Strathblane and Blanefield
Date: 11th December 2022
Leader: Pat
Grade: C
Number on walk: 18
Length: 14km. Ascent: 300m
A walk along well maintained paths. Initially along the Loch Katrine to Glasgow ‘Pipe Track’ westwards towards the Glengoyne Distillery. Near the distillery turning south to join the West Highland Way and following this to Mugdock Country Park. At Mugdock Country Park joining the John Muir Way back to Strathblane.
Click here for GPX track of the walk
Our group on the pipe track between Blanefield and Cantywheery
The view looking NW from near Cantywheery with Ben Lomond visible on the right
Duntreath aqueduct bridge on the pipeline from Loch Katrine to Milngavie built in 1855-59
Before lunch we joined the West Highland Way and passed Dumgoyach, on the right, with a view back towards Ben Lomond
Lunchtime on the West Highland Way near Arlehaven with a view to Dumgoyne
An intrepid member of our group on the Gouk Stane – ready to make his wish
Legend has it that any wish made as you slide off the stone will come true. The name Gouk is derived from old Norse and means cuckoo. In more modern times the word gowk has become associated with Gowk’s Day a Scottish version of the English April Fools’ Day. Thus Gowk can mean either cuckoo or fool. Is “our”Gowk Stane the place where cuckoos can be heard (they can) or a stone on which fools climb?
Almost back in Strathblane as we descend the escarpment and return to the start of our walk