West Lomond Cairna

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Terrain: Wide undulating well surfaced path, with some fairly long steep sections leading to the base of the hill, this takes you to a steep assent to the summit of West Lomond.

Distance: 4 km 2.5 milesTime: 2 hours

The route starts at Craigmead Car Park (1) and explores the prehistoric past of the area as you climb towards the summit of West Lomond.

Look out for the remains of a Bronze Age burial cist (2) and prehistoric hut circles (c.700BC–500AD) at Balharvie Moss (3). A carved boulder (4) with an Early Christian cross and fish motif can be found just a short walk from the main path. South of the path at Craigen Gaw are the earthworks of medieval farming enclosures (5).

The summit is occupied by a large prehistoric burial cairn (6). Probably constructed during the Neolithic (4000BC-2100BC) and Bronze Age periods (2100BC–700BC), the monument marks an ancestral place of burial. Several poorly recorded antiquarian excavations at the cairn have uncovered bones and a fragment of prehistoric cremation urn.

A modern trig point pillar and a walker’s cairn stand on the summit. Small circular structures on the south side of the cairn may be post-medieval shielings and the site of old excavations.

Scottish Outdoor Access CodeWhile out enjoying the local countryside please follow the Scottish Outdoor Access Code.

For further information visit www.livinglomonds.org.uk.

© Crown copyright and data base rights 2016 Ordnance Survey 10002335

Plan of the Commonty of the Lomond Hills of Falkland

published in 1818. Courtesy of Kinross Museum.