TERRAIN: Mixture of surfaced single track road and gravel tracks. No steps, stiles or gates. This is a flat walk and buggy-friendly.
GETTING THERE: The walk begins and ends at Dalry train station. If driving, you can park on Blair Road or extend the walk by using one of the town centre car parks.
View full route description
With your back to Dalry train station, turn right (SE) along Blair Rd to walk along the pavement of this residential street and then across the A737 bridge. After passing Stoopshill Farm, turn right to enter the Blair Estate via an opening in the wall to the right of the gates. You’ll soon come to a fork in the road – turn right to move onto a gravel track. Follow the track through the trees, eventually passing Garden Cottage and going around the outside of the walled garden. The track then crosses Bombo Burn – look out for the lovely waterfall – and starts heading towards Blair Castle. When you reach a surfaced road turn left and then almost immediately keep right to follow a footpath around the edge of the private gardens. This leads you back onto the road further along – continue, heading away from the castle. You will cross the Bombo Burn again and eventually arrive at a fork. Turn right to reach the Estate entrance gates from earlier, then turn left to retrace your steps along Blair Rd back to Dalry train station.
WALK REPORT – 30th January 2024
“The Blair Estate in Dalry is a great place to see snowdrops”, someone told me recently. Say no more! I was there that week to find out for myself before they all disappeared for another year. A place I’d never set foot before as well, so two reasons to be excited!
We parked in the residential area just off Blair Rd and headed into the Estate, noting the ‘No Dogs’ signage at the entrance, just as a local chap walking ahead of us marched on in with his dog….
There were indeed hundreds of snowdrops to be seen, dotted all around the Estate. A beautiful sight!
It turned out to be a day when dogs would feature heavily! I’ll tell you about one of our encounters here, and for the other you’ll have to read my review of the Doggartland/Velvet Path walk!
Neither my mum nor I can really be described as dog lovers; we aren’t afraid of them and don’t wish them any harm, we just aren’t inclined to stop and clap them when out a walk. So when we were passing Garden Cottage and a Golden Retriever-type dog (we also aren’t up on breeds!) came out the gates and sauntered right up to us, tail wagging, we surprised ourselves when we stopped to say hello and give her a clap. Where did you come from, eh? Who are you with? Do you live here? She was friendly and calm, seemed to be enjoying the attention. Setting off again, we expected her to maybe watch us for a minute then head back to the cottage, but instead she started walking with us. She walked with us for the full 2 mile loop of the Estate! My husband, who has been desperate for us to get a dog for years, would have been in his glory!
We stopped frequently to take photos, of the Estate and of the snowdrops. Each time she would stop too, waiting for us or coming right up to me as though to see what I was doing and tell me to hurry up. As a result she features in many of my photos from the day 🙂
We checked her collar: Zara. I noticed a small device attached to her collar – some sort of GPS tracker I assumed. She must do this often. I suppose if she lives on the Estate it is basically her back yard so she will know it well and maybe just likes to walk around with people? Then I heard a faint beeping noise and realised it was coming from her collar. I think someone is looking for you Zara. We had almost completed the full loop by this point so we decided if she didn’t head off home by herself when we got to the end of our walk we’d walk back along to Garden Cottage with her.
Just then a vehicle appeared about 200m ahead of us and stopped on the road. A man got out and stood beside the car. That must be her human. Who’s that Zara? She looked at him, but instead of running up to him as I’d expected, she continued to walk alongside mum and I. The man confirmed she belonged to him and that he had been looking for her. He apologised for her having gatecrashed our walk. I gave her a clap on the head, Bye Zara, maybe see you another time!
So the Blair Estate – do visit it soon, either to see the snowdrops or to say hello to Zara! Or simply to enjoy a stroll on these tranquil trails…
