This excellent walk heads out along the sandy beach from Blackwaterfoot, visiting a low headland before taking a dramatic rocky path through a boulderfield beneath the impressive basalt cliffs of The Doon.
Sandy beach, grassy footpaths and golf course paths. A stretch along a boulder path beneath the Doon.
Bus to Blackwaterfoot.
Car park by the golf course at Blackwaterfoot.
The walk begins from the car park by the golf course west of Blackwaterfoot. Leave this by heading down onto the beach - which is mostly sandy with some rocks - and turn right along it.
After a little over 400m cross a burn that flows out over the sand, and continue right to the far end of the beach. There is a view indicator on a boulder as you reach the grassy headland of Drumadoon Point. The view across the Kilbrannan Sound to Kintyre includes Davaar Island guarding the entrance to Campbeltown Loch.
Continue round the headland, with the impressive basalt columnar cliffs of the Doon coming into view ahead. The path stays down at shore level, and becomes rough as it heads through a gap in the rocks (with a fenced part of the golf course up to your right). Go through a gate in the gap and continue on the grassy path to the foot of the Doon.
The path now leads through the chaos of boulders beneath the cliffs. In recent years an ingenious path has been created (part of the Arran Coastal Way) which threads a route through the boulderfield on the grippy rock - care is needed not to lose it and to stay on the easiest line. The path becomes grassy once more at the far end.
When the path forks take the right branch, then turn right (Arran Coastal Way marker) to climb up from the coast just beyond the cliffs. At another junction the Arran Coastal Way turns left (linking to King's Cave if you want a longer walk), but our route turns right to climb round the far end of the Doon's cliffs. Go through a gate at the top and then turn right on a grassy track through a field.
There is a boggy section leading to another gate - or a stile alongside. It is possible to divert up to the top of the Doon where there is a standing stone - but the summit is ill-defined and probably not worth the effort. Instead continue on the grassy track until another gate and stile, where it reaches the golf course. Take the track into the golf course and turn left at the junction to continue round the edge of the course. Follow the track, ignoring branches left and right, to eventually pass the tennis courts and clubhouse to return to the start.
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