West Highland Way: Trailblazer Ochils and Campsie Fells

 Bearsden & District

 Strathblane to Lennoxtown

West Highland Way - Map West Highland Way: Footprint Map


Photographs of the Strathkelvin Railway Path

 beneath the Campsie Fells

 from Strathblane to Lennoxtown


Signpost at entry to Strathblane

Signpost

 at entry to Strathblane



Kirkhouse Inn in Strathblane beneath the Campsie Fells

Kirkhouse Inn ( est 1601 )

in Strathblane

 beneath the
Campsie Fells



Kirkhouse Inn ( est 1601 ) in Strathblane beneath the Campsie Fells

Kirkhouse Inn ( est 1601 )

in Strathblane

beneath the
Campsie Fells





Strathblane Parish Church beneath the Campsie Fells

Strathblane Parish Church ( built 1803 )

beneath the
Campsie Fells





Strathblane Parish Church beneath the Campsie Fells

Strathblane Parish Church ( built 1803 )

beneath the
Campsie Fells






Signpost at start of the Strathkelvin Railway Path in Strathblane

Signpost

at start of the Strathkelvin Railway Path

 in Strathblane ( opposite the Parish Church )





Campsie Fells from the Strathkelvin Railway Path

Campsie Fells

 
from the Strathkelvin Railway Path




Ballagan House in Blane Valley beneath the Campsie Fells






Strathblane village from Dunglass ( 501ft )

Strathblane village

 from Dunglass ( 501ft )


Campsie Fells and the Strathkelvin Railway Path from Dunglass

Campsie Fells

 
and the Strathkelvin Railway Path

 from Dunglass ( 501ft )



Cliffs of Dunglass

Cliffs of Dunglass

The remains of an ancient volcanic plug

 with typical ‘crag and tail’ features left by glacial movement.

 The ‘crags’ on the north and east sides

 are formed by glaciers scouring the hard igneous rock,

with the ‘tails’ on the south side

 formed by softer sediment on the leeward side of the crag.
 
Columnar basalt forms,

similar to those of the Giant's Causeway and Fingal's

 Cave are to be seen.




Rock faces on Dunglass

Rock faces on Dunglass





Rock formations on Dunglass

Rock formations on Dunglass





Rock faces on Dunglass

Rock faces on Dunglass





Rock formations on Dunglass

Rock formations on Dunglass





Dunglass






Highland Cow beneath Dunglass




Dunglass






Dunglass







Dunglass

Dunglass






Dunglass in winter

Dunglass in winter



Cyclists on the Strathkelvin Railway Path beneath the Campsie Fells

Cyclists

 on the Strathkelvin Railway Path


beneath the
Campsie Fells 



Bridge over the Strathkelvin Railway Path

Bridge

 over
the Strathkelvin Railway Path





Crow Road over the Campsie Fells at Lennoxtown

Crow Road

over
the Campsie Fells

at Lennoxtown




Campsie Fells above the High Kirk in Lennoxtown

Campsie Fells

above the High Kirk in Lennoxtown

from
the Strathkelvin Railway Path

Between Clachan of Campsie and Lennoxtown

the route follows 
the Thomas Muir Trail


Campsie Fells above Whitefield Pond in Lennoxtown

Campsie Fells above Whitefield Pond

in Lennoxtown

Whitefield Pond was constructed in the 1800s

to supply clean water to the Lennox Mill Printworks.

The pond is home to many waterbirds and other wildlife.





Map of the Strathkelvin Railway Path beneath the Campsie Fells from Strathblane to Lennoxtown

Map of the Strathkelvin Railway Path

 beneath the Campsie Fells

from Strathblane to Lennoxtown


Route Map of the Strathkelvin Railway Path

Route Map of the Strathkelvin Railway Path



STRATHBLANE TO LENNOXTOWN WALK - ROUTE DESCRIPTION:

