Renfrewshire

6 miles / 10 km

short description

Moderate

A lovely, scenic walk on some good cycle/walking paths and small roads. A long 1 mile / 2 km long climb takes this walk up in the hills. Good shoes and plenty of drinks are recommended. Kilbarchan is a lovely village.

Train from Glasgow/Paisley to Johnstone 6 times an hour.
McGill's Bus 32 to Kilbarchan from Johnstone Houston Square 2 times an hour.

Ask the bus driver kindly to be dropped off at the old railway bridge just before Kilbarchan village centre. There is a bus stop 50 yards/meters just after this old railway bridge. The walk starts from the bus stop, returning down the road to the railway bridge. There is a big "7" signpost over the entrance to the railway bridge. Take this small tunnel up to the old railway line, now a part of the Paisley to Lochwinnoch/Glengarnock cycle/walking path. Continue on this flat path for the next 2 miles / 3 km.
At the Howwood signpost, take path up this small hill to the main road. Take the main road to the right for the next 400 yards/meters. Take the road to the right here, signposted "Crossflat Farm". The road is first flat before it starts to rise up the hill after a 90 degree left turn.








The road climbs steadily to a new crossroad. Take the road to the left and then 30 yards/meters further on, the road to the right. A small unnamed road which takes the walk up past a farm to the top of the hill. The road crest this hill before a short, sharp descent takes it down to a small river with some nice wildlife. The road climbs up a small hill to a farm again where there is some horses on the farmfields.
At this crossroad, take the Forehouse Road to the right down the hill on this long and winding road (yes, I had to namecheck this Beatles song).




The walk down this road has some good views before it ends at the main road, Locher Road. Take this road to the right down the hill to the very scenic Kilbarchan, past the Weaver's Cottage and 50 yards/meters further down to the (sort of) village square and the bus stop there where this walk ends.

McGill's Bus 32 to Johnstone 2 times an hour.