Kilpatrick Braes

A route split into three distinct offerings. The first is basically all uphill, and steep, with lovely views down over the Clyde river. The second part of about is undulating and the final section is mainly all downhill with a flat section once into Dumbarton proper.

We do enjoy these runs where we can take advantage of the train and go point to point. We hope to have a future page based on using the train.

So we arrived in Kilpatrick station in Old Kilpatrick while a large fire was burning on the other side of the river which screwed up our pictures to some extent. Off the train and a minute or two to get our bearings. Start from the platform on the north side which has an exit path leading you up to the bowling club. From this point the directions section gives you the detail. The path to the hills is well sign posted and you are soon running through the tunnel under the main A82 and quickly onto a small single track road. This first short section is mostly flat but don't be fooled as around you start the climbing and this first section has about . The best of the views are behind you on this section so don't forget to turn round and take it in. Have a wee rest look at the Erskine bridge and perhaps spot a plane or two leaving Glasgow airport. This first section is mainly dirt road.

Onto the second section which is undulating but after the first section it actually feels rather flat. This takes you round a few small reservoirs with combination of dirt road and some smaller sections of trail. At about 4.4 a small trail heads off right from the dirt road. Although this has a post it can be hard to spot. This trail is rather small but only goes on for

200 m

656 feet

. Grassy and steep in places it's rather a fun section of technical running but be very careful.

The small trail leads you to the final third of the run and we are nearly all down hill at this point. Initially some great running over trail and short grass before gradually moving onto hardcore trail, single track road and then town roads when in Dumbarton. The route takes in the grand Scottish Baronial manor of Overtoun house on the way

Kilpartick station is on the Balloch - Airdrie route and Dumbarton station is fed by trains from both Helensburgh (to Glasgow and Edinburgh) and Balloch.