Walk: Croy & Castle Hills – an Antonine escapade

Croy, North Lanarkshire
★★★

North of Cumbernauld’s concrete wilderness is a surprisingly attractive belt of verdant countryside. This is the upper glen of the River Kelvin: a communication corridor followed by the Forth & Clyde Canal, roads, railway and power lines, but with plenty of pockets for wildlife and scenic beauty. Directly to the south is a low ridge along which traverses the Antonine Wall: the Romans’ less-heralded, northern version of Hadrian’s Wall, stretching across Scotland’s Central Belt from the Firth of Clyde to the Firth of Forth. This particular stretch features two Roman forts, with the one at Bar Hill still boasting visible foundations for the principia and bath house. Taking in all the above and more makes a pleasant ramble of contrasting halves: following the canal in one direction and tracing the Wall for the return. Midway along the former section is The Boat House restaurant at Auchinstarry Marina.

Chronological photo guide

Location

Start / finish on minor road by Forth & Clyde Canal 1 mi northwest of Dullatur

O.S. Grid Reference: NS 738774

GPS coordinates: 55.972856,-4.024513

Bus to Auchinstarry, Croy or Twechar (various points on route) | Croy (1 mi from a different point on the route)

Car parks either side of canal

Key info

10 km / 6 mi | ▲ 210 m | 3-3.5 hr

Features: Forth & Clyde Canal; Bar Hill Roman Fort; △ Castle Hill (155 m); △ Croy Hill (147 m); Croy Hill Roman Fort

⬤ Moderate | Tarmac towpath along canal, mostly grassy paths and country lanes for remainder. Short roadside sections.

Anticlockwise circuit: start – Auchinstarry Marina – Twechar – Bar Hill Roman Fort – Castle Hill – Croy Hill – start

Download file for GPS

On our last visit

Wildlife: Ducks, herons, swans & cygnets, dragonflies, swallows. Fish in the canal. Cows & calfs on Croy Hill. Wild raspberries.

Weather: Full sunshine, temperature in mid-20s with a cooling easterly breeze.

July 2018