Scone Spy: Cakes in Kirkintilloch are fuel for a walk in the hills

Alessio’s Café & Bistro, 121 COWGATE, Kirkintilloch (Chris Austin/ DC Thomson)

We reckon you can’t beat a good walk on the way to a good scone.

And, on a lovely morning, we put that to the test.

When it comes to walks there’s one thing we are really not keen on. Hills.

So we’ve taken to a canal towpath – reckoning the water would surely have run away by now if it was hilly!

The Forth & Clyde Canal has undergone a bigger makeover than an I’m A Celebrity contestant after swapping the jungle for the 7-star hotel.

The section around Kirkintilloch is a perfect example.

Forget reed-infested waters and rundown surroundings, think busy canal-side pubs and even a fancy marina.

And after a really pleasant stroll had worked up an appetite it was time to do something about it.

As we walk up to the High Street just by the imposing old church we realise we’ve been in this neck of he woods before.

D’nisi was the port of call that time. Yum. The ultra-tangy chilli scone comes flashing back to mind.

But we’ve heard there’s a new kid on the block or the other end of the same block, to be precise.

Alessio’s is a classy-looking café and bistro right by the main road. It’s just as classy inside with vibrantly-coloured prints and quirky, oversized cutlery along one wall, exposed stonework on the other.

The menu comes in the shape of a big clipboard and at the back of it we notice a fun kids menu.

It’s a family-friendly sort of a place. At the back, beside the high chairs, we spot a couple of toddlers tucking in with a slightly harassed but proud-looking dad keeping an eye on his girls.

The breakfast menu looks nice, too, with plenty of eggy choices – Benedict, Florentine and Royale – and a nice selection of filled bagels, smoked salmon being one.

All tastes are catered for as the tempting display of cakes at the counter has several gluten-free options, including chocolate brownies.

The chocolate cake is gluten-free, too, and we decide to give that a go. The gingerbread looks appealing so that also finds its way on to our order as does, naturally, a scone.

There’s fruit and plain, just £1.50 each. We’re in a fruity sort of a mood and order up one with jam and butter.