Photographs, route description and map of a circular walk starting and finishing at the village of Kippen with views of the Southern Highlands, Ochil Hills, Gargunnock Hills and Fintry Hills

This is a good walk in winter because the ground along the route is ﬁrm underfoot meaning it is not difﬁcult when the weather has been had.
The start and ﬁnish is in the very attractive village of Kippen which can be reached on some services of the No 10 bus from Milngavie.
Warning: there is a sad loss of waymarks on this route - the OS Explorer Map 348 is recommended.
Park opposite the "Inn at Kippen" or at the side of the road that enters the village from the A811 when you approach from the west ( Buchlyvie ) direction.
Ascend to the Main Street. To your left is The Cross - the local war memorial.
Nearby is a short lane called Rennie's Loan at the top of which is the old smiddy which was in the Rennie family for six generations.
It was given by them to the National Trust for Scotland but was closed as is common with many NTS properties in the winter, but had an air of
neglect about it. The metal sign above the door is an anvil. Beside the cottage is a guillotine set in the ground on which the smith cut out horse shoes.
Cross the main road and proceed along Burnside Road.
You will pass a row of houses on your right, the first of which is Kennel Cottage. Carry on to the end of the tar; do not take any of the side roads.
The route becomes a metalled track descending to an old stone bridge, Boquhan Bridge, built in 1673.
This was an old drove road which was upgraded to a military road in 1770 to 1780 linking Dumbarton to Stirling to facilitate the movement of
troops around the Highlands after the 1745 rebellion.
Continue on the level track to Burntown. On the long red sandstone building is carved “Burnton of Boquhan — rebuilt 1798". It originally housed a
smiddy, a school and schoolhouse. Cross another bridge and immediately take a side road that turns right.
The road ascends gently, past Myerston and Fourmerk farms on your left.
About half a mile beyond Fourmerk farm you emerge from woodland on your right.
Look to your right and you will see a wind turbine and the buildings of Dasher Farm.
That's where you are heading so keep a sharp lookout for a pair of rickety metal gates and a track descending to an old bridge ( Dasher Bridge ).
( These gates are around about 300 yards before Auldhall Farm ).
The track then ascends to Dasher Farm but walk past it up the track for a further 200 yards. Go through a metal gate and turn sharp left past a
couple of abandoned mechanical diggers. Follow the path to the next ﬁeld boundary where you turn right and go downhill towards the line of houses which you passed earlier. At the bottom of this ﬁeld, turn left along the edge of a wood until you emerge on to a tarred lane. Turn right downhill to Kennel Cottage then left to Kippen Cross.

Bearsden Walks

Gargunnock Hills Gallery :: Kippen Gallery

<< Back : Bearsden Walks Index : Next >>

Scotland Index :: Scottish Peaks :: Scotland Walks

Adventure Travel : Worldwide Mountaineering : Site Index

Guide Books & Maps - Scotland:-

Guide Books & Maps - Scotland

Climbing, Ski-ing & Mountaineering Books