UKC

Last Wednesday I got lost on the way to Largs and ended up driving through Renfrewshire along back roads (lovely countryside) eventually ending up at Lochwinnoch. The hills looked, good, more shapely than I'd thought they were. Does anyone have any good walks they recommend? I'm not expecting pointy peaks and big cliffs but points of interest like waterfalls would be good.

In reply to aln:

Hi

try Garnock Spout, NS287608
Craig Minnan NS322641 for a bouldering session
Mine at 282649 is worth a nosey

But the hills are generally very wet and rough to walk

B

In reply to aln:

I grew up in Lochwinnoch, I remember there being a nice hill with a little castle on the top just outside the village on the backroad to Bridge of Weir. Strangely I saw the little castle for the first time in years when driving from Glasgow to Ardrossan ... blast from the past. There is also a really curious boulder in a farmers field just off the same road - Clochoderick Stone#maps.

This thread reminded me of some fond memories growing up there, thanks! .

In reply to CMcBain:

I think that boulder's in John Watson's guide.

In reply to aln:
There's some nice walking between the back of Largs and Lochwinnoch. Irish Law and Misty Law are the 2 high points I think.

http://www.clydemuirshiel.co.uk/things-to-do/walking/routes/irish-law/

In reply to aln:

I always thought the hills above Lochwinnoch and Kilbirnie were flat and boring so we ended up looking at the old plane crashes on them.
Hills just to the south had more shape to them. Irish Law, Crosbie Hill and Kaim Hill.
Crosbie Hill has two ring cairns, I think one of them is very old. There are broken millstones on the west side of Kaim Hill.
There was an old pillbox near the road on Green Hill (south west of Kaim Hill).

In reply to Gone for good:

My first ever " hillwalk" in Primary 7 I think, was up Misty Law.

Subsequently did my BB expedition badge in Muirsheil so happy memories!

In reply to aln:

Thanks for the replies.

In reply to aln:

When i moved to Scotland from Denmark i lived just north of Largs and one of my first walks was a little overnight trip to Hill of Stakes. You get some some nice viewa over the Firth of Clyde but also towards Glasgow.

https://www.flickr.com/photos/83246699@N00/albums/72157594332972198

Can do a nice walk by parking at the Sports Center in Largs and then up to the rocks then follow a path which eventually leads to a rock pool where people would often be jumping in.

In reply to aln:

I grew up in Lochwinnoch and my folks still live there. The hills and moors offer solitude and some surprisingly good views, particularly over the Firth of Clyde and north towards the Arrochar Alps and Ben Lomond. Not much in the way of summit experience though and the going can be very rough indeed through heather and bog. A nice route taking in several of the features already mentioned would be to follow the track that starts from High Linthills above Lochwinnoch to Misty Law taking in Lairdside Hill on the way then drop down to the Garnock to see the spout and follow the river down past Garnock castle.