Walk of the week: Caerlaverock Castle, Dumfries-shire

Published on Friday 15 May 2009 11:33

This is a walk to clear the mind. Almost immediately after leaving the car park, you are met with an immense sense of space as you look over the salt marsh, or merse, to the Solway Firth, with the Lake District fells beyond. To the right, across the Nith estuary, is Criffel, an easily identifiable landmark of Dumfries-shire, above New Abbey.

The walk goes through a national nature reserve, allowing you to enjoy either a woodland stroll or a tramp across the merse, before reaching the fine ramparts of Caerlaverock Castle, which looks like a castle should – timeless impregnable walls surrounded by a water-filled moat.

Look out for birds. In the winter months you can't miss barnacle geese, but at this time of year there are still a wide variety – including the curlew, with its crescendo of a whoop. You may also be lucky enough to spot a natterjack toad, or at least hear its loud mating call. But leave the wildlife alone, as some species are rare – in fact, this is the only place some of them are found in Scotland.

The merse is a haven for wild flowers as well, and if you choose the walk across it you can enjoy seeing a wide variety – including the yellow flag iris. (If you do go across the merse, though, do not be tempted to stray towards the water as quicksands and fast tides here can be fatal.)

If you choose to go through Castle Wood, a pleasant path, currently bordered by bluebells, takes you to a clearing and then a bird hide, where both routes meet up. This is a good place to stop for lunch if it's raining – but don't disturb any twitchers (the hide is really for them).

Duckboards lead over little ponds to a track that takes you past the site of the original castle. If you want to take a closer look at this or the impressive ruins a little further on, you must pay an admission fee at the visitor centre. It is well worth a visit, though, as it is a great place to explore, especially for children. This medieval fortress was at the forefront of ancient wars with the English, and there a great video that tells you all about its history can be seen at the visitor centre (01387 770244, www.historic-scotland.gov.uk).

The walk finishes along a quiet country lane – although you can take a detour up Ward Law by crossing the road beyond the castle. This adds a couple of hundred feet and a mile and a half to your route, and you should allow up to an hour. On a fine day it is worth the effort for the great views of Dumfries-shire and across the Solway Firth to Cumbria.

If you are following the merse, boots are essential, but it's a good idea to wear them anyway, as the path through Castle Wood can be muddy. In addition, you should take a spare jumper as you can be at the mercy of biting winds coming off the Solway Firth.

DISTANCE: 2 miles.

HEIGHT CLIMBED: Negligible – about 85ft in total.

TIME: 1 to 2 hours. MAP OS Landranger 84. PARKing Follow the B725 south from Dumfries. There is a car park on the right of a tight bend after 7 miles.

IN SUMMARY: From the car park, follow a path that starts next to a large metal gate and, where it splits, go left to enter Castle Wood. At a clearing, go right to reach a bird hide.

To follow the merse rather than the wood, go right where the path splits, then cross a stile and follow an indistinct route over very boggy ground. Keep close to the woods on your left, never letting yourself get further than 30 or 40 yards away, before fording a burn that has a stile on each bank and then crossing another stile, next to the bird hide. In wet weather, this alternative to the wood can be tortuous.

Walk inland from the hide, through some trees, and bear right to go past an information board for Castle Wood.

The path leads to a track that goes past the remains of the original castle and then the present-day Caerlaverock Castle and visitor centre. Go through an archway to the right of the visitor centre to reach a road, where you should go left. The car park is just less than three-quarters of a mile along the road.

REFRESHMENTS: There is a pleasant teashop at the castle. Otherwise, try the Nith Hotel at Glencaple, on the way back to Dumfries.

WHILE YOU ARE IN THE AREA: Robert Burns spent his last years in Dumfries, and Burns House (01387 255297, www.dumfriesmuseum.demon.co.uk) has many relics of the great man.

Nearby, you will find St Michael's kirkyard, where Burns is buried with his wife Jean.