A circular road walk from Strathaven through mostly livestock farmland and moorland with views of Tinto Hill in the east and passing the edge of the Whitelee wind farm
Distance: about 13.5 miles
Time: about 4 to 5 hours
Starting in the Common Green in the centre of Strathaven, begin the walk by leaving the Common Green at the main entrance, crossing at the traffic lights on to Lethame Road directly opposite. Continue to follow this road as it curves to the right, past the former John Hastie Museum, when the George Allen Park and the boating pond come into view. Continue up the hill until you come to the edge of the town and the road turns sharp right.
All buses will stop here and there is also a car park, though it has a two hour limit. Longer term parking is available in Station Road or in one of the car parks attached to the public parks.
Follow the road, past a farm road on your right until you reach a cross roads juction. Turn left to climb the shallow hill.
At this point there is the option to cross on to the farm road opposite. Follow the track up and over the hill and turn left at the end. There is little difference as both routes meet up again, but it does avoid any traffic.
At the crossroads, looking back along the road and slightly left you should see Tinto Hill for the first, but not the last, time along the route. In front and to the right you can begin to see the Whitelee Windfarm.
Continue along this road for about two miles, passing the road to Nether Lethame Farm on your left and various Carnduff Farms as it climbs gently. As you near the top of the slope the road turns sharply to the right just before a junction. Turn left.
Nether Lethame is home to the 'famous' duck pond. It now also boasts a 'coffee and cake' van and a vending machine for the sale of the farm's free-range eggs. At the time of writing, the van is open only at weekends.
Follow this road for about a mile and a half until you reach DykeHead Farm, then turn left.
After a bit less than half a mile, turn left again and then left once more after a further mile and a quarter.
The road now climbs up the north side of Ardochrig, gently at first but becoming steeper for about half a mile to the top.
The edge of the Whitelee Wind Farm comes very close to the road at the top of hill and may make an interesting diversion.
The next section of the walk is mostly downhill, apart from a short sharp ascent approaching Tackhouse Farm, and comes to the 'Whitlaw' crossroads where the route turns to the left.
Off to the right as you descend, you may be able to see Loudon Hill, a volcanic plug (the remnant of an ancient volcano), the site of a battle between Robert The Bruce and English forces of Edward the First in 1307.
Straight across the crossroads, on the ridge that can been on the other side of the valley, is The Heron "Farm Shop and Kitchen". It is about quarter of a mile away from the junction.
To the right on the Calder Water are some small waterfalls and pools suitable for swimming (if it is really hot!)
The road now climbs gently for about a mile and a half before descending again for a further mile to the next turn. Yet another left turn!
After about quarter of a mile, turn to the right at the junction and continue along this road for just over a mile where comes to a T-junction.
Loudon Hill can again be seen, off to your left, on this part of the route.
Strathaven Airfield is about half a mile along the road on the left. Home to a flying school.
Turn to the right and continue to the traffic lights at the Common Green. Cross to return to the start.
