March 2017 | 43
3
. Continue along the pavement for
150m then turn right around a gate and continue along an embankment a short way . Go through a gate and turn left to continue along the Allander Walkway riverside path . Cross a footbridge to the opposite bank before crossing back and continuing until the A81 is reached on the outskirts of Milngavie . Turn left under the railway bridge then cross the road and follow the path uphill ( Allander Way signpost ) and continue to traffic lights at a junction . Turn right onto the B8030 and continue for 500m to another set of traffic lights at a junction . Turn left onto Ellangowan Road and follow it round to a paved area on the left with a WHW sign ; leave the road here to join the WHW .
4
. Follow signs for Mugdock and the
WHW , keep SA at a path junction , pass under a footbridge and keep straight on where a path bears left to the library . The path continues through woods then emerges by a bridge over the Allander Water right ; bear and continue alongside the burn ( watch out for dog walkers ), soon looking out for a signpost on the right where the WHW climbs suddenly and steeply away from the river . At the top of the climb turn left at a T-junction , following the WHW . The path broadens and continues through Mugdock Wood .
5
. Pass around a metal barrier onto a road ; turn left then jink right again on the WHW . Continue along the metalled track , skirting Scroggy Hill and soon passing to the left of Craigallian Loch . At a fork bear right , descending then climbing a little past a collection of the Carbeth Huts ( wood cabins used as weekend retreats ).
6
. Go through another gate , descend a short way then turn left at a path junction , continuing past the west side of the wooded knoll of Dumgoyach . The path descends , swings right then climbs to a gate . Go through and follow a track to the right of the path . Cross the Blane Water and keep straight on ( leaving the WHW ) to a T-junction . Turn right along the A81 or 1km before turning left onto an unsignposted farm road . Head towards the farm at Craigbrock , turn sharp left and follow the winding road up to a junction with the ‘ Pipe Track ’ running beneath the escarpment of the Campsie Fells . Turn right , continue around to Cantywheery , then follow the track straight on for 2km to reach the A81 at Blanefield . Turn left and follow the road for 700m into Strathblane .
7
. Turn left off the mini-roundabout onto the A891 ( signposted Campsie Glen , Lennoxtown ), then after 150m turn right off the road onto a narrow lane
( signposted Strathkelvin Railway Path : 755 ). Continue along the lane and cross a bridge to join the surfaced path alongside the Pow Burn . After 5km , jink right at a path junction ( signposted Strathkelvin Railway Path : 755 ), cross a footbridge and arrive at a road . Turn left a short way then cross over ( 755 sign ) to continue by the river on a surfaced path through woods . At a path junction , turn left then right to follow the Strathkelvin Railway Path alongside Glazert Water . Pass under a road bridge , re-cross the river on a footbridge and arrive at a road 300m further on .
8
. Turn right ( signposted Lennox Forest , Balmore ) along the track road then fork right after 600m onto a loose stone track climbing through Finniescroft Wood . At the T-junction with South Brae Road , turn left ( signposted Balmore ) and continue , soon climbing steeply . The gradient eventually levels and enters Lennox Forest . The public road runs out at a parking area near a communications tower . Keep straight on ( signposted Balmore 3 .) around a barrier onto a forestry road . After 400m turn left and descend along a forestry track ; where it swings left keep straight on onto a path ( this I easy to miss ), which soon leaves the forestry via a stile , swings right and contours around to another stile . Go over and descend steeply on the Mealybrae Road – a narrow , bouldery path , which makes an entertaining descent . Keep straight on downhill and the track soon rejoins tarmac .
9
. Keep straight on at a junction then straight on ( right ) at a fork and follow the winding road down to Balmore , continuing through the village to a junction with the A807 . Jink left then right onto residential Old Balmore Road , then after 250m turn right onto a surfaced track between fields ( signposted Canal , Bishopbriggs ). Turn left then right to cross the River Kelvin on a footbridge and continue right ( signposted Canal , Bishopbriggs ) along a wooded path between golf courses then a track road . Pass the church at Cadder and swing right on the road alongside the Forth and Clyde Canal .
1
0 . Continue on the NR754 cycle route along the towpath for 6km before taking a RH fork down off the embankment onto Lochburn Road ( signposted Clydebank , Bowling ). Go through the tunnel then turn immediately left to climb the path to the embankment . Turn left and continue along the embankment ( signposted Clydebank , Bowling ), soon passing Maryhill Locks . Look out for a Kelvin Walkway sign and turn left to follow the path in a series of zig-zags down to the river , bearing left to follow the outward route back to the start in Kelvingrove Park .