Bearsden & District

Mugdock Loch

Mugdock Reservoir

from Mugdock Country Park

Old Photo of Smith's Folly

at Mugdock Country Park

Smith’s Folly which stands on a hill above the
South Lodge car park at Mugdock Country Park.

This was the start of a tree-lined avenue leading
to the home of James Smith at Craigend Castle.

The castellated tower or gazebo
was built for him about 1816.

The small octagonal tower had two storeys
and was once finely decorated with Gothic windows
and vaulting and trefoil decoration.

The folly had no roof or floors
but had a an open-sided staircase
that wound its way to the top,
from where the visitor could enjoy good views of Glasgow,
as well as Dumgoyne and the Campsie Fells.

The tower was repurposed as a watchtower
for the nearby reservoirs during the war years.

In the 1980s it was demolished due to becoming unstable
and sadly only the base of the tower remains.

In 1981 Royal Mail issued a 50p booklet of stamps
with a picture of Smith’s Folly on the front
but erroneously called it Mugdock Castle.

Remains of Smith's Folly

at Mugdock Country Park

Urbanrealm - Mugdock Tower

Old photo of Smith's Folly

at Mugdock Country Park

Urbanrealm - Mugdock Tower

Mugdock Reservoir

from Mugdock Country Park

Campsie Fells from the trig point in Mugdock Country Park above Mugdock Reservoir

Campsie Fells

from the trig point

at Mugdock Country Park

above Mugdock Reservoir

Horses on moors

at Mugdock Country Park

Sheep on moors

at Mugdock Country Park

Mugdock Loch

in Mugdock Country Park

Mugdock Loch and Castle

in Mugdock Country Park

Mugdock Castle - old photo

Campsie Fells

beyond Peitches Moor

and quarry loch

in Mugdock Country Park

Mugdock Castle in Mugdock Country Park

Mugdock Castle was the stronghold of Clan Graham.

The original castle was built in the mid-14th century.

It comprised four towers
around a courtyard with high walls.

The main gate was in the middle of the south wall.

The castle stood on a mound of volcanic rock
on the edge of Mugdock Loch.

Wikipedia - Mugdock Castle

Wikipedia - Castles in Scotland

Snowdrops

in Mugdock Country Park

Swans in Mugdock Loch

beneath Mugdock Castle

Swans and cygnets

in Mugdock Loch

Campsie Fells

from Mugdock Loch

Map of Mugdock Country Park

( Note:- Click here or on above for large format copy )

Location Map for Mugdock Country Park

Map and Walking Route for Mugdock Country Park

Map of Lochs and Reservoirs in Bearsden and Milngavie

MUGDOCK COUNTRY PARK - ROUTE DESCRIPTION:

This is a circular walk of about four miles and two hours duration from the South Lodge Car Park at Mugdockbank.
The walk takes in the Visitor Centre, Drowning Pond and Craigend Castle in Mugdock Country Park.
The walk leaves the car park ( located at the top of Mugdock Road above Mugduck Reservoir ) and enters the country park through the
gate on the left. lt turns right at the T-junction and after a short distance, follows the sign ‘Visitor Centre’ to turn right and cross the
wooden bridge onto the path along the south side of Mugdock Loch.At the next junction the path leaves the lochside and continues straight ahead to climb up rocky ground onto a tarmac path. lgnore the stile on the right over the wall and take the path as it swings round to the left
along the side of the wall to enter Peitches Moor, a lovely open area with fantastic hill views on either side.
At the end of the tarmac the walk takes the grass track on the right to a sign, ‘Steep Drop Do Not Cross’ which is attached to a fence surround-
ing an impressive water ﬁlled quarry. It turns left along the side of the fence and crosses over a walkboard into the heart of the moor.
Continuing west, optional paths are available before crossing another two walkboards, leaving the moor and entering Pheasants Wood, a
small wood of mostly rhododendrum bushes and with an internal circular path.
The walk takes the left path round the wood, it being the shortest route to the exit point on the left for the steps down to Craigend Pond.
It turns right passes Craigend Victorian Walled Garden, built initially to provide food for the estate, and takes the left path up to the
Visitor Centre, initially the stables and coach house.
If time allows it is of interest to browse around the centre, visit the gift shops and perhaps have a snack and coffee in one of the two cafes, all
converted from the original stables.
Leaving the centre, the walk follows the sign ‘Gallowhill BBQ Site’ into an open ﬁeld now used by youth clubs for barbeque activities.
It goes round the edge of the ﬁeld into the rhododendrum wood and takes the path on the right for the Drowning Pond.
This was where in medieval times those accused of witchcraft would be tied to a ‘dooking stool‘ and if they survived the drowning in the pond,
would be declared witches and burnt at the stake.
It is an interesting area steeped in history and has been recently designed with a viewpoint which looks down on Craigend Castle.
The castle itself now dilapidated having been destroyed by ﬁre.
At one time it was a stately home built by James Ramsay in the early 19th century for the Smith family and in the 1950s it was used as a
restaurant for Craigend Zoo.
The walk leaves Gallow Hill along a zig-zag path and turns right on joining the main path, above Craigend Pond.
It passes the rocky hillside on the right which supported some of the zoo animal cages and then, at a U-bend with an open ﬁeld view, the front of
Craigend Castle.
On the return route, the walk continues along the tree lined avenue which was the original drive entrance to and from the castle, passes the signed paths to Khyber Car Park and Mugdock Castle on the right and the Visitor Centre on the left. It then reaches Mugdock Loch and turns right onto the
lochside outward path and back to the South Lodge Car Park.