Drymen to Buchanan Walk

Buchanan Castle

Here is an excellent circular walk from and to Drymen Village Square. You will visit the site of the former Buchanan Castle, which, as you can see from the drone picture (from another visit), is now in ruins; you’ll also get some glimpses of Loch Lomond.

If you’ve read this guide before, you may notice it’s had a makeover. The bleak winter pictures featured are replaced with stronger autumnal ones from my walk in October 2024. Like all the guides on this website, I am working hard to keep them updated, and it’s not just the pictures; there are a few minor changes to report. Let me know in the comments if you’ve done this walk and what you thought.

Drymen Village Square - The start of the Rob Roy Way 

Drymen Village Square

If you are new to Drymen, look at our extensive guide to the village. Also, pick up one of the Drymen Paths leaflets from local shops, as they have a map and guide to this and other local walks.

It's 11km long and takes around 2.5 hours; I'll describe the route and throw in a few detours. You can also cycle it, which will take 45 minutes to 1 hour. In some places, the track is a little bumpy, so riding it on a mountain bike or something similar will be best.

Start at Drymen Village Square, and as you can see from the mural in the bus shelter, this is the start of the Rob Roy Way, which our route also follows for a short distance. Walk up Old Gartmore Road, the road to the right of the Clachan Inn pub and left of Drymen Bakery & Deli. You'll pass houses and the primary school before the road becomes a single track with fields on either side. Look out for the excellent post box before you reach the school; it has toppers that are often updated. As I walked past in October, there was a Halloween-themed one.

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Keep following this road (watching out for cars coming up behind you) until you see a wooden marker indicating the route of the West Highland Way, which is where you should turn left, signed as the car park for Garadhban, pictured below. (An alternative route would have been to pick up the West Highland Way path outside Drymen by walking along Stirling Road past the Drymen Inn.)

Walk along the West Highland Way path through the forest. Once you clear the woods, you will have open views of Loch Lomond.

Stay on the West Highland Way path, following the markers until you reach a metal barrier (pictured below) that prevents vehicles from getting onto the trail.

Turn left on the other side of the barrier shown above. The straight-on route is to Conic Hill, but our route is the West Highland Way trail version that avoids Conic.

As you head down the forestry road you'll get some nice views of Loch Lomond

The mighty Conic Hill can be seen as you head along this road. 

This is Milton of Buchanan, and at the end of the road, turn left.

This is the point you turn left and follow Balmaha Road for a short distance looking out for a right turn. 

Here is that right turn; follow the cycling signs as this is the cycle path to Drymen.

Here is the track that you follow to go to Buchanan Estate. 

When the path reaches a t-junction take a left (keep following the blue cycling/walking/horse riding path signs)

Buchanan Estate & Castle

This part of the walk is Buchanan Estate. Go straight over the crossroads (the golf course is the right-hand turn). Keep going and carry straight on at the second crossroads.

I have added the photo below to show you the sharp left turn to take if you wish to see the exterior of Buchanan Castle, where Queen Victoria stayed on a visit and now lies in ruins. Another guest was Nazi leader Rudolph Hess; he was imprisoned here for a time during the Second World War.

Looking at the picture below the road on the left is the one you will have walked up and by turning left you will be walking towards the castle, which you can see at the end of the road.

Here's a picture of Buchanan Castle, although there's not much to see now. 

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Back to Drymen

Look out for a blue sign pointing towards Drymen for walkers and cyclists. Walk up into Buchanan Home Farm until you see another blue sign indicating a cycle/walking path to the village of Drymen.

You leave the path and cross a field to visit Drymen Viewpoint, pictured below, before entering the road opposite The Buchanan Arms Hotel. There are a few muddy parts, but it is mainly on tarmac.

Summary

• From Drymen Square follow NCN7 signs up from the road next to the Clachan Inn.

• When you reach the main car park for Garadhban turn left and follow the West Highland Way waymarkers.

• Turn left after the gate across the path and follow the road track downhill.

• Turn left at the main road and continue a short distance

• Turn right and follow the blue walking/cycling signs back to Drymen Square

Drymen Viewpoint 

Thanks for reading

Words and photography by Paul Saunders. Visit Paul’s Marketing and Photography websites for details of his services in Scotland.

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