A donner in the Kilpatricks
Date: 06 September 2025
Leader: Miles
Grade: B
Number on walk: 13
Length 17 km. Ascent 630 m.
Hills climbed: None
Click here for GPX track of the walk
Initially we walked alongside Gruggies Burn
Gruggies Burn is probably named after the Grugie family, who lived in the area during the 17th century. Roy’s Military Survey of 1747 – 1755 shows a bridge where the old turnpike road (now Dumbarton Road) crossed the burn as “Grugiesbrigg”.
After about an hour we reached Overtoun House
Overtoun House, built in Scottish Baronial style between 1859 and 1864 for James White, was gifted to Dumbarton in 1939. It operated as a maternity hospital from the 1950s to 1970s, then saw varied community use. Refurbished in the early 2000s, it reopened in 2017 as a Centre for Hope and Healing for women in crisis.
A fallen tree sculpted to look like a fish
This, together with several other chain saw carvings, was installed during the early 2000s while the estate was being prepared for public use.
The Lang Craigs offer an excellent view of Dumbarton and the River Clyde
We had our lunch on the Lang Craigs while enjoying the view over Dumbarton
After lunch our leader explained what the rest of the walk had in store
We crossed Greenland Reservoir No. 3 before arriving at Loch Humphrey
This reservoir, retained by an earth embankment built between 1930 and 1950, still supplies drinking water to Dumbarton.
Walking towards Old Kilpatrick along the south side of The Slacks near the end of our walk