Black Gates Trail
3 miles (4.8 km), circular. Starts and finishes at Benmore car park. About 1½ hours, easy.
Start: NS 143 855, and finish. OS grid.
Take it with you: download the GPX file (it opens in OS Maps, Komoot, Outdooractive or a GPS unit) or open the start in OS Maps.
Warning: Diversion in place. Part of this route is closed or diverted for now. Puck's Glen gorge is closed after storm damage, so the trail keeps to the woodland section back to the car park. Source: forestryandland.gov.scot.
Up and down
About 196 m of climbing and 193 m of descent; highest point 142 m.
Facts
- Code
- SC 1540
- Distance
- 3 miles (4.8 km)
- Publisher’s page
- forestryandland.gov.scot
- Type
- Circular
- Walking time
- About 1½ hours
- Difficulty
- Easy (how we grade)
- Designation
- Regional route
- Region
- Scotland
- County
- Argyll and Bute
- Total ascent
- About 196 m. Highest point 142 m
Getting there
Starts and finishes at the same place, marked by the dot on the map.
- Bus stop
- Benmore Gardens, 20 m from the start. Directions NS 143 854
- Car parks
- Car park, 660 m from the start. Directions NS 143 848Car park, 660 m from the start. Directions NS 143 861
What to expect
Steepest climb: about 112 m in a kilometre (1 in 9), starting 0.9 miles in.
From OpenStreetMap, where mappers have recorded it: check before you go.
Walked it? Log it
Connecting routes
- SC 1607Big Tree Trail, BenmoreShares 1 mile of path with this route. Starts and finishes on this route at Benmore car park. This route starts and finishes on it at Benmore car park.
Walks nearby
- SC 1639Conifer Trail, Kilmun Arboretum0.8 miles. Starts 2.3 miles away
- SC 1624Eucalyptus Trail, Kilmun Arboretum1 mile, circular. Starts 2.3 miles away
- SC 1457Argyll Forest Park Riverside Trail0.4 miles, one way. Starts 3.3 miles away
- SC 1409Birchwood Trail1 mile, circular. Starts 3.4 miles away
- SC 1304Laird's Trail2 miles, one way. Starts 3.4 miles away
- SC 1552Kilbride Hill Trail, Corlarach2.8 miles. Starts 5.7 miles away
Sources
Checked against forestryandland.gov.scot on 12 October 2026.
- Route line: Forestry and Land Scotland, Recreation routes, under the Open Government Licence v3.0. Contains public sector information licensed under the Open Government Licence v3.0 (Forestry and Land Scotland).
- Facts: forestryandland.gov.scot
Something wrong or missing?
Tell us what to change about this walk: a wrong distance, a moved start, a path that's closed.