This is a longer and more challenging ride that starts and finishes in the bustling market town of Lanark. Cyclists are treated to beautiful countryside as well as passing by two unusual roadside memorials that offer historical interest.
Highlights
Clydesholm Bridge
The very narrow bridge at Kirkfieldbank was built in the 17th century.
Tinto hill
The summit of Tinto is the highest point in the central lowlands. It is a straightforward walk to the top (90 mins) with wonderful views.
Cargill memorial
At Thankerton, a monument stands in memory of the Rev. Donald Cargill, a 17th century Scottish Presbyterian and Covenanter, who opposed the British monarch’s attempts to impose bishops on churches. He was hanged in Edinburgh in 1681. He spent a night at Covington Farm, near the monument, before being arrested.
Covington
See a hamlet of thatched cottages at Covington and further on, at the farm, there is a medieval keep and dovecot, where Robert Burns spent the night. There is a cairn to commemorate the Scottish bard’s visit.
New Lanark
Close to Lanark is the UNESCO World Heritage Site of New Lanark. The working village and cotton mill buildings were founded by the philanthropist Robert Owen in the early 19th century. There is also a beautiful walking trail to the Falls of Clyde.
Route
From Lanark railway station, head to your right towards the town centre.
Turn left through traffic lights and descend on High Street.
Follow the road through a narrow point at a church and continue downhill.
Turn left for Hamilton A72. This is a very steep downhill.
The road crosses the River Clyde, and you turn first left on to Riverside Road to follow a road to the right into Kirkfield Road and then climb through Kirkfieldbank.
On the edge of the houses on Kirkfield Road, take the left fork on to Byretown Road and continue to follow the road as it climbs more gradually.
Follow the road round to the right and continue to climb to a junction.
Turn left and follow this road for about 1.5 miles. (A road will join from the right but ignore this.)
After a sharp right turn left at a junction signposted Sandilands and descend to a bridge over a river. This is a tight corner.
Continue to a T-junction and turn right to follow the road round to left and climb to a junction with the A70.
Join a cycle lane on your left and follow (100m or so) to a right turn for Carmichael.
Follow the road to the right at a farm and continue to crossroads in Carmichael. There is an old signpost pointing to Lanark.
Turn right and continue through Carmichael. Turn right at foot of hill.
Ride through rolling farmland and continue to follow the road round to the left (there is a dead-end ahead) and continue to Lochlyoch Farm.
Continue through the farmyard and stay left to follow road for 2 miles to A73 at Tinto Hill Tearoom. (This makes a good stopping point for refreshments.)
Go straight over A73 for Thankerton. Continue into Thankerton and take left signed for Carstairs and Carnwath – Boat Road.
Turn left over a railway and descend out of Thankerton, staying on the veering right road.
A left-hand turn in road takes you into the next cluster of buildings then you continue straight on at Boat Farm and climb to Newtown of Covington and then to Covington Mains Farm.
Beyond the farm, the road swings to the left. At a junction, turn right for Pettinain (it is signposted). Follow road to another T-junction.
Turn left and descend towards new homes in Pettinain. Just before new houses, turn right (signed Carstairs Junction) and climb steeply into Pettinain.
At the next T-junction, turn left (road is closed to cars but open for cyclists and pedestrians) and descend to the River Clyde and then continue slightly uphill into Carstairs Junction.
At a T-junction, turn left and continue gradually uphill past Carstairs Junction station. (There are infrequent trains for Glasgow and Edinburgh.) Follow the road to head over the railway and follow it to left to Carstairs village.
Keep the green on your right and continue to a T-junction with Lanark Road. Turn left and leave the village.
Follow the A70 for 0.75 mile. Continue straight on when the A70 goes left and then take the first right uphill into Cleghorn.
Follow the road round to the left and then at a Y-junction follow the A706 into Lanark. (Keep on road, stay right.)
At a T-junction opposite the Bank of Scotland, turn left and follow the High Street back past shops etc and then at top of high street at the lights turn right to return to station.
