Great Milngavie Half Marathon
I am really enjoying my current regular weekly run that takes in some of the best scenery in the area, pretty much avoids all roads, and is largely a loop run, so I thought I'd share the route in case any runners or walkers are looking for a bit of inspiration or a new route. At 22km from my house its a little over the 21km half marathon distance but close enough, and if you start at the beginning of the West Highland Way, WHW you can add a further couple of kilometers to make 24km. A nice round 15 miles if you are old school. It takes 1:52 from my house at a 5:07 min/km pace, so a couple of minutes over two hours from the start of the WHW. I've never walked it, but would guestimate five hours brisk walking without stops.
In a nutshell, get onto the WHW at your earliest convenience and follow it past the steeper of the two routes up toward Mugdock Castle and take the next gentler right turn up to the castle. Descend to the left of the castle and then along the wee boardwalk, and turn left up toward the visitor centre. Take a left turn just before the other ruined castle and then quickly veer right across the grass through a few trees to emerge onto the road opposite a clear forestry road. Cross and take that forestry road as it weaves through the trees, avoiding any paths on the right or left turns onto other forestry roads. After a while the forest closes in a little and the track bends first right then left before emerging onto the dirt road, where turning right will lead you down to Strathblane. Once on the outskirts of the village bear left at the stables and descend a wee sloping, occasionally stepped track into a housing estate. On reaching the road, turn right and immediately left to take you toward the stream and playpark. Bear left and diagonally cross a sports pitch heading for a gap in the wall in the far corner, where you turn right and soon climb up to the main Blanefield road. Cross with care, heading right and immediately left at the church up a many gated road that will take you contouring along the Campsie Fells toward Dumgoyne. When you reach the main route up Dumgoyne by the Glengoyne distillery, veer left and down across the field to a style at the bottom of the hill. Bear left, and again you meet the main road, so cross with caution, and continue left a short way to take the first right driveway that takes you across to the WHW. Turn left onto the WHW and follow this back to Milngavie.
For the more hard core - take in an ascent of Dumgoyne, by deviating from the route described at the house called Cantywheery, and climbing and contouring across to Dumgoyne. As you reach the obvious small but steep volcanic plug that is Dumgoyne, bash up where it takes your fancy to the top and to descend follow the track straight down hill to rejoin the route near the Distillery. I've not done this as part of this loop run, but have climbed Dumgoyne by this way a few times as part of other jaunts. It shouldn't add too much to the distance - its like taking the high route instead of the low route - but allow a half hour addition to the overall time. Dumgoyne is a steep little hill so including its ascent significantly adds to the difficulty and risk associated with the run.
Right now the route is wet, like a stream in places, with large deep puddles quite frequently. Enjoy.