A new section of the John Muir Way heading through the Kilpatrick Hills is now open. The new section of path – which heads past Burncrooks Reservoir – replaces the old stage between Balloch and Strathblane which made more use of minor roads and the West Highland Way. The latter option is now a John Muir Way variant for cyclists.
The new route cost £500,000 was funded by Forestry Commission Scotland, SportScotland and Scottish Natural Heritage (SNH); it is part of the Central Scotland Green Network project.
Alan Stevenson of Forest Enterprise Scotland said about the opening: “This a great section of the John Muir Way giving amazing views, a sense of space, rugged beauty and wildlife. If you want to get away from it all, recharge the batteries and enjoy a more challenging route, then this is a must do.”
The new section of the John Muir Way
On Saturday (26th March) there will be a free family event to launch the new section of the route. Between 12 and 4pm at Auchindean visitors can drop in to enjoy varied activities, and free bike hire to explore the new route at Burncrooks Reservoir. Parking will be available at Edenmill Farm Shop, with a shuttle bus service running throughout the day.
More than 60,000 visits to the John Muir Way took place last year, according to SNH, with around 6,000 people completing the whole trail end-to-end in a single walk.
The new stage is now covered on Walkhighlands’ guide to the John Muir Way.