Lamington Hill is a lower summit in the Southern Uplands and this walk of around 4.5 miles includes some 530ft (160m) of ascent. The summit at 1614ft (492m) above sea level is marked with a trig pillar and there are great views of the surrounding countryside and the Clyde valley. Across the River Clyde, you’ll see the popular hill walking destination of Tinto.
Highlights
Marilyn
Lamington Hill is classified as a Marilyn, which is a peak with a prominence of 150m or more on all sides. The name was coined as a pun in contrast to the better known Munros, which are the 282 Scottish mountains with a height of more than 3,000ft. There are more than 1,500 Marilyns in Britain.
Lamington
The village is reputed to be the home of Marion Braidfute, the legendary wife of William Wallace. It is also said that the name is the origin of Lamington sponge cake, which is popular in Australia, although there are other claims to the naming of this sweet treat, too.
St Ninian’s Church
The building in Lamington looks ordinary until you walk around to the north side of the church. Here, as if inserted into the wall as an afterthought, are the blocked remains of a doorway surrounded by a magnificent Norman carved arch.
Route
Start at the car park by Lamington Church on the A702.
Turn left out of the car park back to the A702 and head right to the minor road signed Baitlaws Estate Walkers.
The walk begins on an easy tarmacked road and makes for a pleasant start to the walk.
Continue along the tarmacked road towards Baitlaws House.
Just before Baitlaws house, there is a gate on the left. This is signposted for walkers.
Follow the track under the trees to another gate (don’t take the stile just before the gate).
At the foot of the hill go through the gate and down to the burn to a bridge over the burn.
Once over the bridge, follow the track up a short steep incline to an opening where you will see a gate and an estate track making its way uphill.
Continue on the estate track as it gradually rises up the hill towards a tree plantation.
At the tree plantation take the quad bike track on your left-hand side up the steep grassy slope of the hill. The trig point comes into view as you near the summit.
Once at the summit, there are fantastic views of the surrounding countryside and hills.
From the summit, you can either retrace your footsteps or take the obvious quad bike track along the ridge of the hill back towards Baitlaws House.
Once back on the main estate track, retrace your steps.
A cycle route with plenty of hills and great countryside views starts from Kilsyth. You’ll tackle some iconic local cycling climbs, such as the Tak-Ma-Doon and the Crow Road. These roads both straddle the Campsie Fells.
There’s an array of towns, villages, and attractions that make a good stop-off for refreshments or for historical interest, such as the Antonine Wall and Forth & Clyde Canal.
Highlights
Forth & Clyde Canal
The historic waterway follows roughly the same route as the Antonine Wall. The reason is, it is the shortest distance between the east and west coasts of Scotland.
Before the Forth & Clyde Canal was built, ships wishing to get from the west coast to the east would have had to sail round the top of Scotland.
Work started on the canal in 1768 and it took 22 years to complete, finishing at Bowling on the River Clyde in 1790.
Twechar
A small former mining village, Twechar has the UNESCO world heritage site - the Antonine Wall, running right through the settlement. Excavations of a Roman Fort sit on top of Bar Hill, which overlooks Twechar.
Auchinstarry Quarry
A disused quarry near Kilsyth has been turned into a leisure area by Kilsyth and Cumbernauld District Council. The floor of the quarry is under water, forming a small loch surrounded by landscaped areas in the foreground with the backdrop of the 30.5m high whinstone face exposed behind. It is a popular destination for climbers.
Antonine Wall
The UNESCO world heritage site - the Antonine Wall – takes the form of remains of the original wall built to keep the Picts out of Roman territory.
Kilsyth
The historic burgh of Kilsyth is home to Burngreen Park, with childrens play area and attractive bandstand. Dumbreck Marsh is also close by, and features a variety of wildlife.
Carron Valley
The forest has purpose-built mountain bike trails.
Route
Leave Market Square in Kilsyth to the left and turn left into Burngreen. Continue past Burngreen Park.
