Starting at the railway station in Bridge of Allan, the destination is Dumyat (418m) where, weather dependent, there should be good views. Those wishing a shorter walk can opt for a smaller loop which excludes the climb to the Dumyat peak. The walk passes
through a variety of landscapes. This walk starts and ends in Bridge of Allan and is a moderate 8.3 mile loop.
Starting Point for the Walk:
Bridge of Allan station – OS Reference NS 785 977.
Getting there: 33 miles/41 minutes
Take your favourite route to the M80 towards Stirling and continue onto the M9 towards Perth. Leave the M9 at Junction 11 and at the roundabout take the fourth exit (A9) to Bridge of Allan. At the entrance sign to Bridge of Allan, note the Railway Station sign above the hedge on the right. Continue slowly to the first mini-roundabout and turn right. Note that there are no signs to the station. Enter the station car park. If you miss the first roundabout there is a second round-about at which you can do a U-turn and approach the first one and see signs to the station.
The Walk: Bridge of Allan/Black Hill Loop – 7.5 miles (12km) (Shorter option available)
From the railway platform ascend the steps to the main road and turn left past the two mini roundabouts and after 100m, on the left, coffee and toilets are available at the Railway Café. Continue down the main street and note The Westerton Arms pub on the right. Turn left and after 20m turn left on a path marked “Mine Woods via Lovers Leap”. Keeping to the right and ascend slowly to a grassy field and narrow road. Crossing the road and turning right the path parallels the road to a four-way junction. Turn left up a path with a big sign “Coppermine” – unfortunately this sign is about 10m up the path and not easy to see from the junction. Now go slowly and steadily up a fairly steep path on the side of the hill. Passing Wolfshole Quarry on the left approach a steep set of steps which can be bypassed to the left by an excellent path. After 700m arrive at a minor road and turn left. Ignore a road on the left and after 100m turn right on a path guarded by a green bar. This path gently climbs up to Cocksburn Reservoir. Continue to the right along the reservoir and at the end take a right fork with fences and a wall on the right. The path eventually leads to a metal gate and a minor road (the historic Sheriffmuir Road). Turn left and after 100m turn right onto open ground.
Option A: Take main path for good views across the Forth and descend a good path on right to a break in the wall.
Option B: Take the path on the right (heading for the edge of a wood on the right) that leads to a break in the wall.
Once through the wall turn left down a lovely path which continues down through a rhododendron tunnel passing a fence on the right. At the end of the fence turn right and after 100m cross a burn to arrive at a minor road. Turn right uphill round two hairpin bends to a locked gate which may be bypassed by a narrow path behind the fence to the left of the gate. Keeping left, the path broadens and goes downhill to reach a track which follows the boundary wall of Stirling University. Arrive again at the Sheriffmuir Road and turn left. On the Sheriffhall Road turn right after 20m and the path wends its way through housing, then between high fences, to join another access road (Pathfoot Drive). After 50m cross straight ahead near to broken down brown double gates and along another path between garden walls and fences. After 100m this joins another access road. Turn left and then right at the letter box along a main residential road (Kenilworth Road). Proceed along Kenilworth Road for 400m and look carefully on the left for a path between garden walls (nearly opposite #13 “LIKARA”). Take this path down 86 steps and turn sharp right. After 400m arrive at Well Road and follow left until junction with Henderson Street. Turn right and return to the station.