Welcome to
Monklands Ramblers
exploring scotland
since 1985
before booking
before booking
➝ Numbers on the coach are no longer limited, but it is still essential to book in advance, and not turn up on the day without a confirmed booking.
➝ The newsletter for our weekend walks is issued the Wednesday following a club walk at 6.30pm. Please try and book as soon as the newsletter is issued as the bus fills up quickly.
➝ The booking contact will be indicated on the newsletter and may differ from the walk leader. A text will be sent back to confirm a booking.
➝ If you are unable to attend a walk, please let the booking contact know immediately. There are no charges for cancellations.
Spring Break 2026
spring break 2026
The Coylumbridge Hotel, Aviemore
(Friday 24 – Monday 27 April 2026)
➝ Just a reminder that all payments for the Aviemore break in April requires to be with Anne-Marie by Friday 27 March. All attendees should have received an email regarding payment. If you haven’t seen the email, please check your spam/trash folder or let Anne-Marie know and she will re-send.
If anyone is having problems with the payment method to be used, please contact Anne-Marie direct, or she will be out on the walk at the weekend if anyone wishes to make a payment or help with the link.
The hotel has now been booked for 2026 on the above dates.
➝ Singles £327;
➝ Doubles/twins £414 (£207 per person).
No payment is required until nearer the time. Anne-Marie will send updates for those who have confirmed their attendance as and when required.
Future Walk Dates
future walks
Saturday, 10 January 2026:
➝ Club meal (short walk & lunch)
Sunday, 24 January:
➝ Kilpatrick Hills
Saturday, 7 February:
➝ Fife Coast
Sunday, 22 February:
➝ Stirling
Sunday, 8 March:
➝ Aberfoyle
Sunday, 22 March:
➝ Melrose (This is the last walk of the winter programme)
Saturday, 4 April:
➝ West Linton (first of the summer programme)
Scottish mountain webcams
scottish mountains
The Ben Nevis Webcam is located on the banks of Loch Linnhe, Fort William. The web cam updates every minute and captures fantastic views of Ben Nevis, Fort William, Loch Linnhe and Aonach Mor.
Buachaille Etive Mor in Glencoe, Argyll, is one of the most beautiful mountains in Scotland. The picture of it above was taken a short time ago by a camera at the Glencoe Mountain Ski Centre.
Weekend Walk
4th April
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Notes: The first walks of the summer programme will be in the Pentland Hills area
- Friends of the Pentlands
- Scotland off the Beaten TrackWalk: Gentle shepherds & leaping witches – Carlops circular
- Komoot – The best walks and hikes around West Linton
➝ Morning stop: Cobbs Café at Craigdon Outdoor Centre (there is also a Sainsbury’s Local here) Cobbs Cafe – Craigdon Outdoor
➝ Evening stop: Biggar where there are options for pub, café and chip shop (Biggar – Undiscovered Scotland)
✔ 1st Leader: Dougie Andrews
✔ Location: Nine Mile Burn to West Linton via Carlops
✔ Grade: B+
✔ Distance: 9.6 Miles / 15.3 km (asc. 455m)
✔ 2nd Leader: Stuart Sefton
✔ Location: West Linton Circular
✔ Grade: B
✔ Distance: 7.3 Miles / 11.6 km (asc.315)
✔ Walk Report:
➝ Nine Mile Burn to West Linton via Carlops:
The walk starts at Nine Mile Burn and heads into the Pentland Hills. Very soon after the start of the walk we commence climbing, heading up towards Cap Law by which time most of the ascent will have been completed. The going gets easier from here as we double back and ascend Green Law, our highest point of the walk and hopefully some brilliant views, and then finally, Spittal Hill.
From here we descend via the North Esk Reservoir to Carlops. The going is pretty level from here as we run a parallel path to an old Roman road, finally meeting the Cross Borders Drove Road and we follow this down into West Linton. The walk is mainly on grass and dirt track. The going in the Pentlands can often be boggy and the Cross Borders Drove Road can be muddy so boots and gaiters (if you have them) are recommended. You may also want to use poles if you usually use these on a walk.
➝ West Linton Circular:
As the name suggests our walk starts and ends in West Linton. We head out of the village on the Cross Borders Drove Road which gives us a little bit of a climb from the start so we’ll take it easy on this first section, it does level out soon though to become a bit more undulating. Heading up towards Faw Mount, alongside Lyne Water, there are some very scenic views.