Go round to the left at the end of Duntreath Terrace and on to Station Road. Continue to a junction with Stirling Road.
Go right and follow Stirling Road for a short distance to left turn for Carron Bridge and Tak-Ma-Doon Road.
Follow Tak-Ma-Doon uphill. This is a sustained climb. On a fine day stop at the viewpoint for expansive views over the region and further afield.
Descend on the far side, heading over a ford (take care here) to the Carronbridge Guest House.
Turn left at a junction for Fintry B818. Follow the B818 through the Carron Valley (Carron Valley Trails 1.5 miles on left) for approximately 8 miles to a junction with B822.
Turn left towards Lennoxtown (via Crow Road) and follow for 7 miles.
There is now a long and sustained climb of Crow Road.
Descend into Lennoxtown on Crow Road, then Crosshill Street to a junction with Main Street.
Turn left on to A891 for Milton of Campsie and Torrance.
Continue through Lennoxtown and follow A891 to Milton of Campsie. Enter Milton of Campsie on the downhill.
Just after a playpark, turn right for Kincaid House Hotel and Kirkintilloch, B757 – Birdston Rd.
Continue through Birdston to Kirkintilloch.
At traffic lights at McDonald’s, turn left for Kilsyth A803. Continue to Eastside roundabout and go straight through for Kilsyth A803.
On leaving Kirkintilloch, take the right for Antonine Wall and Twechar B8023.
The road eventually runs parallel with the Forth & Clyde Canal. Continue straight on at Twechar and continue to T-junction opposite Auchinstarry.
Turn left on to B802 for Kilsyth 0.75 mile. Stay on the undulating road into Kilsyth and go straight through roundabouts.
Continue past Lidl and at roundabout with A803, head right for Stirling.
Continue past Coachman Hotel, then turn right for Burngreen park on Station Road to return to start.
An alternative route from Kirkintilloch is to reach the traffic lights at McDonald’s and go straight ahead for 100 yards to a T-junction, then turn right to Hillhead roundabout and take second exit up the hill on Hillhead Road.
At the Forth & Clyde Canal, turn left on to a towpath and follow through Twechar to Auchinstarry.
Rejoin the B8023 before Auchinstarry bridge and at a T-junction turn left on to B802 for Kilsyth.
Follow above directions through Kilsyth and back to start.
One of only six UNESCO World Heritage sites in Scotland, the Antonine Wall is very worthy of a visit, especially for a walk in the footsteps of Roman history.
There is enough of the earthen wall and ditch remaining to be able to understand its defensive qualities and to marvel at the a 37-mile wall built in just two years across Scotland almost 2000 years ago.
Roman soldiers built the Antonine Wall for the Emperor Antoninus Pius around AD 142.
Following the edge of a high ridge for much of the way, the views over Kilsyth and the Kelvin Valley, Campsie Fells and the Kilsyth Hills are equally impressive. Added to this, is a chance to spot wildlife on the Forth & Clyde Canal and wider Kelvin Valley.
Highlights
Auchinstarry Marina
Home to barges and house-boats, the marina is great spot for observing life on the canal. OutdoorTrax at the marina also has a range of outdoor activities to try.
Forth and Clyde Canal
Engineer John Smeaton chose a similar route to the Antonine Wall for his canal linking the North Sea with the Firth of Clyde. Work began in 1768 and the waterway was opened in 1790.
Dumbreck Marsh
A designated site of Special Scientific Interest the marsh is home to many species of of birdlife, including lapwings, water rail and skylarks.
Croy Hill Roman Fort
Croy Hill was the site of one of the small forts built at intervals of one to two miles along the length of the wall. It is not visible on the ground today, but the Antonine Wall ditch is identifiable across much of the hill.
Castle Hill Iron Age fort
Now topped by a trig point, Castle Hill was constructed more than 2,000 years ago. It was thought to have been abandoned when the Romans arrived.
