The Barrhead Boucle

This little circuit is spectacular in many ways, not least for the airy quality of space up there on the plateau. It's pretty self-explanatory judging from the map above. Starting at Barrhead Station the route heads up the beautifully quiet Gateside Road to Foreside Farm. It's a great little start to any route as there are a few lung-opening slopes to get up, so by the time you get up to Foreside and the plateau you are suitably invigorated and primed to receive all that space! It's also quite a short route taking no more than a couple of hours at a gentle pace. I imagine if you kept your head down, you could actually do it in under an hour, but I just don't roll like that. I like to take my time.

 The bench of serenity overlooking Paisley and Strathclyde in Gleniffer Braes Country Park as we approach Paisley Golf Club. The views are quite stupendous!

The enchanting waterfall beneath the braes just to the north of Glenburn Reservoir. Wonderful on a warm summer's day.

The route back via the waterfall is clearly marked and the trail through the woods in excellent condition. The waterfall (about 10m) was a real discovery for me. It is simply wonderful and without a doubt the most energetic waterfall I have seen in the greater Glasgow area. The sun dappling through the trees, the bird song, and the general unpopulated aspect, lent an air of paradise to the place. It is a little piece of heaven just to the south of Paisley, no doubt.

Barrhead Circular via the Kissing Tree & Glenburn Reservoir

Here, it's the small inner circle we're interested in, kicking off from Barrhead Station (blue circle, centre right) heading in a south-westerly direction up into the Fereneze Hills.

This is a great wee route, short, but invigorating, with some stupendous views over the valley. It starts at Barrhead Station and the Gateside Road, which takes us up up up. About 200m into the Gateside Road you'll notice (if you have your eyes peeled) a little road veering off to the right. There is a huge monkey puzzle tree in the garden next to it. The road itself is called Hillside Road, aptly enough, and it's steep!! But, as with all steepness (or is it 'stepth'), there is a payoff when you get to the top. The bonus here is that it's only about a kilometre or so up to the end of the road and onto the wooden staircase which takes us up to Ferenese Golf Course and a walking route round the back of it. After half a kay or so, there is a small path that leads up to the cairn and the kissing tree, and from there it is easy enough to cycle back down via Glenburn Reservoir (round the southern end of it) and the path through the woods beneath the braes which will eventually lead us onto the road back to Barrhead. Even taking your time to inhale those majestic views, and cosmic rocks, it shouldn't take much longer than a couple of hours. But man! what a couple of hours. 

Fereneze Golf Course. Part of the path skirts around the back of the course.

 

There's a lot to be said for landmarks, and being able to navigate and identify the land by its flow-ers. This tree, for instance, is both a landmark and a flower, and can be seen from miles away as I approach Pollok Country Park from the top of Dumbreck Hill (more or less the westernmost end of Springkell Avenue).

A wonderfully preserved cup & ring greywacke stone on the path between the golf course and the kissing tree. These stones tell me I'm in the right place for a little bit of spacing out!

Another fresh day overlooking the valley...

Looking north-west...

The route is pretty well signposted. The only thing I would say is do not go on this little trip after it's been raining as this field here (above) will be a quagmire in places and will require some really deft touches in order to get by. The highland cattle are the least of your worries. Just watch out for that mud!