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Wildflower meadows, open woodland and a Roman frontier above the Forth & Clyde Canal

Nethercroy

Discover something new at Nethercroy

These pretty woods are an ideal spot for a peaceful stroll or a relaxing picnic surrounded by views, wildlife and a tremendous sense of history. Begin exploring beside the Forth and Clyde Canal at Auchinstarry Marina. Watch the boats along the waterway and enjoy views over the Kelvin valley as you gain height on Croy Hill. On the ridge you can discover the remains of part of the remarkable Antonine Wall, built in the AD140s and briefly the northernmost frontier of the Roman Empire.

Notice

  • Please be advised that cattle will be returning  to Croy Hill for the summer grazing.  There will be circa 70 young highland cross cattle arriving at the end of March to manage the grassland over the Antonine wall.  All visitors are requested to follow and adhere to all signage on site to ensure their safety and that of the cattle. Thank you for your co-operation.
Picnic area Walking Viewpoint

Life’s essentials

You’ll find refreshments, toilets and bike hire at Auchinstarry Marina. There are also more places to eat, drink and shop at nearby Croy and Twechar.

Walking trails


Cycling trails


Mountain biking trails


Wildlife watching

In summer, the meadows on the hillside are full of wildflowers, including the sweetly-scented lesser white butterfly orchid, and abuzz with butterflies and insects. You might spot a red squirrel and this wood is also a haven for great crested newts: watch for them in the ponds along the way.

The Romans in Scotland

Croy Hill has some of the best preserved sections of the ramparts and ditch of the Roman Antonine Wall. This remarkable structure stretched 37 miles (60km) between the Firth of Forth and the Firth of Clyde and, for around 20 years, marked the northernmost frontier of the Roman Empire. Today the remains are cared for by Historic Scotland.

The Forth and Clyde Canal

The 35 mile (56km) Forth and Clyde Canal opened in 1790, creating an important shipping route across the centre of Scotland. It linked the Firth of Forth on the east coast with the Firth of Clyde on the west until it closed in 1963. As part of the Millennium celebrations, it was restored and reopened again in 2002 and is now linked to the Union Canal by the Falkirk Wheel rotating boatlift. New marinas like the one here at Auchinstarry provide moorings and other essential facilities for boating along the canal.

Conservation grazing

As part of our conservation of the grasslands and Antonine wall on the site, Forestry Commission Scotland grazes a herd of 30 rare breed cows on the open hill between April and September of each year.

Contact: Scottish Lowlands Forest District

Address: Five Sisters House, Five Sisters Business Park, West Calder

Postcode: EH55 8PN

Telephone: 0300 067 6700

Email: scottishlowlands@forestry.gsi.gov.uk


How to get here

Nethercroy Wood lies between the village of Croy and the Forth & Clyde Canal near Kilsyth.

The main access point to the wood is from Auchinstarry Marina beside the B802, just south of the village of Auchinstarry. There is parking at the marina, which is at grid reference NS 721 767. A path winds up into the wood from the picnic area.

There are also entrances to the wood in the villages of Dullatur (NS 729 774) and Croy (NS 713 762).

Using SatNav?

G65 9SG is the postcode for Auchinstarry Marina.

Public transport

There are regular trains from Glasgow to Croy and buses run between Croy and Auchinstarry. Find details at Traveline Scotland.

Nearby places

Head for nearby Twechar to visit Bar Hill, another hilltop wood steeped in history. Here you can visit the remains of a Roman fort on an imposing vantage point above the Antonine Wall, overlooking the Kelvin Valley and Campsie Fells.

It’s also not far to Carron Valley, where you’ll find scenic family-friendly routes beside the reservoir that are ideal for a walk or cycle ride. If you’re feeling more energetic, there are some exhilarating mountain bike trails in the woods here too.


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For questions and complaints, please contact us directly.