Thls walk takes us on a very pleasant stroll along the Strathkelvln Railway Path from Strathblane to Lennoxtown.
This is a beautiful walk along the valley of Blane Water with the return walk providing a different perspective of the nearby
Campsie Fells.
The walk gives a huge variety of scenery on a circular route, even though you are retracing your route.
The path has a tarmac surface and the total distance is seven miles and is a superb all-weather route.
The start of the walk is opposite Strathblane Parish Church on the A891 to Lennoxtown, about 100 yards from its junction beside the Kirkhouse lnn on the A81 to Aberfoyle.
There is ample parking next to the start. The No.10 bus from Milngavie to Balfron stops near the Kirkhouse Inn.
The path descends through a wood to join the old Blane Valley railway line. It used to link Strathblane with
Lennoxtown where it joined a branch of the Edinburgh and Glasgow railway and continued to Kirkintilloch and Lenzie.
The walk passes under two stone railway bridges on the way to
Lennoxtown. They are beautifully constructed and look to have the permanence of Roman structures.
A mile from the start you pass Dunglass, a basalt outcrop which shows that this area used to be the centre of volcanic activity.
The
Campsie Fells that form a barrier to the north are also of volcanic origin. You can see from the horizontal layers of rock on Dunglass and more dramatically on the exposed rock faces of the Campsies the successive lava flows that took place 300 million years ago, when the Campsie Fells were mighty mountains.
From time to time, the path is sheltered as it goes through old railways cuttings or past screens of hazel and silver birch. At other times it is surrounded by open fields and pastures. Among the trees there are lovely wild flowers and many small birds;  blue and long tailed tits, chaffinches and bullfinches. On the open land in winter you will usually see ducks and geese in the water-logged pastures and marshy land while in spring and summer you may see heron close by the Blane and hear the plaintive call of the curlew, more often heard than seen.
The path is straightforward to follow. At around the three mile mark it crosses the approach road to a recent housing development, Campsie Village. There you cross the road, turn right across a bridge and follow the sign; it changes its name here to the Thomas Muir Trail.
It is now a road, unused by vehicles, which shortly slopes up to the left.
Here you leave the Trail which branches to the left and continues through the old railway cutting.
Carry on up the road until it meets the A891 on the outskirts of
Lennoxtown.
Cross the road at the nearby pedestrian crossing and continue into the town, passing a pretty lochan, until you reach the Swan Inn at the corner of the road to Fintry.
On the return you will see the towers of Lennox Castle on the top of a ridge above Campsie Village.
You will experience different perspectives of the Campsies and it will bring home to you that the homeward stretch of a linear walk is quite unlike what you saw on your outward walk.


STRATHKELVIN RAILWAY PATH - ROUTE DESCRIPTION:

Location: Strathblane, Stirlingshire
Map: OS Landranger 64
Distance: 15 miles, ( 24km )
Tine: 1.5 hours
Terrain: flat; cyclepath

This excellent traffic-free cyclepath has been upgraded recently with a tarmac surface and provides a good cycling option, whatever the weather.
The path follows the trackbed of the former Gartness to Kirkintilloch Railway, which closed more than 40 years ago. It's practically flat and is ideal for young children.
Start from a small car park off the A891 by Strathblane, the Campsie Fells forming a pleasant backdrop on the left. Soon you'll reach a small rocky hill, Dunglass, on your right. This lump of basalt was quarried in the past - if you look closely you'll see columnar basalt forms, like those of the Giant's Causeway and Fingal's Cave.
Cycle on. by grassy fields, to Lennoxtown and Milton of Campsie.
Here, a plaque commemorates an early flight by the pioneering Italian balloonist Vincent Lunandi, who landed nearby in 1785 having launched from St Andrew's Square in Glasgow. His departure was watched by an excited crowd, one of whom was inadvertently lifted six metres off the ground before breaking free.
From the village the route swings south, running by the Glazert Water, to Kirkintilloch, where it links with the Forth and Clyde Canal.
Follow the cyclepath as far as you like, safe in the knowledge that the Kirkhouse Inn by the start in Strathhlane will provide a welcoming return.

Strathkelvin Railway Path Gallery Photo Gallery :: Lennoxtown Gallery Photo Gallery :: Campsie Fells Photo Gallery

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Ochils and Campsie Fells

Glasgow Visitor Guide - Colin Baxter Itchy Insider's Guide to Glasgow Glasgow Footprint Pocket Guide Glasgow Insight Pocket Guide Glasgow Guide Pub Companion Glasgow Scotland's Highlands & Islands - Rough Guide Scotland - Rough Guide

Glasgow Insight Pocket GuideCollins Street Map of GlasgowGlasgow: Then & NowThey belonged to Glasgow Phillips Street Atlas of Glasgow & West Central Scotland Glasgow: The Photographic Atlas100 Hillwalks around Glasgow 50 Walks in Glasgow & SW Scotland

Visit Scotland - Touring Guide Scotland: Where to Stay - Hotels & Guest Houses Scotland: Where to Stay - Bed & Breakfast Rough Guide ScotlandScottish Highlands & Islands - Rough Guide Scotland - Lonely PlanetScotland's Highlands & Islands - Lonley Planet Great Glasgow StoriesGlasgow & Surroundings - Insight Guide

West Highland Way: Official GuideWest Highland Way: Rucksac ReadersWest Highland Way: TrailblazerThe West Highland WayWest Highland Way: Footprint MapWest Highland Way - Map West Highland Way - Map West Highland Way Wet Highland Way - Official Guide

Munro Almanac The High Mountains of Britain and Ireland The Munros: Scottish Mountaineering Club The Isle of Skye The Isle of Arran Wilderness Walks Ski Mountaineering in Scotland

More Wilderness Walks 50 Best Routes on Skye and Raasay Skye - W.A.PoucherMagic of the Munros Mountaineering in Scotland and Undiscovered Scotland by W.H.MurrayA Long Walk on the Isle of Skye

Classic Climbs - Central & Southern Highlands The Isle of Arran Lonely Planet, Walking in ScotlandPathfinder Guide: Skye and NW Highlands WalksPathfinder Guide: Fort William and Glen Coe Walks Rambler's Guide: Ben Nevis and Glen Coe50 Best Routes on Skye and Raasay - Chris Townsend









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