For those that don’t mind a little bit of a hill we will go up Faw Mount where you will be rewarded with some panoramic views. For those that are not keen on this option it is a simple matter of carrying on for a short way on the Cross Borders Drove Road to a point where both groups will meet up again (this will take away a fair amount of the overall climb). After joining up again we will head up to Baddinsgill Reservoir, crossing over the dam section. From here it is a fairly straight walk back in to West Linton.
We will be walking on a mix of track, grass and tarmac, though there is a fair grass verge to relieve the tarmac walking if you prefer this. If there has been a lot of rain before the walk the tracks will be muddy and on the hill it will be boggy in places. Boots recommended and gaiters might help. We will be in lambing season so please bear this in mind as we are heading across country.
✔ Booking: Please contact Ken Paton by SMS text message on 07711 612520 to book on the walk.
✔ Pick-up: First pick-up will be Coatbridge at 8.30am (at the back of the Time Capsule) followed by Coatdyke (opposite and adjacent to the Kwik Fit) and then Airdrie (Farmfoods across from Airdrie Railway Station).
Wednesday Walk
8th April
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To book a place on a walk:
WHATSAPP or TEXT Tony Grimason, on 07516238706, No phone calls
➜ ONLY CONTACT Tony within 2 weeks (25 March) of the date of a scheduled walk.
➜ Maximum number on each walk: 16.
➜ Booking is on a first come, first served basis.
➜ A reserve list will be created in the event of cancellations.
➜ No charge is applied for those participating on these walks.
➜ Financial costs associated with transport are at participants own cost.
➜ All walks are between 5 and 8 miles, and will be undertaken at a leisurely pace.
➜ Appropriate weatherproof clothing and walking shoes/boots & poles recommended.
Please note this walk has been moved from September to April
N.B. Bus / Train times likely to change so please check webpage for updates. Future midweek walks for this year will be subject to change.
✔ Walk Leader: Christine McMahon
✔ Location: Green Link Linear
✔ Time & Travel: We will catch the #201 ‘Hairmyers’ bus at 10.10 a.m. from outside Kwik Fit, Coatdyke arriving Motherwell Town Centre at 10.55 a.m. Tony will be joining the group on the bus and coming for a coffee so he will take walkers the short distance to the GLO Coffee Shop & Conference Centre for refreshment and/or comfort stop. We will begin the walk at 11.30 a.m.
✔ Finish time: 2.5hours (approx.)
✔ Recce: This is 6-mile linear walk from Motherwell Town Centre to Strathclyde Loch (Strathclyde Country Park) along the South Calder Water path (known locally as “The Cawder”, or “Calder” (South Calder Water (Wikipedia)). South Calder Walter runs west from the high plateau between Shotts and Fauldhouse to its joining with the much larger River Clyde.
The ‘Greenlink’ is a path creating a direct route from Motherwell Town Centre to Strathclyde Country Park via a woodland area in Forgewood – created to provide shelter and habitat for wildlife to celebrate the Queen’s Diamond Jubilee (Green Link – Woodland Management (Woodland Trust)). The walk begins at the Glo Centre and includes street, tarmac, woodland and forest paths.
It terminates at the Watersports Centre in Strathclyde Loch. Please note the Watersports Centre is closed for renovation but toilets are available. The wooded glen of the South Calder Water is a pleasant walk at any time of the year. The glen is undulating and abundant with colourful butterflies and associated birdlife. We also get to pass under the impressively engineered Orbiston railway viaduct – also known as the Babylon Bridge.
Poles and proper walking boots/shoes recommended as sections of the woodland path can be muddy.
✔ Footwear: Poles and walking shoes / boots (if wet) recommended.
✔ Pre-walk comfort stops: GLO Coffee Shop
✔ Post-walk social stop: The Carrick Stone, Motherwell
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RA Membership
Monklands Ramblers is an official Ramblers Association Group. We receive annual funding from the RA to finance club administration such as the website, walk leader recce expenses, the Fiver promotion etc.
RA members receive a welcome pack plus excellent quarterly magazine and an entitlement to walk with any Ramblers group in Britain. There is also access to an extensive online library of walks and discounts available to members eg Cotswold Outdoor Company, O.S maps, Ramblers Holidays etc.
You can join the RA here.
Please indicate your local group is: Monklands.
Information
The Ramblers' Association is a company limited by guarantee, registered in England and Wales. Company registration no. 4458492. Registered charity, Scotland no. SC039799.
Monklands Ramblers © 1985-2026
