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(S/E) Fairlie Rail Station (KA29 0DX). From the car park follow a lane heading North between the last house on Station Road and some trees.
(1) After only 80m it emerges onto Burnfoot Road where you turn right (East) to follow a path signposted “Fairlie Castle, Glen & Waterall, Kaim Hill”.
From here a woodland path follows Fairlie Burn uphill to the remains of Fairlie Castle.
(2) The first waterfall can be found by veering off the path immediately behind the castle. You can pick up a faint trail in the trees heading towards the burn and if you follow it upstream a little across rougher ground, you will reap your reward. The waterfall tumbles down beneath a giant stone slab – this is the footbridge you will soon cross to continue the walk.
(3) Return to the main path behind the castle. Turn right (East) and approx 40m along you will see the footbridge on your right. You can either cross now, or follow the route to another stunning waterfall a little further along the path (some scrambling is required to reach it). If you feel up to it then leave the bridge for now and continue along the main path for approx 200m. Look out for a wooden sign that says ‘Waterfall’ on your right at one of the bends in the path. Follow the trail into the trees and up a muddy banking. You will hear the noise of the waterfall before you see it! Enjoy, then retrace your steps back to the footbridge.
(4) Cross the footbridge, go through the kissing gate and you will emerge onto a meadow.
Cross the meadow diagonally uphill (South East) to go through a gate in the wall. There are 3 paths from here (only one shown on the map) – take the middle path which initially heads uphill then bends to the right to run parallel to the wall heading South. On a clear day the views from here are spectacular!
(5) Traverse the hillside for approx 220m, gradually gaining height to emerge at a gated entrance to the woods.
(6) Immediately on entering the woods there is a small ford to cross and another gate, then the path continues through the trees.
Note there have been some forestry works at the S end of the woods, with a large volume of tree felling so the ground becomes extremely churned up and boggy where the track widens. You will eventually reach a gate leading onto a field approx 650m along from the ford.
Go through the gate. Follow a faint path left (South East), almost parallel to the dry stone wall. At the end of the wall go through a gate and then through a second gate, to reach the base of a hill and a wide track.
Here you have two options: 1) follow the route plotted on this map which means turn right (South) and follow the wide track along the base of Black Hill (can be very boggy and has been churned up by the recent forestry works). Or, 2) turn left instead, following the fenceline and looking out for a faint trail heading SE up the hillside on your right. This takes you up steep ground onto the ridge of Black Hill. Keep right at a fork to descend to a wide track at the base of the hill.
Turn left (South) along the track. To avoid a boggy and waterlogged descent to the Fairlie Moor Road, when you arrive towards the end of the track, keep right to go through a gate, staying on this wide track all the way down onto the road. The last gate may be padlocked which would require climbing it.
Once on Fairlie Moor Road, the continuation of the route is to the right, but for a short and very worthwhile detour to another waterfall turn left (East) along the road for 90m.
(9) Just beyond the bend in the road, look for a faint footpath on the right (not signposted). It leads to a beautiful hidden waterfall on Glen Burn – you can actually walk in behind it if there is not too much water at the time of your visit!
Retrace your steps to the Fairlie Moor Road, turn left (West) and follow it downhill for 1.5km to meet with A78/Irvine Road.
(10) Take care crossing over then turn right (North) onto the NCN 757 / Ayrshire Coastal Path route. Continue along the cycle path for 1.3km to reach Fairlie.
Take the second road on your right (East) onto Montgomerie Avenue and at the end of the street turn left (North) onto Montgomerie Drive. Station Road is at the end of this street. Turn right (East) on Station Road to reach Fairlie Rail Station (S/E)
. Didnt help that I was wearing red lol. The gate itself is easy to open. There was no warning about a bull on the gate so I am hoping it has just escaped from the adjacent field. Fantadtic walk up to then. Would love to try the walk again if I knew the bull wasnt going to be there
Walker
Very difficult 
Professional from the tourism industry
Easy 
Association or club
