With miles and miles of paths, Kilsyth is a great place for gentle cycling away from the traffic.
Colzium Estate, the Forth and Clyde canal, the Dumbreck marshes and a brush with the Antonine Wall mean that there is enough interest to turn a short route into a full day of exploration.
Colzium Lennox Estate Centred on the 18th Century Colzium House, the surrounding parkland includes the ruins of the 15th Century Colzium Castle, the site of the Battle of Kilsyth (1645), a walled garden and one of the oldest curling ponds in the world.
Forth and Clyde Canal Engineer John Smeaton chose a similar route to the Antonine Wall for his canal linking the North Sea and the Firth of Clyde. Work began in 1768 and it was opened in 1790.
From Market Square go to the left, turn left into Burngreen and along cobbled road past park and old library.
Continue straight on to road indicated as dead end. Dismount to tackle small sets of steps, emerge at Stirling Road.
Cross Stirling Road on to Tak-ma-doon road. After short distance take right on to path signposted for Banton, Colzium and Bluebell Wood. Short steep climb takes you to level path.
Keep right along path (though you can climb to Colzium house by taking a left at the small stone bridge) until you reach driveway at children’s playpark.
Turn right on to drive and follow to entrance to estate on Stirling Road.
Turn right and follow footpath for 250 yards, then turn right, carefully crossing main road to take the road for Dullatur.
Follow minor road round to the left and then round to the right. Take left fork for Dullatur on the downhill.
Continue to canal and go to the right to join towpath. Follow towpath under bridge at Auchinstarry and continue to Twechar.
Leave towpath at Twechar bridge and loop back on to road and take next left towards Queenzieburn. Continue for 150 yards and take up footpath on right for Dumbreck Marsh and Kilsyth.
Follow tarmac path downhill and over narrow bridge then follow gravel path – Dumbreck Marsh is on your left. Stay with the gravel path and the Dock Water.
Just after Dumbreck marshes take left fork signed ‘Kilsyth town centre’. Path becomes rough.
Follow stream into Kilsyth past Astroturf playing fields. At St Patrick’s Primary follow gravel path straight ahead. Dismount, go under bridge.
Continue through small shopping centre. Follow stream through Burngreen park and cross park to war memorial, turn right and right again to return to Market Square.
At Auchinstarry take the gravel path signed Colzium Lennox Estate via Coach Rd. After ½ mile of continue onto Coach Rd for 1 mile.
At the end of Coach Rd turn left, continue carefully on main road for 200 yards. Just before entrance to Colzium Lennox Estate take gravel path on the left behind row of houses for ½ mile, cross road at Burngreen Brae and follow signs for Burngreen park and Town Centre.
