If you don’t already use the Walk Highlands website – then it is amazing. There is a section on walks in the area here
You can walk up the Campsie hills from Queenzieburn, Milton of Campsie, Lennoxtown and Clachan of Campsie
Queenzieburn is the village a mile East of Upper Woodburn. Park in the village and take the Dykehead road steeply up. At the top it turns to a track straight ahead and continue up this track to a hill farm. The track goes straight through the farm but in lambing season there are diversion signs to take you through the wood and back to the track above the fields. This track will take you to a reservoir on the top of the Campsies and further on to Meikle Bin. On the way back you can turn right when you get back to Dykehead road and walk down the parallel road until you get to a footpath cutting across back to Dykehead Road.
There is a fantastic walk up from Clachan of Campsie (parking in the village square) up the Campsie Glen (divert straight on for the waterfalls and then back-track to climb up the hill). Cross the Crow Road at the car park and head straight up the ridge of the Campsies to Cort-ma-Law.
Milton of Campsie Walks
There are nice walks in the woods and round the Dams near Milton of Campsie. You can access these from the village centre, parking opposite the Fells Café. There is a signpost on the main road for the footpath. The long-distance path – The John Muir way follows the route of the Glazert water/Strathkelvin Railway Path and is a great way of joining other paths to a circular route.
There is a country park at Colzium House and castle just the other side of Kilsyth. There is a visitor centre and café.
Just south of Queenzieburn you reach the canal and from here can cycle all the way into Glasgow (1hr 20mins) or to Falkirk and the Kelpies and the Falkirk Wheel, and even Edinburgh (for the fit). It runs parallel with the Antonine Wall which is a world heritage site and the remains of the Roman wall at the north-most reach of their empire. You can visit the fort at Barr Hill from Twechar and walk along the line of the wall, returning via the canal (walk is on the WalkHighland website). Some amazing artifacts were discovered on the Antonine wall and many are in the Hunterian Museum in Glasgow which is well worth a visit for learning about the Roman history of the area, and also visiting the Macintosh House, and other treasures.
Long Distance Routes
The whole area near to Upper Woodburn is intersected by some of Scotland’s most interesting long-distance footpaths. So if you like walking but want to stay on the level rather than climbing hills, you will find great day walks along these routes.
- The West Highland Way goes through Strathblane, and links to Milton of Campsie by the Strathkelvin Railway path/ John Muir Way.
- The John Muir Way links Helensburgh with Dunbar and comes past along the Strathkelvin Railway and the Canal and over the Antonine wall from Croy
- The Great Trossachs Path takes you from Inversaid on Loch Lomond through to Callander and then picks up the Rob Roy Way (cycle friendly)
- The Rob Roy Way runs from Drymen to Pitlochry with a famous section between Callander and Killin along the disused railway (passing Mhor 86 a favoured café/restaurant of ours)
- The Forth and Clyde Canal (cycle friendly)
There are some good resources for local walks here: www.thecampsies.co.uk
I recommend looking at the Walk Highland website to find some good walks in the Trossachs and nearer by in the Campsies.
This map shows paths and so is is useful for exploring