Blackshaw Hill

This circular walk is fairly strenuous on a variety of surfaces and mixed scenery: farmyard tracks, grassy hillsides, forest paths, muddy patches and surfaced paths. There are stiles and gates to climb.

From the carpark taking care to cross the busy A78, our path takes us uphill, over a rail bridge, then following a grassy track to Meadowhead Farm. We follow the road briefly before heading across a field and then uphill between mature trees to Law Hill, with stiles and gates to climb en route. Near the top of Law Hill we head east, take a break at a line of trees. Heading toward Blackshaw Hill we don’t climb it at this point, rather we head south along a well-tended grassy track, through two sections of forestry, which are fairly dark. We emerge at a pretty pond, teeming with wildlife. Our path then takes us past a Cup and Ring marked rock and up Blackshaw Hill. On a clear day the views are stunning and we will stop for our lunch here. After lunch we descend Blackshaw Hill and follow the Coffin Road, which can be very muddy, into West Kilbride, where we take the path through the Glen, emerging eventually opposite the Seamill Hydro. Taking care to cross the busy A78 we then follow the Ayrshire Coastal Path back to our starting point.