Outdoors Walking The extensive network of footpaths silver birch is full of wild flowers and follow the track up past the old sheep created at Craigengillan offers you will pass the Scout Garden and pens. Beyond the silver gate ahead, wonderful opportunities for walkers two willow sculptures created by take the fork in the track to the right. of all ages and fitness. The paths pass sculptor Geoff Forest in partnership Go through the gate in the deer fence through natural habitats rich in with pupils of Doon Academy. (please be very careful to close all wildlife and archaeological interest gates behind you, even if they are to spectacular places including open when you pass through them) Dalcairney Falls and the famous Ness THE BRIDGE OVER THE RIVER DOON into the Shalloch Diamond Wood, Glen. TO DALCAIRNEY FALLS. planted in 2012. The young oaks and 2.22 km other hardwoods are growing well and The Craigengillan path network will bring great biodiversity benefits connects with Dalmellington’s village in the years to come, as well as centre and the paths around the From the bridges over the River Doon providing shelter for ewes and lambs village of Straiton. and a positive addition to the landscape.
DALMELLINGTON VILLAGE Passing through another deer gate on CENTRE TO THE MUCK WATER the farther side of the young wood, the BRIDGE track continues to the gate at 1.31km Auldcraigoch. From here, a footpath continues to the summit of Auchenroy Hill through a 230 acre native woodland planted in 2006. At Cathcartston in the village, where the route follows the quiet single parking is available, follow the path track road to Dalcairney Farm, passing From the summit, there are amazing uphill through the trees and cross the Bogton Loch on the left and the views into the wild hills of the A713 to re-join the path on the other Scheduled Monument of Dalnean Hill, Galloway Forest and across the sea to side of the road. The section between with its mediaeval network of field Ailsa Craig and the Isle of Arran. here and the Craigengillan Gate Lodge enclosures and farmstead on the was created in 2012 and is right, The return journey to the bridge over
the River Doon follows the path over Just before the farmhouse and the hill via Glenhead Wood. steading, go through the marked gate
on your left, through the meadow and
across the wooden footbridge. Pass
the pond on your left and follow the
path to a second wooden footbridge
over the burn.
called the Jubilee Path. It passes Entering the wooded Dalcairney between established native hardwood Glen, carpeted with bluebells in the trees and the two Jubilee Woods spring, you will arrive at the amazing planted by Patna and St Xaviers waterfall below the 18th century Primary Schools. stone bridge. (See photo to the right) The path continues on the other side of the Craigengillan approach, following the banks of the Muck Water, DALCAIRNEY FALLS TO one of the most important salmon AUCHENROY HILL 7.29 km round trip spawning tributaries of the River Doon. In high summer, the grassland beneath the young oaks, rowan and From the bridge above the Falls,
Outdoors Walking and views down to the gorge below wall. A belt of shady silver firs, which DALCAIRNEY FALLS TO NESS GLEN and the hills above. Continue for surmounts its jagged pinnacle, 3.06km approx 1km to the Loch Doon Dam, presents a fine contrast to the where there is an excellent small prevailing leaden colours of the From the bridge by the falls, follow cafe (The Round House) and the stone. Beyond this, the towering the track uphill. Just past the sheep opportunity to watch in some years peaks and steep crags are repeated pens, turn left and through the gate. the ospreys in their nest on the far again and again, gradually softening Follow the track through a second shore. For the return journey, follow away to a sloping wooded knoll. On gate, to the ancient ruins of Berbeth, the path back to the base of the dam the west side, a winding walk has which stand among magnificent old (about 100 metres) and turn right. been carried up the bottom of the beech trees, the glade carpeted with From here, the path follows the very glen and another over the summit, thousands of daffodils in early edge of the river, the steep banks terminating at the same point. spring. The Stevenson family lived covered with an incredible diversity here for generations and their of mosses and ferns. There is a greater slope on this side, hospitality and generosity were and the wild craggy features with legendary. which it abounds are much concealed by an old woven wood. A Beyond Berbeth, the track passes the number of streamlets trickle through Ladies’ Loch on the right and then, the fissures of the rock… and through through mature woodland, over the these fissures are afforded the only Craigengillan approach and onward glimpses to be had of the cliffs. The to the old stone bridge over the River river side of the low walk is edged Doon, built by French prisoners of with a row of trees, many of the war. In Victorian times, people travelled branches of which have been forced from far and wide to walk the path by the application of pressure during through Ness Glen, described in their early growth, to droop over the contemporary guide books as ‘one of water. On the other side trails of ivy the finest examples in Britain of a and shrubs of the evergreen class and true rock gorge’ and, even more rose-bushes have been trained up the poetically, by the cartographer of the rocks for some distance, and thus, by softening the ruggedness of that first edition of the Ordnance Survey in 1856: portion of the Glen immediately After crossing the bridge, turn right ‘A bold round rocky hill, coated with under the eye of the visitor – and follow the path to a ford over deep brown moss, stands at the east affording him a means of contrast the Parkelly Burn. Go through the entrance of the glen; immediately with the terrors overhead, whose gate and follow the riverside track north of this the wood and precipice sublime character might suffer (river on your right) past a begin, consisting at first of a series from a close inspection – has been magnificent old lime tree to the of black shelving rocks, partially effected the only introduction of wooden bridge at the bottom of Ness concealed by thick foliage. The cliff art which could in any way have Glen. increases in height and rugged heightened the effect of this grandeur till, about midway, it imposing scenery. Ness Glen to Loch Doon reaches its greatest altitude in a APPROX 1.46 km long semi-circular sweep. Steep as The Glen was such an attraction it had its own curator who guided the wall of a house, it rises from the parties through the gorge and Ness Glen is a spectacular river margin of the Doon to a height of explained its interesting flora and gorge and a Site of Special Scientific nearly 300 feet. Thick old ivy is fauna. It was said that the birds Interest (SSSI), and famous for its 162 trellised all over the face of the would come to settle on his hand, species of mosses. impending steep; green lichens such was his affinity with nature. clinging to the rocks, uprooted trees
From the left bank of the River to the hanging down into the abyss upright suspension bridge that leads to the firs and overhanging rocks are the upper path, through fine old timber other features of this tremendous Outdoors Walking Dalmellington Village centre to Muck Water Bridge
The Bridge over the River Doon to Dalcairney Falls
Outdoors Walking Dalcairney Falls to Auchenroy Hill (round trip)
Dalcairney Falls to Ness Glen
Outdoors Walking Ness Glen to Loch Doon
Loch Doon