Crook of Devon and Rumbling Bridge

A straightforward circular walk starting from Crook of Devon and taking in the Rumbling Bridge Gorge. Minimal ascent. The paths around Rumbling Bridge Gorge are uneven and could be slippy after rain although there are some steps. An optional detour to the Witches’ Maze is possible from Drum.

Distance: 10.5 km / 6.5 miles
Ascent: 100 m / 300 feet
Terrain: Paths and tracks plus field edge.
Start / finish: Crook of Devon

Route Map

Start from the centre of Crook of Devon and walk down Church Road and round the back of St Serfs Church. Turn left into the continuation of Church Road and walk to the end of the road. At the track junction go straight on. After 230m turn left at the Bull stone onto another track heading eastwards. Follow this track for 1.5km until it turns sharply left and after another 240m reaches a public road.

Cross the road and turn right and then almost immediately turn left on to quiet road where new houses are being built. At the corner where the road turns left it is possible to make an optional detour to view the Tullibole Witches’ Maze.

To include the maze.

Leave the road by going right on a track, passing a yard. At the end of the track cross a broken wooden gate into a field (which may contain livestock) and walk round the left hand edge of the field to reach another broken wooden gate on the opposite side. Cross this gate into the grounds of Tullibole Castle. Keep the burn to your right and go through the trees. At first there is no obvious path but if you make for a stone doocot structure and keep it to your right you will be able to pick up a woodland path which takes you to the area of the maze. Keep right at a Y junction for the shortest route. If you can’t find the doocot, don’t worry, just keep the burn to your right hand side until you reach a bridge and obvious track leading to the castle. Turn left here away from the castle and either walk to the left hand side of the doocot to join the path or walk across the grassy area to reach the beech hedge of the maze. Return to the public road at the corner.

The road road turns left (west) and passes through the small village of Drum. Just before the road meets the main road, keep left on a smaller road through some houses to reach the main road.

Take extreme care and cross the A977 to continue straight on up another quiet road. Turn left onto a road through houses and follow the road in a westerly direction to its end. Continue onwards on a track (do not turn left down towards the school), passing a scout campsite. When you reach a junction after the campsite, turn left and head for a new bridge over the River Devon.

After the bridge turn right to walk alongside the river in a north west direction. This section may be a bit muddy after heavy rain. After 500m turn left to enter a small forested area on a newly constructed path. Follow this path through the forest ignoring a turn to your right and later an obvious turn to your left into Lendrick Muir centre.

After about 1km of walking through the woods, the path reaches a track on the west side of the woods. Turn left and walk down the track for 700m to the road. Cross over the road and turn right. After about 170m a gate on your left leads into the woods.

This is the start of Rumbling Bridge Gorge. Enjoy the walk alongside the gorge which is at its most spectacular after heavy rain. Keep to the same side of the gorge until you reach the road at Rumbling Bridge. Before leaving the path for the road, take a short detour to a view point to admire the double bridge structure. Turn left on to the road and use the bridge to cross the river then turn left back into the woods on another path, this time on the opposite of the river. Walk along this path now going upstream. The gorge is not so spectacular from this side but it is still a pleasant walk.

At the end of the gorge the path turns right and follows the river back to the Crook of Devon. When you reach the main A977 road, cross over (taking extreme care) and turn right (not left towards the Crook) to pick up a track on the opposite side. The track turns right and then reaches a junction where you turn left to walk back to Church Road and your starting point.