Routes

Planner

Features

Updates

App

Get the App

Loch Doon Castle Ruins – Viewpoint at Loch Riecawr loop from Loch Doon Dam

Loch Doon Castle Ruins – Viewpoint at Loch Riecawr loop from Loch Doon Dam

Hard

5.0

(1)

riders

Loch Doon Castle Ruins – Viewpoint at Loch Riecawr loop from Loch Doon Dam

02:31

43.4km

470m

Gravel riding

Hard gravel ride. Very good fitness required. Mostly paved surfaces. Suitable for all skill levels. The starting point of the route is right next to a parking lot.

Last updated: March 27, 2026

Waypoints

Start point

Parking

Get Directions

301 m

Roundhouse Osprey Lounge & Visitor Information Centre, Loch Doon

Highlight • Rest Area

A brilliant little cafe and visitor centre on the edge of spectacular Loch Doon at the northern edge, including the Osprey Lounge where you can find out more about these residents on the water. In quite a remote area this place is always a welcome relief!

Find out more about seasonal opening times at: facebook.com/VisitLochDoon

Tip by

5.04 km

Loch Doon

Lake

7.90 km

Loch Doon Castle Ruins

Highlight • Historical Site

Loch Doon Castle used to be located on an island within Loch Doon. It was dismantled and rebuilt on the side of the loch after the loch water level was raised in the 1930s for a hydro-electric scheme. Plenty of history to appreciate as the caslte was built in the 14th century and important in the Scottish wars of independence. Great views of the Loch too, so a good place to stop and explore.

Tip by

7.91 km

Loch Doon Castle Ruins

Highlight • Historical Site

The castle was dismantled and rebuilt on the side of the loch after the loch water level was raised in the 1930s for a hydro-electric scheme.

The original castle was built in the 13th Century on an island in the middle of Loch Doon that has since been flooded.

Tip by

11.9 km

Ayrshire Gravel Route

Highlight • Cycleway

12.9 km

Loch Gower Viewpoint

Highlight • Lake

Stunning if caught in correct light.

Tip by

14.1 km

Viewpoint at Loch Riecawr

Highlight • Lake

This viewpoint is on the Carrick Forest Drive which is closed to motor vehicles for 2021, but open for walkers and cyclists. Bliss on a bike 🚴‍♂️😎

Tip by

23.6 km

View of River Stinchar and Waterfall

Highlight • Viewpoint

The Roundhouse Cafe has a telescope to view ospreys nesting at the top of a tree in the distance. Cafe opening times are seasonal, sometimes just Saturday and Sunday - check their Facebook page... facebook.com/VisitLochDoon

Tip by

43.3 km

Loch Doon

Highlight • Historical Site

Work began in September 1916 and an airfield, slipways, piers, jetties, seaplane hangars, tramways and other associated buildings erected. The remains of these can still be found on the Loch shore today.

The loch was dammed in the 1930s, raising the water some 27 feet (8.2 m) to provide seasonal storage for the Galloway hydro-electric power scheme. As a reservoir, Loch Doon has an effective capacity of over 82 million cubic metres. When rainfall is plentiful, water is diverted to the loch from the Water of Deugh via a tunnel system. When water is required for power generation, water is released at Drumjohn to feed Kendoon power reservoir, the first in a series of generating stations and reservoirs on the Water of Ken.

During construction work, the ruins of the castle were moved from an island in the Loch to the shore to avoid the rising water.

Air crashes
Edit

Two aircraft are known to have crashed in or near the Loch in the Second World War.

Tip by

43.4 km

End point

Parking

Way Types & Surfaces

Way Types

25.2 km

17.8 km

528 m

Surfaces

21.1 km

17.0 km

4.38 km

817 m

200 m

Elevation

Nothing selected – click and drag below to see the stats for a specific part of the route.

Highest point (370 m)

Lowest point (210 m)

Weather

Tuesday 26 May

21°C

9°C

0 %

Additional weather tips

Max wind speed: 17.0 km/h

to get more detailed weather forecasts along your route

Our route recommendations are based on thousands of hikes, rides, and runs completed by other people on komoot.

Navigate

Send to Phone

Save

Edit route

Download GPX

Move start point

Embed on a website

Report an Issue

Nearby routes

Hard

4.0

142

Otter Pool on Raiders Road – Big Water of Fleet Viaduct loop from Benniguinea

04:45h

61.3km

750m

Hard

4.9

104

Glentrool Visitor Centre – Loch Dee loop from Bargrennan

04:55h

70.1km

990m

Hard

5.0

Clatteringshaws Dam – Otter Pool on Raiders Road loop from New Galloway

04:33h

54.4km

670m

Hard

Clatteringshaws Dam – Otter Pool on Raiders Road loop from St John's Town of Dalry

05:24h

69.5km

810m

Hard

4.8

Glentrool Visitor Centre – Loch Dee loop from Clatteringshaws Dam

04:19h

66.3km

820m

Hard

4.5

Clatteringshaws Dam – Otter Pool on Raiders Road loop from New Galloway

04:16h

49.3km

700m

Hard

Loch Dee – Glentrool Visitor Centre loop from Water of Trool

04:59h

74.1km

960m

Hard

5.0

Loch Doon Castle Ruins – Viewpoint at Loch Riecawr loop from Loch Doon Dam

02:31h

43.4km

470m

Hard

3.0

Clatteringshaws Dam – Big Water of Fleet Viaduct loop from Palnure Burn

04:33h

62.6km

630m

Hard

Disused Quarry – View of Pinbreck Hill loop from Barr

02:43h

33.8km

510m

Hard

View of Pinbreck Hill – Kirstie's Cairn Memorial loop from Genoch Inner Hill

03:40h

43.3km

700m

Moderate

Glentrool Visitor Centre – Water of Minnoch loop from Bargrennan

01:16h

16.1km

200m

Loch Doon Castle Ruins – Viewpoint at Loch Riecawr loop from Loch Doon Dam

Roundhouse Osprey Lounge & Visitor Information Centre, Loch Doon

Loch Doon Castle Ruins

Loch Doon Castle Ruins

Ayrshire Gravel Route

Loch Gower Viewpoint

Viewpoint at Loch Riecawr

View of River Stinchar and Waterfall

Loch Doon

Nearby routes

Sign up or log in to keep exploring this route

We value your privacy ⛰️

We value your privacy ⛰️