Upland Farm Route

Start location: Berryhill, Tak Ma Doon Road (NS 729 801)
End location: High Banton (NS 749 801)
Geographical area: Campsie Fells, Strathclyde and Lanarkshire
Path Type: Rural Path
Path distance: 2.2km
Accessibility info: Suitable for pedestrians

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Route Description

Newsflash! The Heritage Paths (Campsie Fells) Project is very pleased to announce that we have a lovely Campsies map leaflet showing this old route and other paths in the area. To get your hands on one, simply send us an SAE c/o ScotWays (see address top-right) and we'll post one out to you.

Turn off the Kilsyth to Carronbridge (Tak Ma Doon) road at Berryhill Farm and go to the left (east) at a gate immediately before the farm buildings. The old track is mainly a grass covered path which fords the Banton Burn and continues past Drumnessie before reaching Glenhead Farm. Glenhead is very much a working farm, so if the farmyard is in use, our surveyor recommends bypassing the farm area round the north (uphill) side. Continue down the farm road to reach High Banton.

If you wish to continue onwards from High Banton there are two main options:
The upland farm route heads generally east and north-east to meet the local authority boundary beside Bottomhead Reservoir where there is a gate. The track passes the derelict Bottomhead Farm and emerges just west of the Drumbowie Reservoir. We do not have a recent survey of this eastern half of the route, although from afar we have seen people using sections of it! We would be very pleased to receive more information from anyone who uses the route east of High Banton.
More easily, from High Banton continue via Meadowside and Tomfyne for a pleasant walk to Banknock. 

OS Landranger 64 (Glasgow) or OS Explorer 348 (Campsie Fells)

Heritage Information

Farming along this route until a generation ago was very labour intensive - mixed arable and pasture. As a result, the land supported a higher population and this route linked several farms. Now the route passes wholly through rough grazing and improved pasture. Most of the farm houses have fallen into ruin or turned into dwelling houses. Only a few, such as Glenhead, continue as active farms.

[ - with many thanks to Friends of the Kelvin Valley Park]

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