Gillian's Walks

Two great walks between the Ayrshire villages of Knockentiber and Springside. Both start along the dismantled Kilmarnock-Irvine railway track (NCN73 cycle track) before moving onto country roads. Lovely views down to Crosshouse and beyond from the highest points and the shorter loop is buggy-friendly too (if you don’t mind pushing uphill)! 

Start point: car park next to play park off Kilmaurs Road, Knockentiber (KA2 0DA)

Shorter loop: 4.4 miles

  Buggy-friendly walk

  Download the route to your mobile phone HERE (Viewranger app required)

  Route: Turn left along Kilmaurs Road to reach a signpost for the NCN73 cycle track a short distance along on your left. Follow this along to Springside. Turn left onto Overtoun Road and just beyond the school turn left onto Knockentiber Road. At the end of this road turn right onto Southhook Road and left at the Tiber Tavern onto Kilmaurs Road. The car park is a short walk away. 

Longer loop: 5.7 miles

  Download the route to your mobile phone HERE (Viewranger app required)

  Route: Turn left along Kilmaurs Road to reach a signpost for the NCN73 cycle track a short distance along on your left. Follow this along for 0.8 miles at which point turn right along an earth track, merging onto a quiet road. Take the first road on your left and after 1.3 miles turn left at the crossroads onto Overtoun Road. Continue to Springside and on passing the school turn left onto Knockentiber Road. At the end of this road turn right onto Southhook Road and left at the Tiber Tavern onto Kilmaurs Road. The car park is a short walk away. 

WALK REPORT

I have walked this route several times since I was first made aware of it a few months ago by a friend who once lived in the area! That in itself speaks volumes since I do normally favour exploring new places over doing the same walk over and over.

I will always remember this as being the walk on which my mobile phone packed in for no apparent reason! It was my first time checking the route out, I was alone and I was using my phone as both navigation aid and camera.  Out of the blue despite having almost full battery it powered off…… I ended up being without it for a couple of weeks while it was off for repair. As a result I lost all of the photos I had taken that day meaning I was going to have to do the walk again before I could report on it. Good thing I had enjoyed it!

Since then I have returned with several different people including little Isla in her pram, who thoroughly enjoyed the hurl (short loop). Having tried the walks both in the evening and midweek mornings I have always found the road sections to be quiet with only the occasional passing vehicle.