At the T-Junction on Main Street, make your way out of the village on the Touch Road. Travel about 1/3mile (750km) and take the first turning on the left (A). You will see a ruined house to your left and Cambusbarron Quarry on the skyline. Further on you will see a burn running alongside the road.

At the point where the road divides (B). Do not take the signposted Private Road to Brooklands and Woodside. Keep to the right and follow the road up the hill. Drive carefully as there are cattle grids and sheep wandering on the road. Eventually, you see some cottages on your left and waterworks in front of you (C).

Walk down, alongside the waterworks, past the old wooden scout hut. As you round the corner into a small, enclosed field (D), there are old railway sleepers over a patch which can be boggy. Look over the dry stone dyke to get a great view of Stirling Castle and the Carse.

Go through the gate and you will see a track winding around to the left of the farmhouse. Follow the track and remember to close any gates behind you. The track starts to wind it's way down the hill but keep heading straight towards the trees ahead of you. Climb over or go under the fence (E), then make your way into the trees.
You will see and hear Touch Burn in the gully and should be able to find a path. Sections of the path are fine but it tends to disappear in places. The path gets covered in fallen leaves and can be slippery. This part of the walk can be dangerous so be careful and keep a close watch on children.

You will see some smaller waterfalls and on the lower stretch of the burn you can get down to the water. Keep walking upstream and don't be tempted to climb down. Be very careful as the burn flows deep through the gorge and the path runs very close to the edge.
The path is hard to follow in places but keep going until you come to a row of trees rooted on an old dry stone dyke. Up on the left you will see a line of trees and a wire fence running along by the dyke. Proceed to the right, along the line of the dyke and then carefully make your way down to the burn (F).

Care should be taken while descending as the bank is steep and covered in loose material. If the burn isn't flowing too fast, you can make your way across the stepping stones to explore Gilmour's Linn, a peaceful place to spend some time. This scenic waterfall has a deep cave running behind it and Bonnie Prince Charlie is reputed to have hidden here when fleeing after the Battle of Culloden.
From here, follow the route back to where you started from. If you are pushed for time and prefer a shorter walk to Gilmour's Linn, you can drive up the hill, and park on the stretch of road just before the waterworks.

© In Stirling 2002

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