Walk 16 - Balcary to Rascarrel Coastal Walk walking and hiking route
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Walk Instructions
Start: At the public car park by Balcary Bay Hotel.
This is down a minor road about 2 miles south of
Auchencairn
Refreshments: Balcary Bay Hotel, Part-time café in
Auchencairn, Café in Dundrennan
A popular walk along an impressive section of
the coast with great views across the Solway
Firth and inland to the Galloway Hills. Warning:
The path goes along an exposed section above
high cliffs. Be careful here in windy weather.
1. Start at the public car park by the Balcary Bay
Hotel. This area was a centre for smuggling in the
18th century and it is rumoured that the hotel, with
its underground cellars, was set up as a front for these
activities. From the far end of the car park a fenced
track leads past a house and garden to an open field.
Follow the left side of the field up a gentle slope to
reach a gate where a signposted path leads through
the edge of woodland and along the side of the
gardens of Balcary Tower. There are good views across
Auchencairn Bay to Hestan Island. The island has
had some unusual residents over the years including
a couple who used to manufacture church organs.
After passing through a gate you emerge onto gorse
moorland as you approach Balcary Point. The path
now starts to climb along the edge of the cliffs as they
increase in height.
2. There is a wooden bench by the path at a point
where you can look down on the rock pinnacle of
Lot’s Wife. This area is very popular with nesting sea
birds and in spring you may see fulmars, guillemots,
razorbills and cormorants occupying the ledges at
different levels on the cliffs. Continue up and over the
edge of Balcary Hill and you will descend to a gate that
leads through to a more open area. It is possible to cut
back to the starting point from here along a signposted
path. The path along the coast now climbs steeply up
to a welcome seat at Little Airds Hill.
3. This is the site of an extensive Iron Age fort
although little now remains of it. It originally had three
ramparts and covered an area of 65m by 50m. The
path now descends past a rock formation known as
“Adam’s Chair” to reach another viewpoint and bench.
On a clear day you can see the hills of the Lake District
across the Solway Firth, beyond the Robin Rigg wind
farm. There are some magnificent examples of granite
dry stone walling to the right of the path along this
section of the walk.
4. At Airds Point you can take a rough, steep path
down to the rocky shore where there is a wooden pillar
set in the rocks. It is thought that this may have been
used to display a light to assist ships with navigation
around the point. The path now winds its way down
closer to sea level, passing some old mine workings up
on the right to reach the edge of Rascarrel Bay. There
may be some muddy sections along here, but they
can usually be avoided by walking along the edge of
the rocky beach. The shrubby hillside to the right is a
good place to see stonechat with their distinctive black
heads and orange-red breasts.
5. When you reach the group of huts at Lochenling,
you can choose to continue along a track on the coast
or to cut inland on a shorter route up to Loch Mackie.
If you take the coastal route, you will soon reach some
new holiday cabins and a track where the Rascarrel Burn
meets the bay. Follow the track up to the right to reach
a surfaced road. The road leads uphill for about half
a mile to a signpost that points rightwards through a
forestry plantation. Follow the forest track for a couple of
hundred yards then there is another signpost pointing
along a track to the right. This leads pleasantly along the
edge of woodland to Loch Mackie.
6. Loch Mackie was created to provide water for
the mining activities in the area. The mines around
Rascarrel Bay produced barytes and copper ore. There
are good view across the loch towards Screel Hill and
Bengairn. Cross the dam then pass through a gate to
follow a path along the edge of stone walls. This path
leads across a few fields to a track that slopes downhill
through farmland back to the car park.
It would be a great help to future walkers if
you could record any inaccuracies you come across
during this walk and report them to reception so that
appropriate amendments can be made. Thank you
for your help. Happy walking.
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Disclaimer: This route was correct at time of writing. However, alterations can happen if development or boundary changes occur, and there is no guarantee of permanent access. These walks have been published for use by site visitors on the understanding that neither HPB Management Limited nor any other person connected with Holiday Property Bond is responsible for the safety or wellbeing of those following the routes as described. It is walkers' own responsibility to be adequately prepared and equipped for the level of walk and the weather conditions and to assess the safety and accessibility of the walk.
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