Edinburgh Rock, Buzzards, Red Kites, Nature Reserve, Moto X, the Deanston Distillery

the  S.A.S  >   and the "Holy Grail"  Monty Python Style
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the cattle markets in Stirling and further south

It was also the place where    Thomas Cadell >    set up his pistol factory in 1646

It is said that a Doune pistol fired the first shot in the American War of Independence

Doune Castle  >  many of the scenes of Monty Pythons film "The Holy Grail" was filmed at Doune castle

The castle nestles on a river promontory in a very good defensive position

and is cared for by   Historic Scotland  >
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David Stirling who was the founder of the Special Air Service (SAS) lived near Doune

His statue sits by a minor road, adjacent to fields, and looks northwards to Ben Vorlich
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from  Glasgow  >  take the A80 to  Stirling  >  then M9 to  Dunblane  >

from  Edinburgh  >  take the M9 to Dunblane

from  Perth  >  take the A9 to Dunblane

from Dunblane take the A820, 3 miles to  Doune  >

Park in the Moray Park car park

in the centre of the village

Public Toilets are situated in Moray Park

THE 5 WALKS

Dont Get Lost Take A Copy With You

Print - Version - Here >
 

UK Weather  >
 

Walk 1

The Doune Trail

follow the

YELLOW  way markers

aprox 5 kms, allow 1 hour

A pleasant circular walk which takes you out of the village

through conifer and deciduous woodland

providing good views of the distant mountains
 

Start from the Moray Park car park in the middle of the village

follow the sign to the Doune Trail north to the disused railway line

at the railway line turn right and follow the path watching out for the wild  roses & orchids
 

you should also see Lapwings, Oyster Catchers, Kestrals

after about 300m take the small track on your left ( signposted ) take the 5 small steps

turn left onto the track running alongside the woodland
 

watch out for Red & Grey Squirrels here

stay on this track until you reach the road

turn left approx 30m on you will see the signpost for Commonly walk which
 

takes you uphill with good views of Ben Vorlich in the north ( 985m )

and Dumyat to the east above Stirling at the top of the hill

you will have fine views of Doune the Castle and the Gargunnock Hills
 

continue on downhill with the Black Wood on your right

to where the path meets a track at the bottom

turn right leads you to the Doune Ponds nature reserve
 

continue uphill and take the steps down to your left

a left turn takes you back to the Moray Park car park

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WALK 2

Doune Castle and the River Teith

Again starting from the Moray Park car park in the village centre

a short walk from the village to the castle and round the Castle grounds
 

Start from the car park walk back to Doune main street turn left and follow

the main street downhill the opening to the Castle is on the right

the Castle is well worth a visit,one of the best preserved medieval castles in Scotland
 

there may have been a castle on this site since the 11th C

the present Building dates from the 14th C built by the Duke of Albany

in the 15th C, Doune Castle became a royal residence and was frequently
 

visited by the Stuart kings

the infant James 11 had a nursery in the turret

during the Jacobite rising in 1715 the castle was a rebels garrison
 

in 1746 it was visited by Bonnie Prince Charlie

he used it to house his prisoners

a ruin by 1800 the castle was restored in the 19th C by the Earl of Moray
 

and is now owned by Historic Scotland

the Castle overlooks the River Teith which offers some picturesque Riverside strolls

explore around the castle and along the river banks
 

lookout for the Ice house, also see the wild flowers in the Meadow

see the fish jumping in the river Teith

retrace your steps to the Moray park car park

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Walk 3

Doune Ponds Nature Reserve

a pleasant circular walk round the Doune ponds nature reserve 3km

Start from the Moray Park car park cross the the playing field in a diagonal direction
 

towards the flats exit the park through the small gate and turn right onto the road

follow the road over the bridge crossing the old railway line and take a sharp left turn

(signposted) onto a smaller road which leads to the Doune Ponds
 

note the standing stone in the car park

enter the reserve through a small gate and follow the path there are a number

of circular walks around and through the surrounding woodland
 

please keep to the paths hides are provided for observing the water fowl here

retrace your steps to return to the Moray Park car park

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Walk 4

Doune Railway Line

5km allow 90 mins

a flat circular walk from Doune along the old railway line to the hamlet of Argaty

 Start from the Moray Park car park follow the sign for the Doune Trail towards the

old railway line ( the old Dunblane - Tyndrum line ) and turn right onto the path
 

follow the path to the very end passing the Moto X track on your left

negitiate 2 small gates where the railway bridge is missing, lookout for wild orchids

there are views of Ben Ledi ( 879m ) behind you at the end of the railway line the
 

path meets the road, turn right and follow the road to a junction marked

by a bus shelter

you are now in the Hamlet of Argaty ( gaelic for windy heights )
 

lookout for soaring Buzzards and Red Kites

follow the road to the left past the saw mill and several cottages

this road will take you back to the village and Moray Park car park

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Walk 5

Historic Doune Village

3km allow 45 minutes

a short stroll around Doune to discover the Village Heritage

Start at the Doune Castle car park
 

above the car park on a piece of high flat land is the site of a Roman fortification

turn left behind tha gate cottage on the right you will see the Ardoch Burn

the scattered medieval village was probably located here
 

where the castle offered protection and a focus for trading

in the 16th and 17th centuries the centre of the village moved

towards its present location
 

head for the main road turn left up the main street on your left is Kilmadock Parish Church

of the Presbyterian Church of Scotland built in 1822 to replace an earlier

church of 1746
 

above the door are the Earl of Moray's coat of arms the family have owned the castle

and much of the land around the village sincethe 16th C

cross the road and at the Dairy look down the lane where an old stone
 

building is said to be 1 of 3 Pistol factories between 1646 and 1800

Doune was famed for its ornamental pistols one of which is reputed to have fired

the first shot in the American Revolution
 

continue along the main street you will see the Mercat Cross, Doune obtained a Royal Charter

from James V1 in 1611 giving the Earl of Moray the right to hold markets

the top part of the cross dates from the early 18th C
 

and shows the Moray Arms & the Argyle Arms

the length of the main street was the location of the markets

held up to 6 times per year for 200 years
 

take the right fork into Balkerach Street & at Station Wynd

turn right and walk to the end of the street and along a path

which leads to Doune Ponds car park
 

on your right in the car park is a standing stone the antiquity of this stone

is uncertain but in the 18th C it was the focus of much haggling at the Doune Fairs

Farmers & Drovers from the Highlands came to sell there animals to dealers
 

who drove them to Glasgow,Edinburgh & England

at the Doune Latter Fair in early November up to 10,000 cattle were sold

this stone was where many of the deals were struck
 

while the area which is now Doune Ponds was full of cattle

return to the mercat cross, Graham Street was the birthplace in 1798

of Alexander Ferguson who undertook experiments in toffee making
 

in his parents small house in the lane

he left the village ending up in Edinburgh where he invented Edinburgh Rock

the sweet widely copied in seaside holiday resorts around Britain
 

from this he made his fortune and returned to Doune to buy up

the lane which was known for may years as Sweetie Lane

retrace your steps to the Castle car park
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For Disabled Or Less Adgile Ramblers

all of the walks here are reasonably easy and should be suitable for most people
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