Barr Hill Fort and Roman Bath House
These are among the best Roman remains on the Antonine Wall. Enough of the floor of the bath house remains to understand how Roman central heating worked.
Silvanus, a Roman head sculpture
The new replica distance stone sits next to a towering Roman head sculpture at the Nethercroy Site, near Kilsyth, of the Antonine Wall. It is named after the Roman god of the woods, and sits at the Nethercroy site of the Antonine Wall. You can also explore one of the North Lanarkshire Stories sites at this point.
Route
From the Auchinstarry Marina, head along the south side canal towpath. And continue east to the next bridge.
Head past the canal boats westward until you reach Nethercroy.
At Nethercroy take the junction west. It is signposted “Craigmarloch, 1 mile.”
At the gate, continue upwards.
At the junction, head west. It is signposted “Croy hill, Antonine’s wall – 1 mile.”
Go south past Silvanus and stop to admire the stunning sculpture.
Turn east at the sign for Croy. Head up McCoy Hill on a well-defined path.
The path will eventually lead to three trees. Continue on the path through the trees and up to the top of Croy Hill.
Check out the information stones on the route.
Continue eastwards along the top of the hill on the path.
Stay on the path and head towards the right of the houses.
Head through the gate and down the path.
Head through the green gate and look eastwards. There is a path heading towards the road.
Head east on this path.
Walk through the gate and cross the road to the path on the opposite side of the road. Watch out for traffic.
Head up the path in an eastwards direction.
Continue eastwards until the path reaches a gate. Head through the gate.
The path eventually reaches another gate.
Continue on the path until you come to a sign that says “Bar Hill”. Take the small path to the north. Or if you want a shorter walk, continue northward on the sign marked “Auchistarry Marina”.
Check out the information stone.
The highest point of the route is now visible. Head up the hill.
The top is marked by a trig point.
Head west, down through the trees and then head west on a faint path.
Keep high up on the path and you will reach the site of the Roman fort.
Head west to the gate, then turn north at the next gate.
Follow the path to the village of Twechar.
Turn north at the war memorial and walk along the pavement to the canal.
Walk east along the canal.
At the end of the canal, continue for 50m until you reach the bridge.
Turn east at the bridge.
Cross the road and go through the green gate to return to Auchinstarry.
Take a walk back in time on the short and easy route though the village of Douglas, which sits on Douglas Water.
With every step, you will encounter significant people and events in Scotland’s history from the Wars of Independence with England to World War II.
Highlights
James Gavin Memorial
“Bloody” Claverhouse – John Graham of Claverhouse, 1st Viscount Dundee – cut off James Gavin’s ears with his own tailoring shears as punishment for attending an illegal prayer meeting during a period in the 17th century known as the Killing Times.
St Bride’s Church
The clock in the hexagonal tower was a gift from Mary Queen of Scots and is said to be the oldest working town clock in Scotland. The remaining aisle contains the tomb of Sir James Douglas, who was Robert the Bruce’s right-hand man.
Sun Inn
The private home is claimed as the oldest building in Douglas and has served as an inn and a courthouse. Bloody Claverhouse often stayed here when on patrol.
Polish War monuments
Carved in stone, these insignia are a lasting reminder of the exiled Polish army’s stay here during World War II.
Cameronian Monument
The Cameronian regiment was disbanded here in 1968. The Angus regiment became known as the Cameronians.
Douglas Castle
Now just a ruined tower, Douglas Castle was renamed Castle Dangerous by Sir Walter Scott. It was the scene of a particularly dastardly act during the Wars of Independence when an English patrol was tricked into believing the castle was empty. The tower was built as a folly and is not part of the original castle, which is on an adjacent site.
Angus Monument
The Earl of Angus – who was the first Colonel of the Cameronian Regiment – points to the spot where the Angus regiment (the Cameronians) was raised in 1689.
Route
From the Douglas Arms, walk along Main Street.
Go to the right at a newsagents, past old St Bride’s Church and the Sun Inn.
