Scotland Off the Beaten Track

East Dunbartonshire | Campsie Fells | Half day walk | ★★

The canny hillgoer tackles the Campsie Fells after a prolonged dry spell (or heads for Meikle Bin), and this mantra most certainly applies to this circuit via Cort-ma Law's weathered trig pillar. Picnickers and hurried sightseers drop off during the first mile of steep ascent: missing out on the best views from the edge of the escarpment, but also missing out on the boggy spots which grow in severity on the way to Lecket Hill. A good way to escape the Glasgow crowds, but wet boots may be inescapable except for the fleetest of foot. If it's really that wet, you might want to consider visiting the waterfalls in Campsie Glen, accessed from the same car park.


📌 Walk: Cort-ma Law - Central Belt solace ★★
Start / finish at Crow Road car park, B822 2 mi north of Lennoxtown, G.R.: NS 612801 ///motivates.hillside.flipper

▶ 9 km / 6 mi | ▲ 350 m | ⌚ Half a day | ⬤ Tough
Summits: Cort-ma Law (531 m); Lecket Hill (547 m)
Terrain: Gras…

South Ayrshire | Town | ★★

Girvan is in many ways a typical Firth of Clyde seaside resort, with a long beach and picturesque harbour. From the summit of Byne Hill its unusual cross-shaped street layout can be seen. Ailsa Craig and Arran loom large out to sea, and most boat trips to the former depart from here. You might imagine that the town's isolated southerly location (and the appeal of foreign beach resorts) must limit its appeal today... but not if the number of thriving, old-fashioned cafes and coffee shops is anything to go by. This is probably the sort of timeless place where you could buy a hot meal for a few quid and still have change left over for the excellent sweet shop. In fact, it definitely is (well, at least on our last visit).


Location

📌 Girvan ★★
South Ayrshire, G.R.: NX 185977 ///curry.squirted.deadline

🚶 The town centre is compact; use the coast path to reach the start of our Byne Hill walk route.
🚌 Infrequent trains run on the Ayr to Stranraer line, and ther…

South Ayrshire | Girvan | Half day walk | ★★★

Byne Hill's rocky northeast ridge is a delight - short-cropped grass alternating with scrambly conglomerate knolls. Owing to local access issues this is an underused route to the top, which is blessed with superb views towards Girvan, Arran and Ailsa Craig. The return leads past a ramshackle memorial to an Archibald Crauford of the local estate, surrounded by curious ponies when we visited. A straightforward track gently descends through typical Ayrshire farmland back to the start - the catch: how do you get from the start to that lovely ascent ridge? Access tracks via Daltippan Farm or Brochneil breaker's yard are usually out of the question, which leaves a traverse along field boundaries.


📌 Walk: Byne Hill panorama ★★★
Start / finish at Shalloch Mill (space for a few cars), A77 2 mi south of Girvan, G.R.: NX 179957 ///panic.freely.disposal

▶ 5 km / 3 mi | ▲ 270 m | ⌚ Half a day | ⬤ Moderate
Summits: Byne Hill (214 m) | Features: C…

South Ayrshire | Village sights | ★★

Culzean Castle is undeniably the star attraction in the wider area, but Kirkoswald has its own attractions. This understated village sits astride the busy A77 road, a few attractive thatched buildings drawing the attention in particular. This is Robert Burns country - many of the poet's family and friends, and therefore characters from his poems, are buried in the churchyard here. The settlement has the monks of Paisley Abbey to thank for its founding though; they built nearby Crossraguel Abbey as a daughter house in the early 13th century, and Kirkoswald's church at the same time.


See & do (<1 mi away)

📌 (Old) Kirk Oswald ★
Description: Ruins of a 13th century church built by Cluniac monks from Paisley Abbey, with several characters from the life of Robert Burns buried in the graveyard.
Main Street (A77), Kirkoswald village centre, G.R.: NS 239075 ///letters.observes.mixing
Always open | Free

📌 Souter Johnnie's Cottage★★
Descripti…