Renfrewshire

6 miles / 11 km

A crossing of the 'Braes from east to west. There is one big hill here and two long descents. The middle part is flat, but still pretty undulating. It is both a nice walk and a good physical test.

Pretty Hard

The short, steep climb up to the 'Braes on the Fereneze Road and some undulating roads make this a blend of a hard and easy walk. Bring plenty of water on this walk.

Train from Glasgow to Neilston 2 times an hour.
McGill's Bus 3 from Glasgow Central Station/Barrhead to Neilston 2 times an hour.
McGill's Bus6 from Paisley Town Hall/Barrhead to Neilston 2 times an hour.

Start from the first bus stop in Neilston/the Neilston train station and walk through this beautiful village on the Main Street past the shops, the war memorial and some nice houses. Just before the Premier supermarket/convenience shop, take the Holehouse Brae to the right. This road descends pretty steeply down to the Barrhead - Lugton road past the old mill to the left.
Take the road to the left at the end of the descent/road for 25 yards/meters and then cross the road over to the first road to the right. This road is a steep climb over a railway bridge up to the Fereneze Road who comes up from Barrhead (one of my favourite roads, btw). At the crossroad here, take the road to the left and then to the left again at the next crossroad (where the heavy lorries are carrying straight on). At the top of this road, the views are really good towards Neilston.

At the next crossroad, take the road to the right, Greenfieldmuir Road. This road is scenic, surrounded on both sides by farm fields. There are normally a lot of cows grazing in these farm fields.


The road is slightly undulating before it ends up, after just over 1 mile/ 2 km, at Sargentlaw Road. Take the road to the right, just past the farm where normally there are some donkeys grazing on the farm fields on the left side.
200 yards/meters further on this road, take the road to the left over the plains and then on a small climb past a farm and down to the Gleniffer Road. Go straight ahead and cross this road (while checking for the traffic) and down the hill to a bridge where the road climbs up a small hill after a left turn. Take the next road to the right again over the crest of a hill.




The road are now dropping down a hill with some brilliant views over Kilbarchan and Johnstone. The road passes a farm here and takes a right turn after a crossroad. Follow this road to the right and down along the hillside to another farm. At the crossroad here, continue on this road straight ahead up a small climb on a right bend. The road passes a nature path before it descends down a zig zag bend towards the first houses at Elderslie. There are now some pavements on the right side of the road.
Continue down this road until the red Royal Mail postbox. Take the Kings Road to the right here down to the main Johnstone - Paisley road. The walk ends at the bus stops across the street.

McGill's Bus 38 to Paisley/Glasgow 6 - 8 times an hour.
(travellers to Glasgow may want to proceed to the Johnstone train station, which is on the road to the left and then the next right turn down the hill. Trains 4 times an hour).