Essential Information about Biggar Walking Route

Distance: 4 ½ miles

Time: 1 ½ - 2 hours

Difficulty: easy

Terrain: footpaths, farms roads and quiet back roads

Start/finish: Corn Exchange, High Street, Biggar

Transport: Train – Lanark railway station 12 ½ miles. Bus – regular bus service between Lanark Interchange and Biggar. Daily service from Edinburgh.

Refreshment: Biggar is well served by tearooms, pubs and restaurants.
 

Around Biggar

This walk explores the gentle rolling farmland to the north of Biggar. Wander along country lanes overhung with beech trees and lined with Hawthorne.
Be sure to look back from time to time to take in the terrific views of the Southern Upland hills rising steeply on the far side of Biggar.
 

Points of interest around Biggar, Hillridge and Langlees
 

1. Moat Park Heritage Centre – one of five museums in Biggar. Explains the local Iron Age and Roman histories.

2. St Mary’s church – built in 1545 it was the last collegiate church in Scotland built before the Reformation.

3. Covenanters’ Museum – this 17th century house in the Burn Braes park played an important role in the Killing Times. It explains a bloody period of executions without trial and guerrilla warfare in the Lanarkshire hills.

4. Little Mitchell Wood – a woodland and wildlife walk that provides a pleasant detour.

5. Cadger’s Brig - the legend is that William Wallace entered Biggar to spy on the English before the battle of Biggar disguised as a beggar (cadger).

6. Gasworks Museum – the last remaining gasworks in Scotland. Opened in 1839.
 

The Biggar Walking Route
 

From the Corn Exchange cross High Street at the pedestrian crossing and turn left.

Follow High Street and then Kirkstyle off to the right.

Take care crossing road to heritage centre and from there go downhill into the park.

Cross the stream and continue straight on. Follow narrow road away from Biggar to Hillridge farm.

At Hillridge follow signs for Springfield 600 m, Biggar 2.5 km.

Continue through gate and follow ditch across field. Go through gate and step over stream. Follow the ditch to farm road.

Turning left join the farm road. Continue past Springfield.

Follow farm road downhill and round to the right at large house.

Follow road to the left and continue to junction with Lindsaylands Road. Turn left and follow road into Biggar.

Turn right onto The Wynd and go downhill to cross Cadger’s Brig. Return to start on High Street.