The Glen and Birkscairn Hill

Once you have left the attractive cottages and houses in The Glen this route is essentially a hill walk and you will need your ordnance survey map or equivalent.

This is a good opportunity to tick off one of the Donalds (Birkscairn Hill), a regional hill list of hills between 2000 and 3000ft. A ‘birk’ is birch so the hill name translates as ‘hill of the birch cairn’.

1. From Traquair Village Hall car park go back down to the main road and turn left. Follow the road for 1.6km until you reach the turn off for the Glen on your right. Turn right into the Glen road and follow for 1.6km until the drive for Glen House. Keep right and continue uphill.

2. Pass cottages and farm buildings. After 1km take the right hand fork toward Glenshiel Banks (3.5km section). View Loch Eddy and the ravine of Glendean Banks.

3. Leave the Glenshiel Banks enclosure through the field gate. Head north-west with the burn on your right. Cross the left hand fork of the burn just above the junction. Follow the right fork northerly to reach the drove road at Stake Law.

4. Follow the drove road north to Birkscairn Hill summit (661m). Follow the ridge north for 1.25km to a metal pedestrian gate on your right. Go through and head south-east with the forest on your left.

5. Stay on the track heading easterly, contouring Birks Hill. At the next forest corner join a track heading south-east. Go through the gate, cross a burn, and follow the fence to the sheep's stell. Cross the burn and climb to the corner of the wood. Turn left downhill, then at the next gate turn right to reach the road.

6. Turn left onto the road and retrace your steps to Traquair Village Hall.