From Milgavie, just follow the West Highland Way until Drymen, it's all very cycleable (through Mugdock Wood, past Craigallian Loch, Dumgoyach) if you have a mountain bike and some off-road tyres.
The route from the West highland Way into Drymen and then up to Buchanan Castle and past the golf club towards Gartocharn.
At Drymen, there is an opportunity to take a path that leads past Buchanan Castle (now abandoned) where Rudolph Hess was imprisoned for a period following his crash-landing during WWII at Floors Farm near Eaglesham. It's a great old building in great old grounds, and more information can be found in Gordon Mason's wonderful Castles of the Clyde Valley, a book that no greater Glasgow cyclist should be without.
From Buchanan Castle, just follow the path through the golf course making sure Conic Hill is behind you not in front of you (I made this mistake the first time and ended up in Milton of Buchanan!!). This should take you out onto the Old Military Road the A811 not too far from the village of Gartocharn. Now, you can either cycle this road all the way to Balloch or, if you prefer not to be hassled by cars, do as I do and take the idyllic back road Sustrans route 7 past Meiklefinnery (with excellent views of the 'dumpling' Duncryne Hill) all the way to Balloch Castle Country Park.
The roofless Buchanan Castle in luxurious grounds... (May 2012)
There
was an original castle on this site near the village of Drymen as the
seat of the Buchanans. But in 1682, because of financial difficulties,
it was sold to the Graham Marquis (later Dukes) of Montrose. This
building was burned down in 1850 and the present building was created,
designed by William Burn with gardens modelled by "Capability" Brown.
After the death of the 5th Duke of Montrose, Buchanan Castle was sold in 1925. It was used as a hotel and then a military hospital during the Second World War. Hitler's deputy, Rudolph Hess was treated for injuries there after he crash-landed in Scotland, near Eaglesham, in May 1941. In the 1950s, in order to avoid paying local taxes, the roof was removed and as a result the building deteriorated rapidly. Much of the surrounding land became a golf course and a number of houses have also been built in the grounds.
In 2003, a planning application was turned down to demolish the internal walls of Buchanan Castle and retain only the south and east walls. 39 flats would then have been built in the interior space of the ruin. However, it is likely that the developers will be back with alternative proposals.
After the death of the 5th Duke of Montrose, Buchanan Castle was sold in 1925. It was used as a hotel and then a military hospital during the Second World War. Hitler's deputy, Rudolph Hess was treated for injuries there after he crash-landed in Scotland, near Eaglesham, in May 1941. In the 1950s, in order to avoid paying local taxes, the roof was removed and as a result the building deteriorated rapidly. Much of the surrounding land became a golf course and a number of houses have also been built in the grounds.
In 2003, a planning application was turned down to demolish the internal walls of Buchanan Castle and retain only the south and east walls. 39 flats would then have been built in the interior space of the ruin. However, it is likely that the developers will be back with alternative proposals.
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