Time – allow 1 hour
Distance – 3km/2 miles

A short walk in pretty countryside above Carlops mostly alongside the upper reaches of the River North Esk, surrounded by hills. The outward leg has some difficult terrain to cover, with steep, narrow and occasionally slippery paths and a tricky river crossing. While short, this route is only for the sure footed.

Route: Start/finish – Carlops

Setting off from the car park in Carlops village opposite the Village Centre and under the rock, turn right, pass the pub and continue to the end of the village. Just before the last house on the left, turn down a track [1] (signposted ‘Buteland by the Borestane’) and pass Patie’s Mill [2].

The footpath goes round to the right of the mill and alongside its garden, emerging by the North Esk river. Follow the riverbank upstream. The path is badly eroded and tricky to negotiate in places but is generally fine for the sure-footed unless the weather is wet. The river is crossed via a simple bridge [3]. Once over the river, cross the stile and head up the hill.

The path comes out on a farm track near a bridge just below Fairliehope farm [4], at the half-way point of the walk.

Turn left here and follow the farm track all the way back down to Carlops, passing Carlophill Farm on the way. 

The track emerges on the A702 just north of the car park.