Brothie Burn Circular Walk
See also the concise version of this walk.
This easy circular walk of 2.2 miles (or shorter version of 1.7 miles) could hardly be closer to the centre of Alloa, yet is peaceful and feels far removed from the town.
It is a walk of two main acts, with a short prologue and half-way intermission.
The short prologue isn't much to write home about, consisting of a track hemmed in by a hedge and then a tangle of thorns on one side and warehouses on the other.
The first act takes you along a pleasant shaded burn-side path.
The short itermission is alongside Gartmorn Dam and takes you past the visitor centre and toilets, open until 7.00pm from April to September.
The second act takes you back to the starting point between fields along foot-worn and farm tracks, with good views of the Ochil Hills.
Walk route. Approximate distances: 1-4: 1/3 mile (550m); 4-5: 340m; 5-6: 800m; 6-8: 200m; 8-9: 400m; 9-10: 230m; 10-12: 270m; 12-13: 350m; 13-4: 930m.
See this area on an OS map.
Technicalities
Distance: 3.6km (2.2 miles) or 2.7km (1.7 miles)
Grade: 2 (Easier when dry and avoiding steeper bits. See text.)
Dogs: Welcome (bring a lead to walk past the swans)
Bikes
Generally good for the family but there are some minor inconveniences. There are a number of flat bridges over the burn, but you will have to dismount for some, if not all, depending on your confidence.
There are also narrow parts where you should dismount to show consideration for walkers, if you meet any there.
But the second half of the walk is excellent for bikes.
In spring beech provide dappled shade (14 May 09)
Starting Point
OS Landranger Map 65, grid reference NS899935 (N56.12248 W3.77195)
(Leave the A908 at NS894934, N56.12099 W3.77998. NB. The nearest station is down the road in Alloa, not Stirling as Multimap says at the time of writing.)
Navigation
Navigation is straightforward and you are unlikely to miss your way or get lost as long as you don't head off along and away from Gartmorn Dam.
Terrain
Mostly flat easy paths split fairly evenly between good all-weather tracks and foot-worn paths that can be muddy. There are a couple of steeper bits that make it a grade 2, but these can be avoided (see text).
Getting There
By Car
1a. Approaching from Alloa town centre: Take the A908 towards Tillicoultry from the roundabout intersecting with the A907, adjacent to Asda.
Follow the road under the bridge and go straight across the roundabout at the end into Carsebridge Road (2nd exit), at 1 on the map.
1b. Approaching from north of Alloa: Follow the A908 through Sauchie towards Alloa. Turn left into Carsebridge Road at the roundabout at 1 on the map.
1c. Approaching from the east (Kincardine, etc): Follow the A907 towards Alloa. As you approach Alloa, at a roundabout, turn right into the B909 towards Tillicoultry.
Note that at the time of writing (13 May 2009) Google Maps shows the roundabout and new B909 but Multimap is outdated and doesn't show the new road.
At the next roundabout, turn right into Carsebridge Road, at 1 on the map.
2. Follow Carsebridge Road, which turns into a pot-holed unmade road at about 2 and passes warehouses at 3, to the first track on the right at 4, where you should find enough space to park out of anyone's way.
Without A Car
This walk is a little under a mile from the centre of Alloa, which itself has good bus and train links.
You will be able to get a bus or taxi from outside (taxis) and round the corner from (buses) the central library and post office.
If you get a taxi, just remember to take a mobile phone and a note of the firm's phone number so you can call for one for the return trip.
From Alloa buses 63 (First in Scotland East), MA2 (MacKie's Coaches) and 162 (Hunters Executive Coaches) stop on Whins Road just before the roundabout at 1.
Coming from the north and west (towards Alloa), buses 62 (First in Scotland East), MA2 (MacKie's Coaches) and 162 (Hunters Executive Coaches) stop by the Vauxhall Garage. Follow the side road alongside the petrol station and turn right onto the footpath at the end. It comes out at Carsebridge Road, between 1 and 2.
The First in Scotland buses are every 20 minutes during the day Mondays to Saturdays and hourly on Sundays, and continue into the evening hourly.
MacKie's Coaches are hourly and finish earlier.
Hunters Executive Coaches are more infrequent.
If you get a return ticket be aware that the different operators won't accept each other's tickets!
The Walk
The walk starts at 4 on the above map.
Follow the track south, with a field on the left and warehouses on the right. The aroma in the air here hints at what lies behind the walls - Diageo produces Guiness stout, Smirnoff vodka and Johnnie Walker whisky amongst other brands.
The path has a different beauty in winter (20 Feb 08)
After 340m the Brothie Burn flows under the track. Turn left at 5 along the foot-worn path that follows and crosses it several times via flat bridges.
Along this first stretch the burn has a rust-coloured deposit on the bottom and the water itself can appear rusty at times.
You might want to keep your dog (and children!) out of the water for 500m or so until you pass the source of this, a tributary flowing in from fields on the right. The colour is so pronounced that it is obvious where it changes.
The whole route along the burn is shaded by a narrow band of deciduous trees, widening to a pleasant area of woodland at 6, where the path climbs a little, leaving the burn in the little valley below.
Here you can bear left, leaving the easier main path for a short detour that soon brings you back to the main route. Personally both I and our dog enjoy the detour, as, I am sure, will any kid on a mountain bike.
Our dog also loves to play in the burn that is shallow and clean here.
At 7 you have the choice of following the most obvious path, descending the valley to cross the burn via a bridge before climbing the other side, or continuing straight ahead along the almost level narrower path hemmed in tightly by the fence of a field on the right and the steep drop to the burn on the left.
The options join up again at 8, less than 150m further on.
The top path ends at a wider track. Turn left here and then right at 8 (if you took the alternative route, you just go straight across the track) to continue along the burn.
For a shorter walk, instead of turning at 8, continue along the track which turns into a tarmacked but rarely used road, taking the first opportunity to turn left at the farm track at 13.
You can also by-pass the relatively steep climb to 9 by following this same track and turning right, past a disused water works, at the first opportunity.
Between 8 and 9 the burn can be all but dried up, as it depends on water let out from Gartmorn Dam ahead.
The path climbs fairly steeply from the burn to 9, where you can again shorten the walk by turning left and joining the shorter route when you come to the tarmacked road described above.
Turn right at 9 to continue on the main route.
A little way along a bridge crosses a narrow channel from the reservoir. This might be dry, but water often gushes through here, feeding the burn below.
At 10 you can turn right for a gentle climb to the top of the dam or follow the shorter main route up the steps to the left. You may prefer to take the longer route to sit on one of the benches overlooking the reservoir.
Half way round the walk you can sit and take in the view of Gartmorn Dam reservoir (14 May 09)
This short section is the busiest part of Gartmorn Dam. Numerous swans and other water birds also tend to gather here, presumably in the hope of an easy snack. If you have a dog, you are requested to put it on a lead as you pass by here.
The route here passes the Gartmorn Dam visitor centre and toilets at 11, and one of the parking areas and across a bridge to 12. Follow the foot-worn path to the left here rather than walking alongside the road.
Once you pass the wooded section, this highest part of the walk has great open views all round, including the dramatic escarpment of the Ochil Hills a few miles to the north.
Cross the tarmac road at 13 and follow the farm track that leads back to the starting point. If you see a closed gate at the farm buildings ahead of you, don't worry. There's an open way to one side or you can open it (close it behind you, of course).
Just before you get back to the starting point there are a few houses. Beware of cars between here and the end of the route though, due at least in part to the track surface, they tend to go very slowly here.
