📌 St John’s Town of Dalry, Dumfries & Galloway
★★★
Mulloch Hill is the summit directly east of St John’s Town of Dalry: a crossroads village in a little-visited corner of southwest Scotland. The hill only stands 100 metres above the Water of Ken floodplain, but the panorama is surprisingly extensive, taking in many high hills of Galloway Forest Park as well as the fertile Glenkens. Returning along the river makes an excellent circuit, with rich wildflower displays during early summer. The route is also waymarked (in the opposite direction) as the Watson Bird Walk in memory of local artist and nature writer Donald Watson.
📷 Chronological photo guide
St John’s Town of Dalry 
View over the village from the ascent 
Mulloch Hill summit 
View over the village to the Rhinns of Kells ridge 
View west towards the descent route 
Descent from Mulloch Hill 
Track link to Water of Ken 
Riverside path 
Water of Ken 
Return to the village 
Footbridge over Water of Ken (don’t cross) 
Dalry Parish Church
🌍 Location
📌 Start / finish at A702 / A713 road junction, St John’s Town of Dalry village centre
🧭 O.S. Grid Reference: NX 620812
🛰️ GPS coordinates: 55.105924,-4.164829
🚌 Bus to St John’s Town of Dalry
🚗 Street parking
📝 Key info
▶ 5 km / 3 mi | ▲ 130 m | ⌛ 1.5-2 hr
Features: 🏠 St John’s Town of Dalry; △ Mulloch Hill (170 m); 💧 Water of Ken
⬤ Moderate | Faint paths and open fields for hill section, return on clear riverside path. Some waymarkers.
Download file for GPS➡️ Clockwise circuit: start & St John’s Town of Dalry – path leaves village at 🧭 NX 624813 – Mulloch Hill – Boat Knowe – return by Water of Ken
🥾 On our last visit
Wildlife: Cows & calves, sheep & lambs – in fields shared with path.
Weather: Initially sunny, shower clouds building rapidly. Light wind, 20°C.
June 2023
