TERRAIN: Wide gravel forestry tracks, narrow and uneven woodland trails and hill paths, surfaced single track road. A fairly steep ascent to begin with, then the route levels off with the occasional gentle hill. One set of steps. Several gates.
Dog-friendly route (Note: sheep roaming freely, please be a responsible dog owner)
GETTING THERE: The walk starts and ends at Loch Doon Castle where there is a free car park. No public transport to start point.
The closest toilets to this walk are at the Roundhouse Cafe, at the northernmost point of Loch Doon, 5 miles from the walk start point – note that these are for customer use only and that the facility has seasonal opening times. Alternatively you could try Dalmellington community centre or Doon Valley Leisure Centre, both are approx 9 miles from the walk start point.
View full route description
From Loch Doon Castle car park, look for a narrow hill trail to the left of the castle (identified by a marker post). During the short steep ascent you will pass a couple of benches and go through a gate at a sheepfold.
When you arrive onto a wide forestry track turn right (NE).
After 1.8 miles at a fork stay on the main forestry track as it takes a sharp bend to the left (SW).
After approx 1 mile you will arrive at a path junction – turn left (SW). Loch Finlas will soon begin to come into view.
Just over half a mile along, look out for a gap in the trees to your right. Follow a narrow trail down to the edge of Loch Finlas.
Once at the water’s edge, turn right to continue along a narrow woodland trail which skirts the edge of the loch along to a dam wall.
Beyond the dam wall are two wooden gates leading to a weir. Cross the large metal footbridge, go up the steps and follow a wide gravel track NE along the Garpel Burn.
You will emerge at a stock gate and single track road next to the Garpel Bridge. Turn right and walk along the road for 3 miles back to Loch Doon Castle car park.
WALK REPORT – 27th October 2024
Loch Doon had become one of those places where I always ended up going to do the same two walks. It was either the beautiful Ness Glen loop or the longer walk in from Dalmellington on the Ness Glen & Dalcairney Falls route. I knew there were tons of other walks in the area and I had even talked to my walking groups about Loch Doon Castle, having never ventured along to it before! It was time to change that….
With a little research beforehand using the files section of the Facebook group belonging to the Doon Valley Walkers (thank you!), I identified the Loch Finlas Trail as being fairly close to the castle, and I saw on my map that there were tracks through the forest which could be used to extend the walk and link the two places up.
As we drove around the final bend, I was surprised how close to the road Loch Doon Castle was. There was certainly no chance of missing it! It was also smaller than I had imagined.
A fun fact about Loch Doon Castle: it was originally built on an island in the middle of the loch! In the 1930s it was taken down and re-built in its current location due to the construction of the hydro-electric scheme which would have caused the castle to become submerged beneath rising water levels.
So that was it, I had seen it, read the interpretation boards, had a wander around inside, marvelled at its history…. Time to get on with the walk then!
After an hour sitting in the car it came as a bit of a shock to the lungs and legs to immediately be heading uphill, but that is what happened. I did take advantage of one of the benches halfway up, to stop and admire the autumn colours. And admiring the colours is something I did for much of the walk; what a wonderful time of year to be experiencing this route.
I also remarked at how beautiful it must look covered with a blanket of snow. And that it would make a fantastic Nordic walking route! Several of the group also commented on how it did not feel like we were still in Ayrshire….
Full disclosure…. I don’t tend to love forestry walks. I enjoy them for a while, but if they go on for “too long” I get bored of everything looking the same. I think that might have happened on this walk if I had been alone… But to be honest I didn’t notice the miles pass as I chatted away. There was the occasional glimpse of Loch Doon, and then before too long gaps appeared where older trees had been felled and new ones planted and that opened up the views of the surrounding hills.
And then Loch Finlas came into view! And before I knew it we were right down by the water’s edge. So peaceful. The perfect spot for lunch.
I knew from plotting out the route on my map beforehand, that the next section should be along the edge of the loch to the dam. From where I was sitting eating lunch I couldn’t see much that reassembled a path and I wondered whether we would indeed be able to go that way.
It turned out to be one of the best parts of the walk! It was like an enchanted forest with red mushrooms popping up beneath a conifer canopy. The footpath was narrow and uneven, with tree roots and small rocks to negotiate. It offered a welcome break from the wide gravel forestry tracks we’d experienced so far.
Soon we arrived at the Loch Finlas dam wall and weir. We stood on the bridge watching the water trickle down over the weir for a while, it was quite hypnotic. This is the start of the Garpel Burn, and it appeared to be in full flow today, boasting a few nice little waterfalls as we followed it downstream across exposed moorland.
The final part of the walk was an easy amble along the road back to Loch Doon Castle, some 3 miles away. As roads go, this single track has to be one of the most scenic I’ve experienced, with Loch Doon and its surrounding hills your constant companion. Of course you could choose to return via the forestry tracks if you prefer – there are several obvious entry points off the road.
