Appletree to Drymen walk

Lovely walk from Appletree luxury self-catering cottage Croftamie to Drymen Village

Walking from Appletree Cottage to Drymen via the less direct back route takes just under an hour but is well worth the effort.  With little or no traffic on this route the views across to the Forth Valley, across the Endrick Water and over to Loch Lomond and the Luss Hills are stunning.
The walk is along a combination of single track country roads and along the route of a former railway track which has been surfaced with tarmac and forms part of the Sustrans Cycle Route 7 which in its entirety runs from Sunderland in the North East of England to Inverness in the North of Scotland.  It is not overly used but it is not unusual to come across cyclists making their way on the arduous route, from Lands' End in the far south of England to John O' Groats in the far north of Scotland, a trip which can take 10 to 14 days.

View across the Endrick Water to Dalnair Castle from the former Forth and Clyde Junction Railway bridge

Starting at Appletree Cottage exit through the gates and turn right and follow the single-track road down the hill and under the magnificent canopy of ancient oaks.  

First leg of the journey through canopy of trees

Continuing along this route for about three hundred yards / metres you come to a gap in the fence and a signpost for Cycle Route 7.  Turn left down this path and onto the former railway line.  This takes you along a straight run into Croftamie Village where the excellent cafe / bistro / bar The But & Ben opened its doors about a year ago.  Well worth a visit it serves food and drink and over the summer is open at weekends for evening meals and occasionally themed cuisine

An advertising card for the But & Ben

Pedestrian bridge over the Endrick Water with fantastic views.

Once in Croftamie village the railway path continues directly across on the other side of the main road, past what used to be the former railway station.  Named Drymen Station even though it was a mile away from Drymen the station for a while gave its name to the village of Croftamie.  The station house and the goods shed are surviving relics of this era.  Soon you arrive at a footbridge supported on former railway pillars over the Endrick Water.  There are great views up and down the river from here

The route of the former railway passes through some fabulous countryside.

After crossing the bridge, the route of the former railway continues to pass through some fabulous countryside.  After about quarter of a mile, you come out on a single track road.  Turn hard right, cross the bridge and up the hill.  At the top of the hill the road levels out and to the west are terrific panoramic views across Loch Lomond to the Luss Hills

Looking west across Loch Lomond close to the site of a small roman encampment. In the distance towards the Luss Hills on the horizon. Spectacular!

A thoughtful local group has planted and tended patches of attractive flowers on the verges of this quiet backroad.
At the top of the hill is the site of a Roman encampment - part of the Gask Ridge line of defences.
Looking to the east there are views down the Forth Valley with the Campsie Hills to the south.  From the summit the remaining walk into Drymen Village is about fifteen minutes.