Follow the River Nith upstream along tree-lined banks from Drumlanrig Castle before heading back along a quiet, minor road with good views of the hills and surrounding countryside.
Easy paths, tracks and minor road. Some paths shared with mountain bikes and very muddy in places after wet weather.
None to start.
Drumlanrig Castle car park.
The walk starts from the impressive pink sandstone pile, Drumlanrig Castle, the 120-room Dumfriesshire home to the Duke and Duchess of Buccleuch and Queensberry. The castle, which houses a large art collection and extensive formal gardens is well worth a visit, there are also mountain bike trails here and a cafe. There is a parking charge when the castle is open at the main car park at the castle, alternative limited parking can also be found near the bridge over the Nith on the drive to the castle. From the main car park at the castle, walk back along the avenue of lime trees and keep on the main, pink, driveway when a road goes off to the left (this is the return route).
Continue downhill and turn off to the left opposite a cottage surrounded by trees, to pass a bench on a grassy track heading towards the river. As you approach the wood stay on the track to go through the upper gate, ignoring the smaller gate down on the right. The track stays high above the river, which can be glimpsed through the trees and is popular with white water canoeists. Parts of this track are used by mountain bikers so keep an eye out, ignore any turnings to the left and stay on the track.
Where a track comes in from the left stay on the main track near the river, eventually leaving the river for a while to reach more open ground and the junction with the driveway to the riverside cottage, Humble Holm. Go straight on here, through a gate (signed Glenairlie) and keep straight ahead at the next forked junction.
Eventually the edge of the woodland is reached, go through a gate in a stone wall on the left (signed Queens Drive) and in the rough pasture head diagonally to the right to reach a vague path near the river bank. Follow this upstream with some lovely views opening up ahead. After a gate the track becomes more defined although it is often muddy due to livestock and dogs should be kept under tight control.
The track climbs away from the river, with lovely views to the Southern Uplands to the right, and goes through a gate in a stone wall as it rounds the corner. Follow the track as descends to reach the road at another gate, the attractive stone house at Burnmouth visible on the right.
At the road turn left to follow it gently uphill. When the road forks, keep left to follow the road as it traverses the hillside with good open views of the hills to the left, ignore any turnings. Eventually the road descends to reach the outward driveway to Drumlanrig. Turn right here to walk back up the lime avenue to the start.
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