Start point: Main Road, Crookedholm, at the bridge over the River Irvine
End point: Main Road, Crookedholm
TERRAIN: Graded easy. Surfaced paths, minor roads and woodland trails which can be muddy at times. Some short steep stretches and an optional ford crossing via uneven ‘stepping stones’. No steps, stiles or gates.
Small car park on Grougar Road, Crookedholm (KA3 6JT) where there is also some on-street parking available. Local bus service stops on Main Road, next to the walk start point.
View full route description
Begin from the bridge over the River Irvine on Main Road. Look for a blue signpost “Grougar Walk” on the left and follow this track along the river until you reach Milton Road. Turn right here and right at the next junction approx 1.5kms along (signposted “Grougar Walk / Irvine Valley Paths”). After approx 300m, look out for a woodland trail on your left with a way marker “Armsheugh” and follow this through the woods. At a split in the path, turn right if you plan to cross the ford (otherwise keep left). There is an information board just across the ford which tells you a little about the woods. Follow the woodland trail gently uphill until it emerges at a wide farm track (If you didn’t cross the ford, the path continues up a steeper slope with the burn on your right and crosses over at a small footbridge to join up with the path you’d be on had you crossed further down at the ford). Turn left along farm track and left again when you reach Woodside Cottage on the Moscow Road. Take the first left onto Grougar Road. After approx 800m, at the road-end, turn right along Milton Road. You were here earlier! Follow Milton Road – passing where you emerged from the river walk earlier – until you reach Grougar Road on your left 2kms along. Turn left past the old Crookedholm school and through a residential area to Main Road, Crookedholm where you started.
WALK REPORT: 23rd April 2016
The river walk from Hurlford was recommended to me by a family friend, Helen, and so I have been looking forward to trying it out. My mum was just back from a week’s holiday and this was the perfect walk to go on together to hear all her stories! It is easy walking all the way apart from one tricky section when crossing Volga Burn (it isn’t a big burn but there is no bridge so you have to find a way across using the rocks and stones).
Mum and I both enjoy a nosey at nice homes and we weren’t disappointed on this walk with lots of farm cottages and larger properties to admire along the way. I’d definitely consider living somewhere similar to this – close enough to civilization to find a shop quickly but far enough away to enjoy peace and tranquility! There was one property we passed which was hidden behind tall hedges but through them I could just make out a lovely patio area which would overlook the countryside. I could imagine myself chilling there with a book and a glass of wine! One has to dream….. 🙂 We also passed the old school building to the back of Crookedholm, which is beautiful but in quite a state of disrepair.
I would like to return to the start of this walk another day to complete the “Grougar Walk” mentioned above, which I believe runs from Hurlford to Galston beginning with the same river walk as this one but then continuing on to pass some old minor cottages, Burnbank Loch & Loudoun Kirk. There are so many walks to do in the Irvine Valley it’s hard to choose the next one!