Continue downhill to the left to a lodge and enter the castle policies.
Keep to a broad track that skirts Stable Loch.
At a ruined tower (Castle Dangerous) go to the left downhill and cross iron bridge.
Walk towards a cottage and then go to the right.
Head through double gate on left and follow a track uphill through trees.
At the top of the hill, turn left and follow a forestry track. (German POWs marched along this track from their camp to the pit head baths at Douglas West.)
The track narrows and you need to squeeze through trees to join a broad track and turn left.
At remains of mine buildings, turn left downhill through light woodland.
Continue to cross Douglas Water on a blue bridge.
Skirt playing fields and follow a lane to a road. Turn right and follow the road to the rear of St Bride’s church.
Continue to Angus monument and turn left to go downhill. At the foot of the hill turn left and then right to return to start on Main Street.
Cyclists will enjoy a pleasant route that follows country lanes through a rolling rural landscape. There are plenty of interesting stopping points, such as Wilsontown and its iron foundry, the sleepy hamlet of Auchengray and quiet woodlands that are perfect for a picnic.
Highlights
Iron Foundry
Founded in 1812, the Wilsontown Iron Foundry is on the site of the first iron works in Lanarkshire, and only the second in Scotland. There are a series of walks that explore what remains of the foundry.
Auchengray
The distinctive village church is modelled on a Coptic church in Alexandria, Egypt. (next to the primary school in Auchengray)
West Forth Woodland
A forest located in gently rolling countryside around West Forth, near to Forth with a good network of paths and tracks for walking, cycling or horse riding. woodlandtrust.org.uk/visiting-woods/woods/west-forth-woodland
Route
From the St Paul’s Parish Church in Wilsontown go to the left – downhill – and take the first left into Manse Road. This is 150m or so and after a road sign highlighting a main road turning right.
Follow Manse Road out of Forth to a T-junction at a former church. Turn left, and then after 200m turn right (signed for Auchengray).
Follow road through Wilsontown and round to the left, heading into rolling farmland.
Follow road through Haywood and at a left bend in road follow a sign for Auchengray.
After crossing a railway bridge, there is a steep climb into Auchengray. Turn right at a T-junction and cycle through the hamlet.
Leave Auchengray, heading downhill and follow the road round to the right and over a level crossing.
Follow long straight road to a T-junction at Eastshield Farm.
Turn right, signed for Forth.
Climb into Braehead. Continue through Braehead and descend, ignoring the first left – Bog Road – and continue on the road following sign for Wilsontown.
At bungalows (look for road on left with a sign warning of ford) and take that left for the ford.
Descend to cross the ford or use a bridge in flood and continue on road to climb into Forth.
At a T-junction, turn left into Manse Road and continue to the end of road and turn right on to main road to return to start.
Dalzell Estate is a picturesque location with a host of features, including ornamental bridges, exotic trees and Japanese gardens. These were the creation of former owners of the estate house, the Hamiltons.
It’s worth taking binoculars and a camera so that you can make the most of the bird hides overlooking the Baron’s Haugh, from where it’s possible to see kingfishers, teal, pochard and red wing, among others.
Highlights
Nature Reserve
RSPB Baron’s Haugh nature reserve takes the form of a flooded marshland in a bend of the River Clyde. The reserve attracts wintering wildfowl, including widgeon and whooper swans.
Old graveyard
A short detour along Chestnut Walk leads to this very spooky graveyard. Peer into the Hamilton family mausoleum and look out for their pet cemetery.
Dalzell House
The centrepiece of the estate, the impressive building is more than 500 years old. The Hamiltons of Dalzell lived here from the 17th century until the early 1950s. Apparently, at least three ghosts also inhabit the building. It is privately owned.
Covenanters’ Oak
The tree was planted by David I and it’s said to be the oldest living thing in North Lanarkshire. This oak sheltered secret religious services held by Covenanters in the 17th century.
