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Description:-
This classic route takes in the delightful Fairy Glen, Glenashdale Falls, an Iron Age fort, the "Gaints' Graves" and returns to Brodick via Glen Dubh and Glen Ormidale. There are plenty of cafe-stop options in Brodick, Lamlash and Whiting Bay.
The route:
From the ferry terminal, turn right onto the main road, then left onto Alma Road (tag1) at the Co-op. Follow this road up the hill, then across the top of Brodick before turning left up Mayish at the Glenartney Hotel (tag 2).
Follow this track up the hill, then through the gate onto singlatrack which will lead you through the Fairy Glen then up to a small carpark and viewpoint (tag 3). From here, take the path to the right to the Cnoc Na Dial carpark, then bear right, up the forest road, through the FC gate, then left at the fork.
Continue for approx 1km to the point where the fire road begins to bend right and looks relatively new. Here, look out for a singletrack descent running along the edge of the woodland (tag 4).
Where this muddy descent meets the road, continue on down the road, then turn right at the bottom (tag 5), heading along to and through Glenkiln Farm. Then turn right again at the next T-junction (tag 6) and left up the fireroad at Dyemill.
Follow this fire road for a few km until you reach a junction above Whiting Bay. Here, take the first turning to the left (tag 10) and then bear right down a path into the woods a few hundred metres after the left-hand bend. This will take you to a pcinic bench with a view of Glenashdale Falls and then over to the falls themselves, passing an Iron Age fort (tag 7) en-route.
After crossing at Glenashdale Falls (tag 8), follow the fun singletrack descent down towards Whiting Bay, turning off just short of the village onto the path to the right signposted to the Giants' Graves. This path is just before a barrier across the track so is easy to spot.
Climb up this trail, past the Giants' Graves (tag 9) and back up onto the fireroad, which will lead you back to the junction above Glenashdale Fals where you turned off (tag 10).
Continue to follow the fireroad used on the outward leg until you reach a clearing after a few km (tag 11). At this point, follow the path to the right into the woods and follow this until, after passing through a felled area nad a building, the path leadsback towards the main fire road.
Turn right ontot he fire road, then almost immediately turn off again to the path to your left (tag 12) which will bring you out at the Dyemill turn-off.
From here, follow the road into and through Lamlash, then bear off onto the path that leads up the hill running parallel to the road (tag 13). When this brings you back to the Cnoc Na Dial carpark, instead of heading down the Fairy Glen, continue up the hill on the fire road and follow it round as it traverses above Brodick Bay then descends towards Glen Dubh.
Cross the bridge here and follow the path on round to the ride, as it gently descends through the glen, through a field, past a farm and eventually leads you back onto tarmac and brings you out onto the main road through Brodick (tag 14).
Turning right along this road will take you back to the ferry terminal.