Barony Hill, Dailly

This enjoyable circuit is deep in the rural countryside of South Ayrshire. There are extensive views from the summit of Barony Hill. Parts of the descent can be boggy unless the weather has been dry, and some sections become overgrown in high summer.

Terrain

Mix of tracks, grassy paths, some boggy areas, and woodland paths - can be overgrown with bracken in high summer.

Public Transport

Dailly is linked by bus to Ayr and Stranraer.

Start

Village square with war memorial in Dailly. Open start point in Google Maps for directions.

Users' reports

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Walk Description

Stage 1

The walk starts from Dailly village square, where there is on-street parking. There's an info board giving details of this walk and that up Maxwellston Hill as well as some shorter options. Begin the walk by following the road past the church; it soon curves right to a crossroads. Go straight across here onto a tarmac lane. There is a metal oak leaf path marker, used for much of the walk; it represents the Colliers' Oak where local mine owners met with the Laird of Dalquharran. Continue up the lane, climbing gently. Turn left onto a much rougher track as the lane reaches the first sheds of Balcarnie Farm.

Stage 2

Follow this rough track between hedges until it reaches a minor road. Go straight across, heading up the access track for Whitehill dairy farm (note the lovely sign). After passing a cottage the main track bends right - continue ahead on a much grassier track. Keep ahead when this becomes a path between fences. The path ends at a gate into a field; keep straight ahead here, with a fence and drystone dyke on your left. At the next gate don't go through, instead turning right, keeping the wall on your left.

Stage 3

The walk descends slightly and detours right to pass an old ruin. Beyond this head back to the walk and descend to cross a small burn. Climb the ladder stile over the wall to your left. Now follow a faint grassy path that climbs diagonally, heading for a wooden post supported by a small cairn. Note the next marker post is by a stile in the fence ahead; continue by a tiny burn, crossing a flat footbridge to reach it. Now continue again on a faint path through the rough grasses of the moor; this usually dries out in summer, but can be wet underfoot at other times or after rain. There are occasional marker posts, eventually leading to a final stile.

Stage 4

A false summit is reached, then the true summit finally comes into view. Continue along the broad ridge on a narrow path, marked by posts and metal oak leaf markers. Eventually the triangulation pillar on the summit is reached, giving grand views over much of South Ayrshire. Ailsa Craig is prominent off the coast.

Stage 5

The descent begins down the open slope to the NW; there's a faint path and marker posts, but this section can be very wet after rain (though it does dry out). Keep following the posts and faint path to reach a grassy track at a gate leading into Glengee Woods. Go through and continue down the track for 200m until a wooden post indicates the start of a narrow path climbing off to the left. Take this path, which soon levels off.

Stage 6

Eventually the path comes alongside a fence with open ground to your right, and then reaches a fenced track. Go through the gate onto the track and go straight across into the woods on the far side. The stile is missing (there is a dog gate) - but it is possible to step over the fence. The path now continues through the Falfarrocher Glen, a mature woodland. It is mostly firm underfoot but becomes quite overgrown in summer, with a few sections of high bracken to push through, though it is usually possible to keep on the path. An overgrown track joins from the right briefly at one point. Eventually the path emerges onto a minor road. Turn left to follow this.

Stage 7

When a t-junction is reached with a larger road, go straight across (metal oak leaf marker). The path crosses a couple of boardwalks and a footbridge, and then again becomes overgrown with grasses. Cross a final ditch (no bridge) to reach the Water of Girvan. Don't cross it, but follow the river bank, with high grasses in summer. The ruins of Drummochreen - a former seat of the McAlexander clan - are seen across the river, but are now mostly just a pile of stones. Keep by the fence and river, crossing three stiles at fences. After the final stile the path veers left to cross a footbridge; return to the bank top above the river beyond this. The remains of Dalquharran Mansion can be seen high across the river, built in 1786 to a Robert Adam design in a similar style to Culzean Castle, but expanded in 1881. The roof was removed in the 1960s to avoid taxes.

Stage 8

Continue along the now improved riverside path until a wooden footbridge across the river is reached. Cross this to reach the ruins of old Dalquharran Castle. Built in 1679, this was the residence of the Kennedy family before the Adam-designed house was built. Continue by the riverbank, then cross back over the river at a striking modern footbridge. Turn left on the far bank, then fork right to pass a bungalow and emerge back into Dailly and the start of the walk.

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