Lochmaben Castle

Dumfries & Galloway | Lochmaben | Castle | ★★

[Lochmaben Castle]

An early 14th century castle with moat, huge defensive walls and turbulent history... sounds like a rewarding day out? Well, today's Lochmaben Castle is actually rather less than the sum of its potential parts - a structurally unsafe ruin partly blocked off by metal fences when we last visited. But throw in the picturesque Castle Loch beyond the stonework, and it's a worthwhile rural stop-off.

[Castle Loch, just beyond the castle]

📌 Lochmaben Castle ★★
Off B7020 2 miles south of Lochmaben, G.R.:  NY 088812 ///trial.excavated.stroke
Always open (exterior only) | Free

[Lochmaben Castle]

[Lochmaben Castle]

[Lochmaben Castle]

[Lochmaben Castle]

Comments

Post a comment

Popular posts from this blog

Walk: Livingston's jaw-dropping waterfall

Image
West Lothian | Livingston | Short walk | ★★★

What springs to mind when someone mentions Livingston, West Lothian? Sprawling road junctions, retail parks, 1960s architecture... how about a splendid waterfall? Under a mile from the town's southernmost suburbs, the Camilty Water drops into a short but beautiful gorge sharply at odds with the gentleness of the surrounding farmland. Two substantial waterfalls and several smaller ones tumble into the depths; the largest is actually fed by a crumbling mill lade (the mill no longer exists) but this isn't obvious from below. Parking is limited, but the walk from the nearest road begins promisingly. The last few hundred metres of the route are however a bit sketchy: stepping stones across a side burn, and a very slippery slope to reach the best viewpoint - more details below.


📌 Walk: Livingston's jaw-dropping waterfall ★★★
Start / finish at minor road corner (space for one or two cars only - do not block nearby driveways or field en…
Read more

Walk: Warlocks & rock bands - Dumyat by the corridor route

Image
Stirling | Ochil Hills | Half day walk | ★★★★

Dumyat's craggy profile when viewed from the south makes it one of the most characterful hills in the Scottish Lowlands. And yet the "tourist route" to the summit from the west misses out on all of this, crossing unremarkable grassland on a busy and eroded path. Starting instead from Blairlogie allows access to a rarely used traverse. This follows a corridor of grass - miraculously navigating a maze of conglomerate cliffs and rock outcrops - with superb views across Clackmannanshire's plains. Admittedly this requires more effort than the other route, but visually it's ten times better. After enjoying the panorama at the crowded summit, head east into Menstrie Glen to pick up the Hillfoots Diamond Jubilee Way for an easy ramble back to the start.


📌 Walk: Warlocks & rock bands - Dumyat by the corridor route ★★★★
Start / finish at car park off A91 just east of Blairlogie, G.R.: NS 831968 ///importing.safari.measures

…
Read more

Campsie Glen

Image
East Dunbartonshire | Clachan of Campsie | Waterfalls | ★★★★

In bygone years a path used to snake up the narrow gorge north of Clachan of Campsie. Rockfalls and warning signs now block the middle section, but short linear walks into the gorge from each end are still well worth it. A quick stroll from the bottom car park leads to the lower section of rapids. The upper car park on Crow Road is reached by a steep, 300 metre walk or a winding, 3 mile drive. Heading downhill from here (instead of uphill towards Cort-ma Law) accesses the middle of three more waterfalls. All are worth a visit following wet weather if you don't mind a bit of scrambling, but the bottom one of these 3 deserves special praise - as you can walk behind it!


📌 Campsie Glen Lower Falls ★★
On the Kirk Burn immediately north of Clachan of Campsie, G.R.: NS 610798 ///exploring.pirates.clipped
Always open | Free

Anything else? From the large car park at G.R.: NS 611796 ///quaking.spider.dislikes it's a 5-min walk …
Read more