Photographs and map of a circular traverse of Duncolm in the Kilpatrick Hills: Bike ride from Auchineden Farm to Burncrooks Reservoir, across moors to Duncolm, contour round and ascent by path on south side, views of Loch Lomond, Campsie Fells and Cochno Loch / Jaw Reservoir, descent by vertiginous east face, return via forest track alongside Kilmannan Reservoir.

Location: Kilpatrick Hills
Map: OS Landranger 64 { GR471775 }
Distance: 10 miles { 16.5km }
Time= 5 hours 30 minutes
Terrain: track and path

The Kilpatrick Hills lie between Bearsden and Dumbarton overlooking the River Clyde and offer walks to distinct, if small, summits with ﬁne views.
The terrain is mostly grassy moorlami with tracks and paths, giving fairty straightforward walking.
Duncolm, with its bun-shaped summit, is the highest point and the route here links it with Cochno Hill and The Slacks. two lower summits.
The route can be started from Duntocher via the Auchancraig path beside the Cochno Burn which leads to Cochno Road, or from the car park at GR 503740 on Cochno Road.
Exit back to the road, turn right and straight ahead on to the access road to Coclmo Farm, following a footpath signpost to Jaw Reservoir.
Leave the road on the right at another sign, go through a kissing gate, round a ﬁeld to another gate, then straight on to another gate giving access to a track. Follow the track up and through the break in the trees from where a distinct path leads up to open hillside.
Keep right where the path divides, ascending beside the small Grey Mare's Tail waterfall to Jaw Reservoir.
Head left on a grassy track, keeping left where it divides, to gain the high ridge and summit of Cochno Hill.
From here. the route is clear. The Slacks lies to the west across the glen of the Loch Humphrey Burn and Duncolm to the north.
From the top of Cochno Hill descend the right-hand of two grassy tracks heading to the rightmost of the electricity pylons from where a stony track leads to the dam across Greenside resevoir. Cross over and ascend another grassy track to the trig point on top of The Slacks, and views to the Clyde and Erskine Bridge.
From the top descend a grassy track west for a short way, then sharply north-east to avoid a boggy area and gain a fence line on the craggy northern side. Follow the fence west along the crest of Boglairoch and down to the gravel track beside Loch Humphrey.
Head rightwards towards Duncolm, to where the track ends at a gate and a grassy track continues round Little and Middle Duncolm, to the ﬁnal ascent to the trig point on Duncolm.
Descend south from the summit on a steep path beside at fence to a wall. which is followed to a stile giving access to a marshy path left of the fence.
Cross the burn. staying close to the fence to reach a stile and Greenside Reservoir. A path continues round the east side of the reservoir to the dam and the outward route, which is reversed to the start.

Kilpatrick Hills

Duncolm Circuit Gallery :: Kilpatrick Hills Gallery

<< Back : Bearsden Walks Index : Next >>

Bearsden & District

Scotland Index :: Scottish Peaks :: Scotland Walks

Adventure Travel : Worldwide Mountaineering : Site Index

Guide Books & Maps - Scotland:-

Guide Books & Maps - Scotland

Climbing, Ski-ing & Mountaineering Books