Doune Ponds, ... & Doune Castle

Waypoints

1. S/E : km 0 - alt. 34 m - The walk starts outside the Kilmadog Information Centre next to the Woodside Hotel. There is plenty of space for parking along Muir Crescent opposite the hotel.
2. 2 : km 0.09 - alt. 35 m - Turn right from the Information Centre and walk along the main A84 for a short distance. At the road junction turn right towards the center of Doune and then turn left into Station Wynd. Proceed along this road until the entrance to the Doune Pond Woodlands is reached on the left. Turn onto the main path into the wood and fork left just after the entrance following the sign marked ‘Hide’. This path runs round the periphery of the wood. Follow it passing the two main ponds until some steps are reached. Walk down and follow the path as it bears left. Turn left at a path junction and left again at a further path junction. Eventually a major set of steps are reached. Climb these passing a seat at the top and then turn right downhill onto a wide track. After a short distance turn left on to the signposted ‘Commonty Path’ and follow this for about 800m to its end. Turn right onto the road and follow this back towards Doune passing under the old railway bridge and passing Moray Park on the right. When Queen Street is reached on the left turn down it and follow it to the main A820 road.
3. 3 : km 3.62 - alt. 34 m - Turn right along the footway until a large pair of closed metal gates are seen on the opposite side of the road. Cross the road to the gates which is the entrance to ‘Newton Inverardoch’ house. Ignore the ‘Private’ and ‘Keep Out’ signs. The road is a Right of Way ( No CS265) and in any event access is permitted under Scottish Open Access. Follow the road for about 400m until near to the large house a splendid redwood tree is reached. Turn left straight after the tree onto a track and follow this down to the River Teith passing en route through a metal field gate. When the river is reached the track bears left along the river bank. Continue along it passing through a kissing gate until eventually St Fillans chapel is reached. Have a Banana break here!
4. 4 : km 4.95 - alt. 14 m - After the break retrace steps along the track and road until shortly before the double gates a stile can be seen on the left. Cross the stile and follow the field edge path uphill then down. After a sharp right turn a wooden pedestrian gate occurs on the left. Go through it, down some steps and then turn right on to a track. Follow this downhill and after it becomes a tarmac road follow this over the Ardoch Burn bridge until the access road for Doune Castle is reached. Turn left and follow the road to the castle car park. Walk through the car park until at the far end a track is reached running downhill. Follow this and turn right at the bottom of the hill to join the main path running along the River Teith. Follow this for a short distance crossing a small stone bridge. After this bridge at an unusual stone slab dog leg gap turn right off the path onto a path running uphill across a large field. Follow this path bearing left across the field aiming for a wooden pedestrian gate at the top of the hill. Go through the gate, turn right and join Muir Crescent. Follow this north back to the Woodside Hotel.
5. S/E : km 7.29 - alt. 34 m