Mill Loch Walks

To the right of the Town Hall walk along Queen Street and Townhead for 500m to reach the Mill Loch on the left where there is a small park.

The Mill Loch gets its name from the fact that there were mills on the burns that feed into and flow out of the loch. To the north was a Lint Mill for processing locally grown flax and to the south on Mill Road was a Corn Mill.

Mill Loch is the deepest of the 3 main lochs being over 14 metres deep. In its waters, the rare Vendace fish lived but unfortunately, the last one was caught in 1966. Specimens can be seen in the Annan & Dumfries Museums. Scottish Natural Heritage would like to reintroduce it sometime in the future.

Go through the park to a path which leads around the Mill Loch, passing through 4 gates on the way. At the end of the third field with reed beds on the right, there is a choice of 3 routes back to Lochmaben.

Be aware that you are passing through farmland and some fields may contain livestock – Dogs MUST be kept on leads.

The most direct is to turn right through another gate and over a small bridge.

A well-made path continues around Mill Loch for 350 m to reach a lane. Turn left up the lane and in 100 m reach Nethermill Road / Mossvale and turn right to return to the start of the walk around the loch. Retrace your steps to the Town Hall.

Credits: Paul Gow, Tom Russell and David Mair of the Lochmaben Initiative and Robert Togneri for editing and production

To the right of the Town Hall walk along Queen Street and Townhead for 500m to reach the Mill Loch on the left where there is a small park.

The Mill Loch gets its name from the fact that there were mills on the burns that feed into and flow out of the loch. To the north was a Lint Mill for processing locally grown flax and to the south on Mill Road was a Corn Mill.

Mill Loch is the deepest of the 3 main lochs being over 14 metres deep. In its waters, the rare Vendace fish lived but unfortunately, the last one was caught in 1966. Specimens can be seen in the Annan & Dumfries Museums. Scottish Natural Heritage would like to reintroduce it sometime in the future.

Go through the park to a path which leads around the Mill Loch, passing through 4 gates on the way. At the end of the third field with reed beds on the right, there is a choice of 3 routes back to Lochmaben.

Be aware that you are passing through farmland and some fields may contain livestock – Dogs MUST be kept on leads.

At the end of the third field turn left (signpost “Public Footpath”) and walk parallel to the fence on the right on a faint path.

Just as you leave the sign, there is a gate on the right. Across the burn is the site of the Lint Mill. From this point, the cottages are thought to be the route of a Roman road. Behind the Lint Mill site on the horizon is Woody Castle, an Iron Age Fort.

Just after Upper Lochhead Cottage turn left along the road past Maxwellbank Farm and continue to the main Lochmaben-Dumfries road (A709) where you turn left to return to the Town Hall via Dumfries Road, Halliday Terrace and Bruce Street

Credits: Paul Gow, Tom Russell and David Mair of the Lochmaben Initiative and Robert Togneri for editing and production

To the right of the Town Hall walk along Queen Street and Townhead for 500m to reach the Mill Loch on the left where there is a small park.

The Mill Loch gets its name from the fact that there were mills on the burns that feed into and flow out of the loch. To the north was a Lint Mill for processing locally grown flax and to the south on Mill Road was a Corn Mill.

Mill Loch is the deepest of the 3 main lochs being over 14 metres deep. In its waters, the rare Vendace fish lived but unfortunately, the last one was caught in 1966. Specimens can be seen in the Annan & Dumfries Museums. Scottish Natural Heritage would like to reintroduce it sometime in the future.

Go through the park to a path which leads around the Mill Loch, passing through 4 gates on the way. At the end of the third field with reed beds on the right, there is a choice of 3 routes back to Lochmaben.

Be aware that you are passing through farmland and some fields may contain livestock – Dogs MUST be kept on leads.

At the end of the third field turn left (signpost “Public Footpath”) and walk parallel to the fence on the right on a faint path.

Just as you leave the sign, there is a gate on the right. Across the burn is the site of the Lint Mill. From this point, the cottages are thought to be the route of a Roman road. Behind the Lint Mill site on the horizon is Woody Castle, an Iron Age Fort.

Just after Upper Lochhead Cottage continue ahead on the track for 280m passing a house on the left. At a “Public Footpath” signpost turn left through a gate and continue uphill until it levels off.

At the high point of the track, there are good views across Annandale to Lochmaben and Burnswark

The track is known as the “Nurses’ Loaning” as it was part of a convenient circular walk for nurses at the Sanatorium. At its peak, the hospital catered for patients all over Dumfriesshire who suffered from Tuberculosis. The wards all had verandas as it was thought that fresh air at all times was a good cure for the disease. Most of the site is now private housing with only a small cottage hospital remaining.

Continue ahead to reach houses and roads at Watchhill. Turn left onto the road and in 220 m reach the A709 where again turn left for Lochmaben and return via Dumfries Road, Halliday Terrace and Bruce Street.

Credits: Paul Gow, Tom Russell and David Mair of the Lochmaben Initiative and Robert Togneri for editing and production