Bearsden & District

Mugdock Country Park

Craigend Stables

above Craigend Pond

Campsie Fells

from Mugdock Country Park

Scots Pine Trees

in Mugdock Country Park

Khyber fields

in Mugdock Country Park

Mugdock Castle

Mugdock Castle was the stronghold of Clan Graham.

The original castle was built in the mid-14th century.

It comprised four towers around a courtyard with high walls.
The main gate was in the middle of the south wall.

The castle stood on a mound of volcanic rock
on the edge of Mugdock Loch.

Wikipedia - Mugdock Castle

Wikipedia - Castles in Scotland

Mugdock Castle

The south west tower,
connecting curtain wall,
and the remains of the north west tower

- the remains of the original stone castle
that was completed in 1372.

Wikipedia - Mugdock Castle

Wikipedia - Castles in Scotland

Mugdock Mansion

The former Mugdock Mansion

now demolished

Mugdock Mansion

The former Mugdock Mansion

now demolished

Swans in Mugdock Loch

beneath Mugdock Castle

Mugdock Castle - old photo

Craigend Castle as it was in the 1950s

A plain house was originally built by John Smith
( of John Smith & Son, booksellers ).

His son, James,
subsequently incorporated this house
in the ornate mansion shown in the photograph.

This mansion was designed by Alexander Ramsay
in what is described as Regency Gothic style.

Wikipedia - Craigend Castle

Scottish Castles - Craigend Castle

The Glasgow Story - Craigend Castle

Craigend Castle - Old photo

Craigend Castle - Notice

Craigend Castle - notice

Craigend Castle Zoo

Craigend Castle Zoo

William Wilson and his son,
the proprietors of a miniature zoo in Oswald Street,
opened a new zoo at Craigend in 1949
with various exotic creatures
including an elephant, lions, monkeys and crocodiles.

It failed to attract significant numbers of visitors
and closed in 1954.

Victorian Walled Garden

West Highland Way signpost

at exit from Mugdock Country park

at the Khyber Pass

Winter sun in Mugdock Country Park

Photo by Rick Adam

( https://www.flickr.com/photos/rickadam/6314078923/ )

Old photograph of the courtyard

in Mugdock Country Park

Map of Mugdock Country Park

( Note:- Click here or on above for large format copy )

Map of Mugdock Country Park

Location Map for Mugdock Country Park

Map and Walking Route for Mugdock Country Park

Route Map for Mugdock Country Park

& Mugdock Reservoir

MUGDOCK COUNTRY PARK WALK - ROUTE DESCRIPTION:

This is a circular walk of about four miles and two hours duration from the South Lodge Car Park at Mugdockbank.
The walk takes in the Visitor Centre, Drowning Pond and Craigend Castle in Mugdock Country Park.
The walk leaves the car park ( located at the top of Mugdock Road above Mugdock Reservoir ) and enters the country park through the gate on the left. lt turns right at the T-junction and after a short distance, follows the sign ‘Visitor Centre’ to turn right and cross the wooden bridge onto the path along the south side of Mugdock Loch.At the next junction the path leaves the lochside and continues straight ahead to climb up rocky ground onto a tarmac path. lgnore the stile on the right over the wall and take the path as it swings round to the left along the side of the wall to enter Peitches Moor, a lovely open area with fantastic hill views on either side.
At the end of the tarmac the walk takes the grass track on the right to a sign, ‘Steep Drop Do Not Cross’ which is attached to a fence surrounding an impressive water ﬁlled quarry. It turns left along the side of the fence and crosses over a walkboard into the heart of the moor.
Continuing west, optional paths are available before crossing another two walkboards, leaving the moor and entering Pheasants Wood, a small wood of mostly rhododendrum bushes and with an internal circular path.
The walk takes the left path round the wood, it being the shortest route to the exit point on the left for the steps down to Craigend Pond.
It turns right passes Craigend Victorian Walled Garden, built initially to provide food for the estate, and takes the left path up to the Visitor Centre, initially the stables and coach house.
If time allows it is of interest to browse around the centre, visit the gift shops and perhaps have a snack and coffee in one of the two cafes, all converted from the original stables.
Leaving the centre, the walk follows the sign ‘Gallowhill BBQ Site’ into an open ﬁeld now used by youth clubs for barbeque activities.
It goes round the edge of the ﬁeld into the rhododendrum wood and takes the path on the right for the Drowning Pond. This was where in medieval times those accused of witchcraft would be tied to a ‘dooking stool‘ and if they survived the drowning in the pond, would be declared witches and burnt at the stake.
It is an interesting area steeped in history and has been recently designed with a viewpoint which looks down on Craigend Castle.
The castle itself now dilapidated having been destroyed by ﬁre. At one time it was a stately home built by James Ramsay in the early 19th century for the Smith family and in the 1950s it was used as a restaurant for Craigend Zoo.
The walk leaves Gallow Hill along a zig-zag path and turns right on joining the main path, above Craigend Pond.
It passes the rocky hillside on the right which supported some of the zoo animal cages and then, at a U-bend with an open ﬁeld view, the front of Craigend Castle.
On the return route, the walk continues along the tree lined avenue which was the original drive entrance to and from the castle, passes the signed paths to Khyber Car Park and Mugdock Castle on the right and the Visitor Centre on the left. It then reaches Mugdock Loch and turns right onto the lochside outward path and back to the South Lodge Car Park.

Location: Milngavie, north-west Glasgow
Map: OS Landranger 64 ( GR 557758 )
Distance: 5.5 miles [9km]
Time: 3 hours
Terrain: signposted paths

Mugdock Country Park, north of Milngavie, provides a good starting point for this walk. From the main visitor centre car park follow the signposted path round to Craigend Castle, from where a path leads right, signposted to Khyber car park.
Follow the track left from here towards Mugdock Castle to the old gun ernplacements, built in 1941.
The track continues to a junction of paths outside the main entrance to the castle.
Before exploring the fort, remember that the route goes on to the right at this junction. After leaving the castle, followthe already identified path to where it divides and continue right, following signs for Mugdock Wood. This leads down through broadleaf woodland and a wall sculpture to sections of board walk.
Walk down past a mined building to a junction signposted right to Khyber Pass and continue down to a main junction with the West Highland Way. Turn left to Milngavie and Drumclog Moor and follow the Allander Water beside Milngavie golf course to a four-way junction.
Go left here and ascend onto Drumclog Moor to join a main path and follow it right to a car park on the minor road beside Mugdock Reservoir.
Gain the tarmac path beside the reservoir and follow it anti-clockwise, with southerly views at the dam end over Milngavie and Tannoch Loch to Glasgow. Cross the causeway between Mugdock and Craigmaddie Reservoir [ or continue around Craigmaddie for a longer walk], and continue the circuit through woodland to the bridge at the northern end of the reservoir.
Cross the bridge, exit to the road and turn right, following the pavement north at the end of the pavement take care on a short section of road before taking a path on the left into woodland beside the burn in a pleasant little gorge. This path leads up past the South Lodge car park to a junction.
Turn right and continue to another junction signposted left to Mugdock Castle and right to the visitor centre.
At the T-junction, turn left beside the loch with views across to Mugdock Castle.
Past a small cliff on the path and the end of the loch, a path turning on the right leads up to parkland and views of Craigend Castle. A right at the next junction skirts the right side of the small loch below the walled garden and the car park.