Meet at 10h30 at Pathfoot rear entrance (car parking here, or at front of Pathfoot building, space permitting, or in adjacent Andrew Stewart Hall car park. £2 for 3 hours). There are toilet and refreshment facilities in Pathfoot Building. There are also public toilets at BOFA’s Provost’s Park. From Pathfoot rear car park, we leave the campus by a gate in the old estate wall, and join the Sheriffmuir Road, passing Blawlowan, the last house of the 18th century Pathfoot village, and follow the Pendreich branch of the road as far as Drumbrae farm. The road is single-track but traffic is normally light and after a short, initially steep section, the ascent is gentle and affords unfolding views over the carse towards Ben Lomond, Ben Ledi, and the Gargunnock Hills. At Drumbrae, the route leaves the road and takes the forest path down towards the village, passing the historic copper mine and the Wolf Hole quarry which provided much of the stone for the expansion of BOFA as a spa resort. Via the mid-Wood trail and a brief detour to the former Westerton Ice house, we reach the junction of Well Road and Alexander Drive above Henderson Street at Provost’s park. Return to Pathfoot via the former Allanwater hotel and pump room and Kenilworth Road. Going is generally easy-to-moderate but the forest paths can be muddy in places, and rutted by mountain biking, so boots are recommended. Please let Bill know if you intend to come on the walk: postmaster@eileenandbill.plus.com (mob. 07810 800367)
Walk round Upper Bridge of Allan
Tuesday 28 November - 10:30am
2.5 miles; approx. 2 hours allowing for brief stops along the route. A relatively short circular walk on a mixture of metalled roads, forest paths and pavements encompassing the historic Westerton estate and the Victorian residential development of the village above Henderson Street (A9).