankfield) follow the signs for Stranraer (A77). Turn right off the A77 (signed Alloway/Doonfoot/Heads of Ayr). There is also a brown tourist sign for Robert Burns Birthplace Museum. Follow Doonholm Road until a small roundabout and turn right (2nd exit) and follow this to the junction with the B7024. Then turn left and at the mini-roundabout turn right into Greenfield Avenue and then after about 100m turn right into Burns Cottage car park. Closest train station is in Ayr, with local bus services to Burns cottage.
The Walk:
Alloway Loop – 5 miles (8 km) – Flat
From the car park next to Burns Cottage, cross the road and follow the “Poet’s Path” in the direction of Robert Burns Birthplace Museum. The Path has ten weather vanes and sculptures depicting scenes from Robert Burn’s poem Tam O’ Shanter. Cross over the wooden bridge and turn right at the museum heading towards the Auld Kirk. Toilets are available in the museum. The graveyard at the Auld Kirk dates from 1516 and contains the grave of Robert Burn’s father. The graveyard was also the setting for the dancing witches in Tam O’ Shanter.
From the Auld Kirk, cross over the road and turn right along the pavement towards the Burns National Monument and gardens. There is a nice garden to explore and excellent views from the top of the monument. There will be time to listen to Tam O’ Shanter in another outbuilding where the statues of Tam and Souter Johnny are on display.
Crossing over the Brig O’ Doon, take the path which leads towards the main road and then turn right and then left onto Longhill Avenue. Travel along Longhill Avenue and take the steps on the right, down onto the tree-lined cycle path. Turn right and follow the path over the River Doon. Mungo’s Well is on the north bank on the left.
Continue on the cycle path and at Maybole Road turn left. After 150m turn left into Kersepark and then right into Pemberton Valley. Opposite Broadwood Park turn right into a narrow lane that leads into woodland. Joining the woodland path, turn left and follow the path towards Rozelle Park. Cross The Loaning and continue into the park. Take the path to the left leading to Rozelle House and the Maclaurin Gallery. Wander around the park to take in the sculptures, the Story Stroll and the pond before heading back to the car park.
Kilmannan and Burnbrooks
With a distance of about 7 miles, this walk, which lies between Carbeth and Queen’s View, starts at the Eden Mill Farm Shop.
A forest track takes you up to Kilmannan reservoir. Passing this reservoir on its eastern edge continue on to the Burncrooks reservoir. After a circuit of this reservoir on a well-constructed walking path, pick up the waterworks road for the return journey to the farm shop car park. Part of the walk uses the John Muir Way.
Starting Point for the Walk:
Edenmill Farm Shop car park – OS Reference NS 514 793. The postal address for the Farm Shop is: Stockiemuir Road, Carbeth by Blanefield, G63 9AX.
Getting there: 10 miles/35 minutes
Take your favourite route towards Bearsden (A809) and on the northern side of Bearsden turn right onto the Stockiemuir Road (A809). Continue past Carbeth and at Auchengillan turn left (just past a parking area on the right) onto a narrow road (signed for the farm shop) with a 15mph speed limit. Continue for about 400m until the car park. Note: watch out for ‘speed bumps’, pedestrians and other road users!
The Walk: Burncrooks & Kilmannan Reservoirs – 7.2 miles (11.5 km) – Undulating
From the parking area, return to the gates of the car park and back up the road for about 100m. Note the house with scaffolding on the right and then turn left through more gates noting the John Muir Way (JMW) marker.
Continue on this tarmac path for about two kilometres to a junction – the JMW indicates to go left. However, keep straight on and shortly arrive at the end of the dam of the Burncrooks Reservoir. The path now descends to the right and curves round to the left to meet a stony track. Turn left, in a southerly direction, onto the JMW. Alternatively, cross the dam and follow a very muddy path for about 50m that climbs up to meet the aforementioned stony track.
Continue on this stony, undulating track until reaching the east side of Burncrooks Reservoir. At the junction of paths, the JMW goes left but turn right at this point and after a short distance, at a T-junction, turn left and go through a metal gate. The path descends to the banks of Kilmannan Reservoir. Near the dam the path leads away from the reservoir. Continue through Greenan Glen, with Auldmurroch Burn on the right, for a couple of kilometres, ignoring paths going off to the right, until the path meets the JMW again. Turn sharp left and continue on the JMW, in a north westerly direction, until back at the Edenmill Café car park.
A pootle about penicillin
This walk in the Ayrshire countryside takes in the birthplace of the renowned Scotsman, Sir Alexander Fleming (1881-1955) who was a physician and microbiologist, and best known for discovering the world’s first broadly effective antibiotic substance, which he named penicillin.
Starting Point for the Walk:
The Car Park in Ranoldcoup Road, Darvel – OS Reference NS 563 373. About 36 miles from Glasgow, one hour and 10 minutes by car
Getting there:
Take your favourite route to the M77 towards Ayr. Once on the M77 continue to Junction 6 signed Galston A77. After ½ mile turn right onto A77 (Galston) and go under the M77. At the roundabout take the 1st exit onto Ayr Road signed Galston A77 (A719). After about a mile turn left onto A719. Continue through Waterside and Moscow and after about 6 miles (at the Galston roundabout) take the first exit onto A71. Continue through Newmilns and arrive in Darvel after about 3 miles. Just past an attractive square on the right, turn right into Ranoldcoup Road. Continue down Ranoldcoup Road to a car park on the left, opposite Collins Avenue.
The Walk:
A Pootle around Penicillin – 6.5 miles 10 km) – Undulating with one steep uphill
From Ranoldcoup Road Car Park turn right, and then turn right again onto East Main Street. Pass the Railway Inn and continue the full length of East Main Street. At the end of the village cross the busy A71 with care and take the road on the left leading uphill (signposted Irvine Valley Walks).
Continue slowly uphill, past the cemetery and the path to Loudon Hill, until there is a crossroads. At this point the worst of the hills is over! Turn left and continue along this road with fields on either side. Once past Feoch Farm and just before Laigh Braidley Farm there is a road on the right which leads to Lochfield Farm. Here there is a notice for the birthplace of Sir Alexander Fleming. Sir Alexander Fleming was the eminent bacteriologist who discovered Penicillin. There is an option, for those who wish to do so, to take a detour to Lochfield farm to see it up close.
The main route continues gently up to the top of the rise where it zigzags and starts to head steeply downhill to Braidley Bridge which crosses the Glen Water. This is a particularly picturesque section of the walk. The road continues uphill for a short distance and then, at the T-junction turn left – the road on the right is a no through road. Continue past Gateside keeping left to cross Mucks Water at Mucks Bridge.
After a short uphill section the road continues at a high level to become Foulpapple Road and then starts to descend. The village of Darvel soon comes into view, and eventually there are a couple of modern-looking houses on the right. Turn left here onto Burn Road which is a steep, downhill, narrow road. It passes the Darvel Telephone Museum (on the right) just before the junction with West Main Street. At the junction, turn left to return to Ranoldcoup Road and the cars.