The small town of Clackmannan has a county named after it but Alloa took over as the administrative centre of Clackmannanshire in 1822. Begin your tour on Main Street where the Tolbooth stands proudly, flanked by the Mannan Stone. The former is a pre-Christian monument while the latter structure dates from 1592. Proceed up High Street which is named after its steep elevation and not for being the shopping area. The leads to the impressive Clackmannan Tower, a 14th-century Tower House which sits atop a small hill overlooking the nearby River Forth. The interior of the tower is only accessible on special doors-open days.
Pass by the tower and exit through a gate on to the opposite slope. The path here isn't defined but you can follow the line of the bushes down to a shallow ditch, which can be muddy. Find a suitable point to cross and locate the old wooden style. Alternatively, scale the metal gate. Once on the gravel path, turn right and sweep back round the mound towards the town centre. The Black Devon River can be seen and heard. The footpath emerges on Alloa Road (B910) and we take a left.
Continue to the roundabout (with nice steel sculpture) and turn right to follow a shared walking and cycle route. This drops down to the main road (A907) where you can cross at the pedestrian lights. Join the quiet access road (signed for cyclists) on the other side. You are now walking parallel to an old railway embankment, part of the trunk route from Dunfermline to Stirling. A stub of this line has been reopened between Stirling and Alloa. The trackbed from Clackmannan to Dunfermline now serves as a cycle way and we gain access at the bridge over the B910. Walk 400 yards to the viaduct over the Black Devon, taking in the fine views of the surrounding Ochil Hills. The tall chimney further down the line marks the site of Cherryton Brickworks, closed in 1976.
Leave the old railway by taking the path leading down from the viaduct to your right after you cross the water. Pass through the woods and join a farm track. Turn right and you will soon see the Clackmannan skyline. Take a left when you meet the B910 and head back into town, passing under the A907. As you cross a railway bridge, you'll probably find the raised parapet blocks the view but the old station sat below. This line was a lower level route from Dunfermline and is still open for freight. It merged with the cycleway you have just been on.
Walk left along along Alloa Road. After half a mile you reach the entrance to Mannan Drive. Slightly further along on the other side of the street stands a gatehouse. Enter the old Kennet House Estate. As the modern housing peters out on your right, a path leads into the woods which makes a pleasant shaded walk. This path emerges on Wellmyre and heading up past the primary school on Port Road brings you back to the starting point. A half-mile detour prior to entering the woodland is to keep straight ahead and follow the old estate track between the fields. This merges with an access road for a transmitter. Keep going towards the trees and you will pass the sight of Kennet House - demolished in 1972. You may spot a foundation stone or two. A short downhill stroll brings you to the walled garden, still intact and now used for grazing. It is built into the incline and you can peer over the boundary to view a scene that was once an essential part of every country pile.
