Kirroughtree Forest Trails
| Distance | Approximate Time | Height Gain | OS Map |
| 4 kms | 01:30 (hrs:mins) | 50 metres | Explorer 319: Galloway Forest Park South |
Description
There are four waymarked trails strating from the car park. The walk described here, called the Viewpoint Trail is waymarked throughout as red. Follow the path through open, mixed woodland before reaching a track, part of an Old Military Road. This takes you alongside farmland with the forest on your right. Here, on the forest edge, you will find a mix of wildlife, from roe deer to flocks of finches. The path soon takes you deeper into the forest where the trees are mainly Sitka and Norway spruce and birds such as coal tits are more common. As you climb higher, you are rewarded with views over the Cree estuary and on a good day to the Isle of Man. After a while, you arrive at the picturesque Bruntis Loch, created in the nineteenth century to provide power for the lead mines nearby.
The loch is a very peaceful setting for a rest or a picnic. Soon you will come to a spectacular waterfall tumbling through the gorge it has created. This waterfall passes through a patch of woodland containing remnant plant communities from old woodlands. From here, follow the path back to the car park. On the way you will pass the visitor centre and other facilities, which are well worth a visit.
Access Info
Follow the signs from Palnure on the A75, 3 miles east of Newton Stewart. Parking is available at the Forest Enterprise Kirroughtree Visitor Centre.
Additional Info
Check out the Walking in and around Newton Stewart and Creetown booklet for more information, available from any Tourist Information Centre in Dumfries and Galloway.
