SM15- Hillend to Wester Bracco

The route begins on the A89, diagonally opposite the Owl and Trout Inn, at a stile adjacent to the white on green Council sign marking the right of way, at NS 82686 67222.

SM15 Start

The signpost reads ‘Right of Way to Lilly Loch and Wester Bracco 2.2km (1.3m)’. The path leads SW uphill, through a plantation of saplings on the west side, and a fenced of area of new woodland on the east. The path is initially grass, after around 200m this becomes a whin/aggregate path.

South and uphill on the laid path

The Sleeper Bridge

The path continues SW for another 150m, dropping downhill to a sleeper bridge at NS 82468 66957, then heads uphill, south to a signpost at NS 82489 66824, placed where the right of way crosses the track which runs from a nearby farm along the south side of the Lilly Loch.

Intermediate Signpost

View South from Signpost

From here the track goes downhill and crosses the dam, passing through a gate and over a metal footbridge to gain the south shore of the loch.

Walkway across dam

At the end of the footbridge is an inscribed stone, with the legend ‘CIAC Walkway 1996’ (CIAC: Clarkston Independent Angling Club, now Clarkston Angling Club*).

CIAC Sign

The path continues SW along the south shore of the loch to a patch of coniferous woodland next to a jetty and the container (club hut & boat shed) for 150m, and immediately upon coming through the trees the track cuts back to the east, passing through a gate at NS 82484 66561.

Through the trees then turn on to the track along the base of Drumfin Hill

The path now follows a vehicular access route to a gate at NS 82656 66483. There are two signposts here, reading ‘Right of Way to Caldercruix 1.8km (lm)’ and ‘Right of Way to Wester Bracco 1.4km (¾ mile)’.

Signposts and gate

There was a stile here but it has been taken down/rotted and collapsed. The gate itself is usually locked and electric fencing runs alongside the fence in either direction. Take care when crossing.

View SW from signposts

The path then heads SW, downhill at first to a very muddy entrance to a field, with ankle deep mud. Beyond this the path is lined by a band of deciduous trees, and at the start of this at NS 82602 66374 are two metal gates. Past these the path heads uphill SW for 200m, then S for 500m to NS 82498 65901, to what is marked on the map as a gate, but is fenced and wired up with barbed wire, with a very small gap (8”?) which is difficult to get through, as the barbed wire is likely to damage clothing or injure anyone trying to squeeze through. It may be worth diverting slightly downhill beyond the rowan tree to cross the wooden section of fence, although this is starting to rot and come away.

This access has been blocked, leaving only a very dodgy slip through instead.

This is regularly sealed with wire. Not recommended for expensive waterproofs.

The track heads uphill to the old pump house, before heading SW on a tractor track to the end of the track at NS 82061 65412. Just before the end of the track there are a pair of gates, one unlocked, the other locked, with a slip through.

Towards Wester Bracco

The end of the track is marked with a Scotways signpost, reading “Lilly Loch 1 Mile, Hillend 1 ¼ miles”.

Signpost at Wester Bracco

Looking back along the track, the pump house is on the right of the picture