Carlingwark Loch is a very attractive sheet of water on the fringes of the town of Castle Douglas. This enjoyable walk makes a circuit around the loch and beyond using paths and minor roads.
Mostly good paths, minor roads and pavements. Can be slightly muddy in places.
Bus to Castle Douglas.
Street parking on Lochside Road, before entrance to caravan park.
The caravan park has expanded to take in all the parking near Carlingwark Loch, so instead park on the street in Lochside Road. Begin the walk by turning left at the end of the road to reach the loch and caravan park. There are picnic tables here - regularly mobbed by the loch's resident mute swans. Carlingwark is a Site of Special Scientific Interest so keep an eye out for goldeneye, pochard and tufted duck. Begin the walk along the tarred road into the campsite, turning right onto a footpath before the toilet blocks to follow the loch shores, with the water on your right.
Keep straight on to reach and pass a stone building, and continue until the path meets the B736 road. Turn right along the pavement, but then right again at a gate and sign to start along Lover's Walk - a path which continues by the loch shores, passing through a couple more gates along the way. Look out for a couple of small islands which were once crannogs - fortified lake dwellings dating from the Iron Age. Eventually the path forks - the route follows the left branch (the right fork went to a hide which is no longer in place).
The path now heads away from the loch. It passes through several gates and continues as a grassy lane with hedges, trees or fences on either side. Eventually there is a bench where the route crosses a ditch, and a t-junction of paths is reached. Turn right to head along a length wooden boardwalk. The marsh here is part of the SSSI and provides an important habitat. At the end of the walkway a grassy path heads through several pedestrian gates as it continues between fences and walls to eventually reach a minor road.
Turn right along the tarmac. The road soon leads past Kelton - a hamlet with a mix of old and very modern houses. Keep straight on at the road junction, signed for Castle Douglas. As the route passes some woods, look out on the left for the Douglas Mausoleum. Built roughly in 1820, this strange structure holds the remains of 25 members of the Douglas family. Continue along the road, curving right at another junction. Just before the busy B736 is reached turn right to cut the corner using a cycleroute.
This final section of the walk is a little spoilt by the traffic but soon gives good views over the loch once more. Near the far end fork right and head across the grassy area to pick up a path that leads back to the caravan site and the start.
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