This attractive short walk leads over mixed terrain much favoured by red kites. It takes in woodland, farmland and the shores of Mossdale Loch.
Bog Factor
Mostly marked paths and minor road, a couple of muddy spots. The waymarking has been neglected so some are missing.
Mossdale Red Kite Trail car park.
None to start.
NX661705
The start is off the east side of the A762 at Mossdale - turn onto the tarmac lane - with a footpath sign - that runs parallel to the road to reach the car park. Start the walk by turning left out of the car park and then right to head under the bridge and through the gate. The first part of the walk (occasionally marked with red marker posts) runs along the old 'Paddy Line' once part of the Dumfries to Portpatrick railway.
Look out for a bench on the right, and just after this turn right onto a path over open farmland. At a cross-paths turn left. Red kites, with their distinctive forked tails, can often be seen overhead all year round and in winter hen harriers sometimes hunt over this open ground. Go through a gate aiming for the trees ahead.
Near the woods ignore a path up to a gate on the right - which is the return route - and continue straight ahead instead. The path soon reaches the Raiders' Road at a kissing gate, turn right here. The road is a forest drive (charge payable) open during the summer, which runs along an old drove road featured in the novel The Raiders by Samuel Rutherford Crockett. Follow the forest drive for some distance until a sign indicates where the path heads into the woods on the right. Follow the meandering path down towards Mossdale Loch.
Spotted woodpeckers and nuthatches are sometimes seen here, as well as a carpet of wild flowers in the spring and summer, also keep an eye out for red squirrels. The loch is stocked with brown and rainbow trout for fishing. Follow the loch shore path - using rough stepping stones to cross a boggy area - until it goes through a gate and bears slightly left uphill. It then crosses open ground, curving right to reach the gate which leads back to the outward route. Turn left onto the outward path and retrace your steps to the start.
This website and app are run by 'Walkhighlands for All' - a not-for-profit set up to serve walkers' needs.
We rely on the generosity of our users - can you help?
