Walk, Ride and Cycle in and around Airth Parish easy to use map and eight suggested locations something for everyone Discover the path networks in and around Airth Parish Know the code before you go…. Enjoy Scotland’s outdoors responsibly. The Parish of Airth interests and abilities. Some incorporates the villages of sites have options for further Everyone has the right Airth, Dunmore, Letham and exploration or you could to be on most land and South Alloa set amongst combine several routes to inland water providing productive agricultural land. broaden your experience. they act responsibly. It wasn’t always like this. Your access rights and Before land reclamation it Finding your way. responsibilities are fully was an industrial area with A map explained in the mining, salt pans and a busy Take a close look at the Scottish Outdoor port. The area is steeped in map for each route. This Access Code. history and records can be should be all you need to Whether you’re in the found dating back to the find the start point and get outdoors or managing medieval village of Airth on your way. OS explorer the outdoors, the key founded by William the Lion 349 map covers most of things are to: circa 1188. the area and explorer OS 58 take responsibility for for South Alloa. your own actions; As you wander along the respect the interests of paths you will see some Signs fantastic views, wildlife and other people; and splendid architecture which Look out for sign Care for the will give you a glimpse of posts and environment. interpretation what it once looked like and Find out more by it’s all waiting to be boards giving more information along the way. visiting discovered. www.outdooraccess- scotland.com or Which site should I visit? ©Crown Copyright and database right 2011. All rights reserved. contact your local Take a look through the Ordnance Survey Licence number Scottish Natural 100023384. suggested routes and choose For reference purposes only. No further Heritage office. one to suit your needs, copies may be made. Walks Key South 1 Airth village route A Alloa 2 Airth village route B 3 The Airth Banks 6 circular 4 Dunmore Pineapple route A 5 Dunmore Pineapple route B Dunmore 6 South Alloa route 7 Letham Loop G Firth of 8 Skinflats circular Forth Dunmore Wood Buildings of interest 5 [details on pages 4-7] 4 A B O A Recreation ground 3 C D B Captain’s House, M 1 44 Paul Drive Airth E F C Captain’s Houses N 2 16-18 Shore Road D Crown Hotel L I H E Villa view K J F Mercat Cross G Elphinstone Tower H Rosebank Cottage 7 I Elphinstone Inn Letham J Medieval Church M876 K Airth Castle L Headless Cross M Airth Parish Church N Club’s Tomb M9 O Dunmore Pineapple Skinflats 8 3 Places of interest to visit The village of Airth Records show circa 1248 Adam De Erth owned the lands of Erth and Elphinstone, the Erth family is very ancient. Erth means hill and there are two hills in Airth where Airth Castle and Elphinstone Castle stand today. The original village of Airth sat on the hill protected by Airth Castle which at that time would have been a wooden building. Airth was one of the most important villages in the area and King James IV founded a royal dockyard at the mouth of the Pow Burn. The main commercial trade of the area was coal mining and the salt trade. There were several saltpans and many coal pits in the area making the landowners very prosperous and influential. Salmon fishing was also an important commercial concern which survived until the mid 20th century, when pollution is believed to have caused its decline. Thankfully, due to environmental laws, this is reversing and salmon are returning to the river. Buildings and sites vulnerable to attack. The Airth village was designated of interest mighty warship “The Great a Conservation Area by Michael” was fitted out Stirling County Council in Recreation ground at Airth dockyard as it was 1974 which was updated in This is the site of the considered the ideal place 2006 and 2010. original harbour before without any threats from land was reclaimed in the the English. The Royal As you walk around Airth 1700’s. However, the royal Forest of Torwood was it is still possible to see dockyard of King James IV close by and provided the some houses with coats of lay half a mile to the south timber required. The Royal arms, symbols, initials of at the mouth of the Pow Dockyard was thought to be past owners and dates. Burn. This was felt to be built around 1506 and safer being further ceased being used from upstream, whereas Leith around 1513 when King port was seen as more James IV fell at Flodden. 4 Captain’s House, 44 Paul Drive A two storey building, crow stepped and similar to the houses in Shore Road with five windows along the top and three on the ground floor. Captain’s Houses 16-18 Shore Road Both are Listed Buildings and built in the 1700s. They were known as the Captain’s Houses as they were used by captains and senior merchants at that time. Crown Hotel This dates back to the early 1900s and sits on the corner of Shore Road which was one of the first roads built in the new Airth of the late 17th century and went down to the old harbour. Villa view Once known as “The Market or Blue House”, this was said to be the former council chambers, and dates from 1722. Mercat Cross Is one of the oldest structures in the village today, dating from 1697. If you look closely you can see the coat of arms and the initials of the Elphinstone family plus two sundials. The initials C.E. are thought to be Charles Elphinstone who died after a dual with a relative Captain William Bruce of Auchenbowie, and R.B. in memory of his parents Sir Richard Elphinstone and Jane Bruce. It has recently been restored and is an Scheduled Ancient Monument. 5 Places of interest to visit Elphinstone Inn by the de Erth family and encourage the population A two storey building dating came into the hands of the to move away from the back to the early 19th Bruce family around 1450. castle and into the new or Century. The original river The castle was garrisoned lower town, the Graham shoreline came up to the by the English during the family helped to build a back of the Inn before land Wars of Independence and replacement church at the was reclaimed. Wallace is said to have north end of the present burnt it to the ground. village. The Forrester family Rosebank When the large tower house were the last to live in the was built in1488 it was castle until it was bought Now a private house this called Wallace’s Tower - it and turned into a hotel in was known as “The Penny now forms the west end of 1971. School” so called as it cost the present building. one penny for a child’s Airth Castle is now an education. It was built at Through marriages within award winning 125 bedroom the same time as Airth the local nobility the castle hotel and spa, part of the Parish Church around 1820 passed over to the Aurora Hotel Collection and and is a listed building. Elphinstone family and is a great base to explore Opposite you can see a again through marriage the local countryside. headstone from the original passed over to the Dundas graveyard reused in the family. William Dundas was retaining wall. forced to sell the castle and Medieval Church Judge Graham bought it in The church adjacent to Airth Castle 1717 and it remained in his Airth Castle dates back to The original castle was a family until 1920. Early in the 12th Century and timber construction owned the 19th century, to records reveal that the 6 church was about 80ft long Plans by local architect with three family aisles. William Stirling of Dunblane The Erth, The Elphinstone were put forward in 1806, and The Bruce aisle. but building did not take During the 12th Century place until 1818 and was the wealthy families buried completed two years later. their dead beneath the stone floors of the church. Headless Cross However this practise was Known as the “Headless eventually outlawed. The Cross” since at least the church was used until the late 17th century this present church was built mercat cross once stood in 1820. in the centre of the ‘high toon’ of Airth. It It is a ruin now and it is demonstrated that the not advisable to enter burgh had a right to hold the church or graveyard markets - an important for your own safety. source of wealth. The cube on the top is a worn sundial. Airth Parish Church It was replaced in 1697 by The Graham family, once Airth Parish church and the “new” cross in the ‘low owners of Airth Castle, school to be built of local toon’. It is a Scheduled paid £2,000 for the new quarried yellow sandstone. Anicent Monument. 7 1. Airth Village: Route A Route A Access Information Route A: Finding your way Bus: 1 The car park was the original For information on site of the harbour before bus times, numbers, land reclamation in the routes call Traveline 1700s.