Kilpatrick Hills, West Dunbartonshire
★★★
This scenic circuit combines a ring around Jaw Reservoir with Cochno Hill, from which there are superb views both towards the Glasgow conurbation and across the Kilpatrick Hills to Duncolm and even Ben Lomond. Some of the paths are pretty soggy, especially on the section around the reservoir: this part can be omitted for a less varied, but shorter and drier walk! The ascent and descent are complemented by some attractive waterfalls.
Chronological photo guide
Ascent to Jaw Reservoir 
Grey Mare’s Tail 
Jaw Reservoir 
Following the north bank 
Canada geese 
Cairnhowit Chambered Cairn 
Causeway between Jaw Reservoir & Cochno Loch 
Cochno Loch 
Jaw Reservoir 
Path along the south bank 
View back from the ascent to Cochno Hill 
Cochno Hill 
View south from the summit 
Looking northwest 
Greenside Reservoir 
Greenside Reservoir 
Loch Humphrey Burn 
Track above Loch Humphrey Burn 
Location
O.S. Grid Reference: NS 503740
GPS coordinates: 55.935771,-4.397942
Bus to Faifley (0.5 mi via footpath link)
Car park
Key info
10 km / 6 mi | ▲ 280 m |
3-3.5 hr
Features:
Grey Mare’s Tail waterfall;
Jaw Reservoir; ✞ Cairnhowit Chambered Cairn;
⬤ Moderate | Rough paths, tracks & minor road return. Optional section around north side of Jaw Reservoir is very boggy in places; some boggy areas elsewhere too (big leaps required!).
Anticlockwise circuit: start – Grey Mare’s Tail waterfall – optional anticlockwise near-circuit of Jaw Reservoir, with detour to Cairnhowit Chambered Cairn – Cochno Hill – Greenside Reservoir outflow – Cochno Filters – start
On our last visit
Wildlife: Cows & sheep in fields next to ascent track. Horses grazing on path around Jaw Reservoir. Many Canada geese, a grey heron, possibly a peregrine falcon. Ripe blackberries.
Weather: Sunny with a few clouds building, light breeze, eventually reaching 15°C.
September 2023
Related Features
Walk: Valentine’s date with Duncolm
Kilpatrick Hills, West Dunbartonshire★★ Love is a strong word, especially when the Kilpatrick Hills are involved. This expansive plateau has a reputation for bog and featureless grassland; the interior feels a desolate place despite being just a stone's throw from Glasgow. But a scattering of reservoirs here and there…
Walk: The weird & wonderful Whangie
Kilpatrick Hills, Stirling★★★★ The Whangie is one of Scotland's more bizarre landscape features, with a bizarre name to match. This unexpected rocky cleft with 50-foot walls in the middle of the grassy Kilpatrick Hills is probably the result of a gradual landslip, though folklore tells of the devil's tail…
Walk: Duncarnock – from fish to fort
Barrhead, East Renfrewshire★★★ Duncarnock is a prominent volcanic plug just a few miles beyond Glasgow's southwestern suburbs. The hill isn't much to look at from most sides... except to the north, where it displays an impressive sheer cliff overlooking the reservoir of Glanderston Dam. Happily this is also the…
