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A paradise for walkers
Gatehouse of Fleet offers unrivalled opportunities for all sorts of walks. There are easily accessed walks starting from the town centre car park and from historic Cardoness Castle. There are trails of varying length through the beautiful Cally Oak Woods and Carstramon Wood. There are walks to the sea and across open country within the Fleet Valley National Scenic Area, as well as longer walks in the surrounding hills.
Above and Top: In the Cally Woods. Below: The upper Fleet valley with the Clints of Dromore and the Galloway Hills beyond. © David Steel
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Walks in and around Gatehouse of Fleet
Gatehouse of fleet offers a wide variety of walks at all times of the year. In February snowdrops carpet the Cally Oak Woods and are a foretaste of spring. Soon there will be daffodils and blue bells, when Carstramon Wood is a sea of shimmering blue. On summer’s days the woodlands provide shady walks and the hills are fragrant with the scent of heather. Autumn brings a riot of colour and in winter new vistas open up.
Short Walks
From the car park in the town centre there are easy access walks offering views of the wild life around the river Fleet. A new circular walk from Cardoness Castle and Port McAdam is also suitable for wheel chair access.
Slightly longer walks
From the Car Park and from the Murray Information Centre in Cally Oak Woods signed trails lead through the woods. There are also longer walks up the Fleet Valley and through Carstramon Wood. Longer walks also lead to the sea at Sandgreen and Carrick shore.
Hill Walks
The Clints of Dromore, in the words of Dorothy L Sayers; “the gate of the wilderness and the guardian barrier of the Fleet” offer spectacular views down the valley of the Fleet and access to the rugged Cairnsmore of Fleet.
The Gatehouse Walks Booklet
A brand new booklet has been produced with details of a series of walks in and about Gatehouse of Fleet. The booklet, which contains maps, photographs and accompanying text on 7 different walks, is available locally at the Mill on the Fleet and the Kiosk.
It can also be downloaded from here as a pdf document.
The National Scenic Area has published two small brochures for the viewpoints at Knockbrex and Knocktinkle. They can be downloaded as pdfs here.
Knockbrex Viewpoint
Knocktinkle Viewpoint
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Useful information on local walks
Download the new Gatehouse Walks Booklet here
For information on local Gatehouse walks, use the link below to access descriptions of a selection of walks.
Dumfries and Galloway Tourist Board - Walks
Also see below for further information on Castramon Wood.
Scottish Wildlife Trust - Castramon Wood
The new riverside walk from Port Macadam to Cardoness Castle. © David Steel
Bluebells in Cally Woods © Ken Smyth
Beach walks: Cardoness Shore © Ken Smyth
Beech trees, Castramon Wood © Ken Smyth
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