Hill Road from Tillicoultry to Blackford

Start location: Upper Mill Street, Tillicoultry (NS 914 975)
End location: Blackford (NS 895 087)
Geographical area: Stirling, Clackmannan and Falkirk, Perth, Kinross and Stirling (part)
Path Type: Rural Path, Drove Road
Path distance: 14.7km
Accessibility info: Suitable for pedestrians

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Route Description

Start from the Mill Glen carpark at the top of Upper Mill Street in Tillicoultry and go up the path high on the east side of Mill Glen. An alternative which is more scenic is to follow the path up the glen itself, crossing and recrossing the stream which cascades in many waterfalls down this narrow defile, and at the point where this path begins to descend above the junction of the Gannel and Daiglen burns, climb steeply up the grassy hillside to join the upper path. Continue northeast along this path on a long rising traverse above the Gannel Burn to the boggy pass to the northwest of King's Seat Hill. Then turn northwest over the pass (570m), skirting west of Skythorn Hill (path indistinct) and down the Broich Burn, high above its east bank, until opposite Backhills. Cross the Broich Burn below Backhills and go northwest round the head of Upper Glendevon Reservoir over boggy ground - signs and waymarker posts aid navigation within the Burnfoot windfarm site. Cross the River Devon via a footbridge and go northwest up Glen Bee to join a good track at the watershed and go down the Glen of Kinpauch (or over Kinpauch Hill) to Kinpauch and the A9. Cross this very busy dual carriageway with great care to reach Blackford.

An alternative route to that south of the Upper Glendevon Reservoir lies around the north side. This version has been use as a diversion when wind farm works have been ongoing. The bracken may be high at certain times of year, but it should be apparent where to go as the reservoir is visible at all times.

OS Landranger 58 (Perth to Alloa)

Heritage Information

The Hill Road is an old droving route through the Ochils. There are also extensive remains of shielings particularly near the Broich Burn, but also a few by the River Devon and in Glen Bee.

In the 1950s, when the Upper Glendevon Reservoir was created, the line of the old right of way was flooded. Some users went over the dam at the east end, others went upstream and crossed the inflow burn at the west end. The latter became the recognised right of way.

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