Darn Road
(4 miles / 6.9 km. / 2 hours 15 mins.)
A pleasant walk by the banks of the picturesque Allan Water along the ancient Dobhran” (old Gaelic Water Road route to Bridge of Allan).
From Dunblane Cathedral go down the High Street, up Beech Road and across the B8033 (dual carriageway). From here the route is signposted some 20m. north of the bus shelter. The first section runs along the edge of Dunblane golf course, continues through woodland to a downhill section and then crosses the Wharry Burn via a wooden bridge (1 1/2 miles/2.3 km/45 mins).
From this point there are two options:
1. Continue along the riverside path for another mile (1400m.) until you come out at Blairforkie Drive, Bridge of Allan. This route passes ‘Robert Louis Stevenson’s Cave on the left, (some 150m. from the Wharry Burn bridge) which he described as ‘a cavern by the side of a wide meadow which has been part of me these last twelve years or so’. From Blairforkie Drive a 5 minute walk leads into the historic spa town of Bridge of Allan (2 1/2 miles/4.14 km/1hour 15 mins).
2. Take the track on the left which heads uphill for some 450 metres past the driveway to Drumdruills House on your left until you meet the Glen Road. A left turn here leads back to Dunblane through part of Kippenrait Glen and into Dunblane centre via the fourways roundabout. The Glen is a Site of Special Scientific Interest due to its relatively undisturbed ancient / long established valley woodland which supports a high diversity of woodland plant species and some rare insects.
From Bridge of Allan return to Dunblane either by:
a. retracing the outward route
b. the Glen Road or
c. public transport.
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