Doon Hill walking and hiking route

A walk from Aberfoyle to visit a couple of Fairy Hills. Some slight ascent but all on good tracks.

Walk Instructions

Start Point

Start beside The Scottish Wool Centre by the old railway signal. There is an information board at the start of the path and a sign for cycle route 7 shows ‘Gartmore 3 & Drymen 9'.

Set out along this path, which is the old railway line. In about 50 m you cross a wooden bridge and immediately after this at Point 1 (NN524008) there is a path on the right between two wooden posts, indistinctly labelled ‘Aberfoyle Wildlife Site'. At this point you can either:

a) Turn right and follow a pleasant path first around the edge of the field, then the river bank to where you rejoin the old railway at Point 2 (NN526006) in approx 600m (10 mins). Note that if the river is high this path may be flooded.

b) Carry straight on along the old railway line, past the railway cottages & playpark for about 400m (5 mins) to Point 2 where the option a) footpath rejoins from the right.

Continue along the railway line, passing behind the Rob Roy Motel and just after a bridge with turquoise railings you will come to Point 3 (NS531999) a path on the right with a blue waypost. Approx 1 Km, 15 mins from Point 2.

Turn right here & follow the path across a wooden arched bridge and in about ½ Km (7-8 mins) reach Point 4 (NS528998) - a T junction.

9a - Shorter Walk

Turn right at this junction. Ignore a path heading uphill in approx 300m (5 mins), and follow the main track to the crossroads at Point 8 (NS523998) in a further 300m (5 mins). Turn right here.

9b - Longer Walk

Turn left at Point 4 and follow the track for about 300m (5 mins) to Point 5 (NS531996) where it starts to bend away from the river. There is a small footpath on your left here0 marked by a blue waypost. Follow this footpath along the river bank and in just over ½Km (8 mins) you will come to Point 6 (NS530992) - Lemahamish Pool where there is a small car park. Turn right here and pass a green metal barrier.

In about 30m at Point 7 (NS530993) there is a path on the left marked by blue wayposts. Follow this as it winds uphill through oak woodland up onto the Fairy Knowe.

After about 700m (12-15 mins) you come to the highest point where some embankments on the left are the remains of an iron-age fort.

Continue downhill for about 400m (6 mins) to join a forest track just after a short length of duckboard.

Continue downhill to rejoin the shorter walk in a further 200m (3 mins) at the crossroads at Point 8 (NS523998).

Carry straight over.

Both Walks

The track is signed to ‘Aberfoyle car park' and marked with a blue waypost. Cross the bridge and ascend gently for 300m (5 mins) to Point 9 (NN523001) a crest where a footpath to the right is marked with a green waypost. At this point you can either:

a) Turn right on the footpath to visit the top of Doon Hill (Aberfoyle's renowned Fairy Hill) in approx 300m (7-8 mins). Once at the top, follow the green wayposts back down to the main track in a further 400m (6 mins).

Carry straight on to the where the track from Doon Hill rejoins in 50m or so at a green/blue post. Follow the green/blue wayposts past a green metal gate to rejoin the tarmac and in about 400m (6 mins) reach Point 10 (NN528003) - a small car park.

Turn right, cross a bridge, pass the interesting old kirk (which is well worth a look) and follow the road back to Aberfoyle in approx 1 Km (15 mins).

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.