Clatto Hill and Downfield
A short walk reaching the forestry clad summit of Clatto Hill (248m) and exploring farmland around Downfield, culminating in a visit to the Down Law hill fort.
The route is described as a complete circuit but could easily be split into two shorter walks by using the quiet Cults Road.
- Distance: 8.8 km / 5.5 miles
- Ascent: 200 m / 650 feet
- Terrain: forest tracks, farm tracks, field edges, muddy in some places.
- Start / finish: Cults Road, small parking area at grid ref NO 347 076
Route Map
The parking area on the Cults Road at grid ref NO 347 076 makes a convenient starting point albeit less than scenically pleasing due to litter. Turn left out of the car park for 400m to reach the turning for Clatto on your left hand side. Follow this access road (a core path) for 1.2km to reach Clatto Farm. At this point you need to pass the farm and turn right to reach a pedestrian gate in the corner. Please keep dogs on leads at this point and watch out for farm machinery.
Once through the gate you are on to a dirt track where you turn right to reach another metal pedestrian gate to join the route of the Fife Pilgrim Way. This area around the farm can be somewhat muddy at times if cattle have been grazing on the path.
Follow the track through the forest for about 700m to roughly its highest point. From here, if you wish, you can now make a detour up the hillside to the summit of Clatto Hill following a feint trodden path. The path starts close to a wooden Fife Pilgrim Way marker post. A few fallen trees across the path need to be negotiated. The summit is home to an Ordnance Survey triangulation pillar but sadly there are limited views now due to the forestry. Return to the forest track.
Continue on the forest track. Where trees have been felled there is a view across to the Lomond Hills and out to the Forth. The track heads downhill to reach a gate at the Clatto Barns access road. Turn right on to this track/road and continue onwards through the felled forest. Trees are currently being planted in this area to replace those that have been felled.
Keep on this road for 1.2km ignoring an obvious turning to your left (the route of the FPW), until you reach the public road. Go right onto the road for 250m to reach a turning to your left with a public path signpost for Kettle. Turn left down this track towards the farm paying heed to the notice which requests dogs on leads. Pass around the farm (watch out for farm vehicles) to reach a dirt track across agricultural fields. The track is obvious at first but does become less distinct. Cross the open fields either on vehicle tracks (which may change from time to time) or stick to the field edge. Please avoid walking across planted fields or letting dogs roam across them.
A fence must be climbed in an overgrown corner of the field. If you are tempted to cross the fence away from the corner be aware of an electrified strand. Another field needs to be crossed (again stick to tracks or the edge) to reach an old stile at a strip of trees.
Once over the stile, a grassy path takes you alongside the trees to reach a purple core path arrow. Go right at this point, don’t follow the arrow, on another grassy path for 400m to reach a T junction. Turn right at the T junction following a purple core path arrow.
The hedgerows are soon left behind and you will again be crossing open fields with two communication masts on Down Law ahead of you. When you reach the edge of the field follow the purple arrow to the left, keeping to the path (muddy) to pass a sign for “Cults Road”. The path now becomes a track and civilisation is soon reached.
From Downfield Cottages you can follow the track for about 750m to reach the public road where you turn left to return to your start point. However, it is worth making a short diversion to the hill fort summit of Down Law. Before reaching Downfield Cottages, go right, leaving the track, into the open field. Follow the field edge east then south towards Down Law. An openable gate in the field corner allows easy access to the hillside. Proceed to the summit for panoramic views across Fife and the Forth.
Leave the hill in an easterly direction through a gateway to join the grass access track for the communications masts. Follow this out to the road and turn left back to the parking area.
Clatto Reservoir
Also in the area is the lovely Clatto Reservoir. This can be added into the above route by including an out and back detour of a total of 3km from Clatto Farm along the FPW. Alternatively, there is a small parking area at Clatto Reservoir itself.
Colliston Hill (199m)
This small hill to the south of Clatto is one of Fife’s Sub-Tumps (hills with 20 – 29m prominence) and can easily be added on to the above walk or included with a walk along the Fife Pilgrim Way. From the track junction at NO 349 059 follow the Fife Pilgrim Way east and south to the point where it branches sharply right (south-west). At this point turn left leaving the waymarked route. The track now becomes a bit rougher and wetter before it reaches the edge of the woods looking over to Clatto Barns. From here the track becomes more of a mountain bike trail as it heads southeast to Colliston Hill. It circles the northern side of the hill and makes a gentle ascent up the eastern flank to the beech planted summit.
Fife Walking 