Old Kilpatrick to Dumbarton via Loch Humphrey & The Doughnot

What a great route this is! To be sure, the initial part up the Loch Humphrey path involves a fairly steep climb but it's a good excuse to get off the bike and walk. The views across the Clyde estuary and southwards from halfway up are simply incredible.

Once up at Loch Humphrey take the west side trail that leads into the conifer plantation towards Greenlands Reservoir No.1. This is an idyllic little lake walled in by spruce trees and redolent of the small dystrophic lakes of north-east Poland. It is superbly peaceful too.

Follow the path round and at the fork take the left trail towards Rigganower Farm (do not take the circular crags path). As a small diversion you could go right for a few hundred metres to Black Linn Reservoir where the peculiar knoll called the Doughnot stands. It is a relatively easy climb to its summit since by now, on the Kilpatrick plateau, we are almost three quarters of the way up it already. The views all around are spectacular and worthy of the 40 minute or so detour.

On top of the Doughnot


At Rigganower Farm, and in spite of the signs informing us not to pass through and take instead the field path, hop the fence and cycle through taking you onto the road which leads all the way down to Milton. Take care as the road is steep and crumbly, and there may be large trucks to deal with which are working the quarry. At Milton there are a couple of fine houses, old and new. At the bottom of the road where it joins another, take a sharp right up to the wonderfully grey gothic Overtoun House. Here, we can take refreshments before carrying on down to Dumbarton, passing another eye-catching building in the Police Headquarters, and the train station to take us home. All in all, depending on your pace, the route can take the best part of a day, or if not prone to lying in the grass and listening to insects, a few hours.

 Overtoun House