Japanese gardens
A pocket of eastern serenity, the gardens were laid out in the 18th century to resemble those of the temple of the Buddha at Nagasaki.
White walk
This roadway was originally created so that miners making their way to work each day didn’t spoil the view from the Dalzell House.
Route
This walk follows the red route, the longest of five marked routes that explore the reserve and estate.
Leaving the RSPB car park, you follow a path signposted “to the hides”. Follow this red ash path downhill to junction with broad path.
Turn right on-to broad path. Watch out for hide on the left.
Turn left off main footpath on-to narrow path through trees.
After a short distance turn left again to join footpath by the River Clyde and follow for about one mile.
At the junction with the Chestnut Walk go through the gate. If you want to see the graveyard go up Chestnut Walk here for a couple of hundred metres, then cross a little stone bridge to the left and retrace your steps back to continue.
Walk up Lime Walk to continue along the riverbank.
At the end of the Lime Walk turn uphill away from the Clyde and go through gate.
Keep left at each fork in the path as you go uphill. Path winds through yew trees and skirts the edge of housing.
At junction with footpath (green route) turn right downhill using the steps guarded by green railing. Once over the burn and marshland the path turns uphill.
At the top of the steps turn left and continue straight on for Dalzell House.
At junction with tarmac road turn left past Dalzell House’s impressive frontage and then right downhill past the Covenanters’ Oak.
At bottom of the hill cross bridge and then turn right or follow path through Japanese gardens.
A short distance beyond the gardens turn left off the main avenue. When path forks go to the right.
Cross tarmac road (White walk) to return to car park.
The Lowther hills have been mined for gold and lead since Roman times and while the mines are now closed, there are many reminders of this past industry. While you’ll spot piles of spoil, old railway tracks and miners’ cottages, this doesn’t detract from the beauty of the hills but rather this adds interest for passing cyclists. This ride is straightforward with some steep climbs. The route follows a mix of country roads and the A702.
Highlights
Leadhills
Scotland’s second highest village.
Leadhills Library
The library was founded in 1741 by the mathematician James Stirling and the poet Allan Ramsay. It is the oldest subscription library in Scotland. The oldest man? A gravestone of John Taylor in Leadhills Graveyard suggests he was 137 years old when he died. If this is the case, he is one of the oldest people in recorded history.
Curfew bell
Hanging from a pyramid of posts in the centre of Leadhills is a bell that is dated 1770. The bell was rung to sound the end of shifts and emergencies in the lead mines
Route
Turn left (north) from car park on Carlisle Road. Leave Crawford and continue to a roundabout.
Turn right at the roundabout for Abington to follow A702 (NCN 74) and join cycle lane on left.
Continue through Abington and then cycle to a roundabout at motorway services. ` Turn left for Douglas B7078, Crawfordjohn B740.
Rejoin cycle lane and continue to next roundabout. Turn right signed Douglas (NCN 74). ` After 0.75 mile, go left, signposted for Crawfordjohn.
Follow road to Crawfordjohn.
At Crawfordjohn, take left at fork and continue past Colebrooke Arms on Main Street.
At the junction at the end of Main Street, turn left and descend past a churchyard.
Climb steeply over a pass known locally as Apache and then descend to T-Junction with B797. Turn right for Leadhills. Follow road for 3 miles.
In Leadhills, turn left for Elvanfoot (Elvanfoot Road). Follow the road for 5 miles to T-junction with Dumfries Road (A702). Turn left and continue through Elvanfoot.
At a roundabout, follow signs for Carlisle, Beattock and Crawford off to the left and go under the motorway. At a T-junction turn left and join cycle lane (NCN 74) and then the cycle path.
After 1½ miles, turn right for Crawford and return to start
The cycle route follows quiet back roads and uses a cycle lane along the busy A702 to link the two historic villages of Crawford and Abington.
The River Clyde is never far away as you ride first north through the Clyde valley, along the eastern side of the river and then south on the western side.
The nearby hills are the Lowthers, which have been described as God’s Own Treasure House thanks to the naturally occurring gold.
