Search for the Source of the Endrick!

Another glorious day at Appletree Cottage!
The sun is shining and the sky is clear as
we set off to find the source of the Endrick
Water, the river which rises in the Campsie
Hills and flows west down through Fintry, 
Gartness and Drymen to Loch Lomond.

The walk was an easy one.  After leaving the car we did not pass or see a single person in the whole afternoon.

Appletree Cottage in the winter sun

We drove from Croftamie via Killearn to Fintry where we picked up some rolls in the excellent Fintry Sports Centre.  Back in the car we continued heading east along the B818,  taking a left turn shortly after leaving Fintry signposted Denny (still the B818).  After about 3.75 miles / 6km (from Fintry) we reached the Carron reservoir on the right-hand side of the road where there was ample room to park.

Ample parking at the foot of Carron Valley Reservoir Dam

On the other side of the road (B818) from the car park is a bridge over the Endrick and the road built by the windmill builders leading up into the hills to the north

Up into the hills we walked, a constant gentle rise.  In the adjacent fields herds of handsome looking cows looked on with interest, apparently regarding walkers passing by as some major calendar event.
 
A descent in the road led to another bridge over the Endrick Water – looking still narrower, then a climb again.  We had passed through several gates – all of which were fixed open and although the road had no tarmac the surface was well made and even.
 
After a long gentle ascent the road started to veer over to the right over the shoulder of the hill (Cringate Law).   In the distance we could see ruined farm buildings of the former Burnfoot Farm.  Just at that point on the left hand side, next to what looked like a passing place was a single post with a broken disc on it and an arrow on the disc.  The arrow pointed across open moor to the north west and we struck off into the banks of rushes heading down hill.

When three of the turbines at the top of the hill almost line up look out for the lay-by and this post on your left. This is the start of the descent across rough ground to the vital next bridge

Soon we came to a gate and next it a style over the fence.  We crossed the style, still making our way downhill.  At the bottom of the hill, next to an old dry-stone wall was a new looking bridge over a burn.
 
Close to this bridge is the confluence point of the Burnfoot Burn and the Backside Burn – the latter being the bottom one.  Where the two waters of the Backside and the Burnfoot meet is the start of the Endrick Water.
 

The start of the Endrick (flowing out to the left of frame) where the Backside and Burnfoot Burns meet. The recently built bridge was essential to furthering our journey

The bridge over the Burnfoot Burn turns out to be quite important.    Funded by Scotways with  a grant of £22,800 from the Brown Forbes Memorial Fund (BFMF) and £4,600 from Forth Valley and Lomond LEADER and support from Scottish National Heritage the bridge was the “missing link” connecting existing paths to form the first off-road walking route across Central Scotland, linking the villages of Kippin and Kilsyth.  Built by The Conservation Volunteers it provided a safe crossing on this route from 2014.  For more information about the walking route follow this link: www.scotways.com/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=342:heritage-paths-in-the-campsie-fells-a-new-bridge-for-central-scotland&catid=1:news&Itemid=69

Although recently built part of one of the steps has collapsed. Fortunately the rest of the bridge is sound. Without the bridge this burn would be a difficult one to cross.

On the bridge looking back the way we had come.

We could see a ruin up on the hill on the other side of the burn so we crossed the bridge and made our way up through occasionally boggy ground to what turned out to be an old abandoned farmhouse.  The roof appeared to have been off this building for many years and the rubble built stone walls were crumbling rapidly.  An old swinging pot hook remained in place on the internal fireplace.
This was the remains of Burnfoot Cottage, a former small steading.

The remains of Burnfoot Cottage with Earlsburn Wind Farm in the background.

A closer look at that tree

Initials carved on the trunk of the tree. The E would appear to be a later addition.

A couple of lintels remain in place but much of the structure has crumbled.

We have been (reliably?) informed that as part of the deal for permission to install Earlsburn Windfarm it was agreed that the village of Fintry would benefit financially.  The income from one of the wind generators would go directly to the village.  This financed the building of their excellent sports centre.  It may be this fact requires further investigation.

Inside Burnfoot looking north. A former fireplace is on the left

A rough track leads north from Burnfoot Cottage leading eventually down to the village of Kippen.  It would have been a long journey in the days of horse and cart - and very few if any other inhabitants to meet on the way.
One other dwelling in this valley is marked on the 1890Ordinance Survey map - Backside Farm about one mile to the north.  Little now remains of that particular dwelling.

Inside Burnfoot looking south. The fireplace in the centre of the picture still has the pot swinger in place. A cooking pot or kettle could be hung from this device and swung into our out of the fireplace.

Life must have been bleak in this wild and lonely place. Looking out the front door to the west.

The western elevation of Burnfoot looking north. It is difficult to estimate how long ago the property was abandoned.

After exploring Burnfoot we followed the track north for a few miles and in the distance up on a hill to the west we managed to glimpse the Spout of Ballochleam.  But conscious of the short hours of daylight we turned back and returned to the car the way we had come and left the exploring of the Spout of Ballochleam to another day.
A very pleasant stop on the way home was the Fintry Inn with their warm fire, local beers and excellent food.  A great place to put your feet up and relax after a long walk.

The Fintry Inn - a welcome end to a great day.