The hills have been mined for this precious mineral since Roman times and while the mines are now closed plenty of reminders remain, including mining villages and miners’ cottages, piles of spoil and old railways.
Highlights
Mercat cross There is a mercat cross (market cross) at Crawford. The origins of a mercat cross – they can be seen all over Scotland – is that it was erected as a symbolic representation of the right to hold a regular market or fair. It served as an indication of a town’s relative prosperity.
Crawford Castle
Also called Lindsay Tower, the castle is now a ruin, but in the 16th century it was the location for a dinner between King James V and the French ambassador. The king, who was about to be married to Magdalene of France, presented his guests with cups full of gold pieces.
Abington
The village was strategically important for the Romans and there is still evidence of forts and settlements in the area. Just north of the village, earthworks date from the 12th century.
Upper Clyde Parish Church
Located in Abington, a grey-and-brown stone church, which is edged in red, has a foundation stone that was laid on August 9, 1898.
Route
Turn left as you leave the car park (heading north)
Follow the road uphill to pass Crawford’s mercat cross, located on a red-chipped traffic island.
Turn right on to Camps Road, signed for Camps Reservoir and Lindsay Tower.
Once over the River Clyde take first left uphill.
Continue for a couple of miles then turn left at Mountview Caravan Park and continue uphill to Abington.
At the fire station in Abington turn left.
Follow A702 and join the cycle lane.
Continue to a roundabout at Crawford where you take the first left and descend into the village on Carlisle Road to return to start.
The Kilsyth Hills form the continuous bluff along the northern edge of the Central Lowlands that hides the Highlands from view. Climbing Tomtain and Garrel Hill, the highest points in North Lanarkshire, however, reveals all.
From the summit of Tomtain there are excellent views over the Carron Valley of the Southern Highlands and across the central valley to the Southern Uplands.
Nearby Kilsyth is one of only two official “Walkers Welcome” towns in Scotland.
Highlights
Colzium House
Eighteenth century Colzium House is at the centre of Lennox estate, which is also home to the ruins of 15th-century Colzium Castle. It’s here that the 1645 battle of Kilsyth, fought between the Royalists and the Covenanters, took place. The parklands feature a walled garden and one of the world’s oldest curling ponds.
Ice house
Near Colzium Burn is an old ice house, which was built in 1680 to preserve meat and game.
Grannies Mutch
Located at the top of Colzium Glen, the mutch was built as a shelter and rest spot. The weight and precision of the masonry of this small semi-domed structure are impressive.
Chapmen’s Graves
The graves are marked by two cairns, located a short distance from the summit of Tomtain. Chapmen were travelling salesman, who feature in folklore as murderers or victims of murder. In this case, one Chapman murdered the other and when the murderer was executed, he was buried alongside his victim.
Note: To visit the Chapmen’s graves and climb Garrel Hill (small cairn) continue along the stone dyke (wall) to the west from Tomtain.
Route
The Kilsyth Hill range sits to the northern edge of the Central Lowlands and a walk to Tomtain at 1486ft above sea level (453m) – and one of the highest points in North Lanarkshire – reveals beautiful and wide sweeping views of over the lush Carron Valley and north towards the Scottish Highlands.
Starting at Colzium House, go to the right but do not cross the bridge.
Go to the left to follow signs for ice house, glen nature trail and Granny’s Mutch.
The path follows a burn upstream.
Cross a stone bridge and continue upstream. At the top waterfall, cross a bridge and go immediately right to follow path to a road.
Turn right and follow Tak-Ma-Doon Road uphill to reach a car park and viewpoint. This is the highest point on the road, and there is a viewpoint with spectacular views of Lanarkshire and beyond to the south and east.
Walk downhill, still on the road, and then turn left at green gate to gain a footpath.
Follow the footpath alongside a fence and stone dyke that skirts forestry to reach the summit of Tomtain.
Retrace your outward route to return to Colzium House.