Walking in the Pentland Hills

30 walks in Edinburgh's local hills

By Susan Falconer

ISBN

9781852848675

Availability

Published

7 Oct 2016

Edition

Second

Pages

176

Size

17.20 x 11.60 x 1.10cm

Weight

200g

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Guidebook featuring 30 circular walks on Scotland's Pentland Hills, easily accessible from Edinburgh and home to peaks such as Scald Law and Carnethy Hill. Ranging from 2 to 17 miles, the routes are suitable for all abilities. Written by a local Countryside Ranger, the routes offer interesting and varied walking through diverse landscapes.

Seasons

All seasons - a mild climate with little snow

Centres

Edinburgh, Penicuik, West Linton, Lanark

Difficulty

A basic level of navigational skills is required, but the routes should not cause any wayfinding difficulties. Height mainly 400-550m.

Must See

Archaeological remains, historical and folkloric associations, castles, literary connections (Scott and RL Stevenson), views from the tops, wildlife

ISBN

9781852848675

Availability

Published

7 Oct 2016

Edition

Second

Pages

176

Size

17.20 x 11.60 x 1.10cm

Weight

200g

Overview

This guidebook describes 30 circular walks in Scotland's Pentland Hills, a range of low summits which extends between Edinburgh and Biggar in South Lanarkshire. Ranging from 3 to 27km (2-17 miles), there is something to suit all abilities from the novice to the experienced hill-walker, with each route showcasing a different aspect of the area's unique character.

Step-by-step route description is accompanied by 1:50,000 OS mapping and a wealth of interesting information on the region's rich natural and cultural heritage: its geology, history, wildlife and connections with literary greats such as Robert Louis Stevenson and Sir Walter Scott. Local place names are explained, local folklore explored and there is a helpful glossary of dialect terms.

The Pentland Hills can be enjoyed in all seasons. Although the highest summit, Scald Law, stands at 579m, stunning vistas belie their modest elevation: this is a region of grass and heather-clad slopes which rise above picturesque valleys hiding streams and reservoirs. Walking in the Pentland Hills is an ideal companion to discovering great walking on Scotland's most accessible hills.

Table of Contents

Introduction

Approaches and Accommodation

Choosing a Walk

Access Rights and Responsibilities

Weather

Equipment

Following a Route

Geology and Landscape

Cultural Heritage

Place Names and Dialect Words

Old Maps

Previous Pentlands Guidebooks

Literary Connections with the Pentland Hills

Protecting and Enjoying the Hills

Wildlife

THE WALKS

Walk 1 A Capital View

Walk 2 In Stevenson's Footsteps

Walk 3 Hill, Moor and Wood

Walk 4 Three Reservoirs

Walk 5 A Phantom Walk

Walk 6 Harlaw Reservoir Circuit

Walk 7 Black Hill, Green Cleuch and Red Moss

Walk 8 Carnethy and Turnhouse

Walk 9 Three Peaks

Walk 10 Pentland Classic

Walk 11 Thieves' Road

Walk 12 West Linton and Siller Holes

Walk 13 Roman Road

Walk 14 Covenanters and Cairns

Walk 15 Walking with Wolves

Walk 16 Poets and Witches

Walk 17 North Esk Valley

Walk 18 The Monks' Road

Walk 19 The Four Tops

Walk 20 The Carnethy 5

Walk 21 Carnethy Canter

Walk 22 History in the Hills

Walk 23 Flotterstone and Fala Knowe

Walk 24 Two Cleuchs

Walk 25 Pentland Tops

Walk 26 Historical Hike

Walk 27 Exploring Caerketton

Walk 28 Find Your Way

Walk 29 Reservoir Round

Walk 30 Robin's Round

Appendix 1: Route Summary Table

Appendix 2: Bibliography

Appendix 3: Glossary

Updates

July 2021

2021 reprint route updates

867 reprint 2021 (235.057 KB)

March 2021

Walk 14 Covenanters and cairns

Walk 14

This update refers to all editions and printings. Please note this new route variation avoiding the farm steading at Medwynhead.

Walk 14

Paragraphs 5 and 6

Paragraph 5 should now read:

The Covenanter’s Grave can be tricky to locate. From the main track a wooden crossroads sign at NT082515 indicates Crosswood via the Covenanter’s Grave. Ascend up through the heather and grass towards a line of tall wooden sight posts on the brow of the hill.

IGNORE THIS original wording for paragraph 6 AND USE NEW ROUTE BELOW– Head back along the track, crossing Medwin Water and with the trees surrounding Medwynhead on your right. Go past the end of a plantation and leave the track just beyond a gate. Pick up a faint ATV track and cross boggy ground around the periphery of the fence until you reach a track going due south to the trees atLocket Gate Wood(see OS 344).

Keep on this track as it goes left past another small wood. At the buildings at Medwynhead keep left through the farm steading and come out opposite a lake. From the lake take a track that goes to the left, uphill alongside yet another conifer plantation.

New paragraph 6 route – From the crossroads sign adjacent to the track, follow the indicator directing you south east to Dolphinton via Garvald. There is a line of guideposts across the heather and in places boggy ground. The path becomes faint and can be difficult to locate but chose a line between the posts. The path follows the burn to your right and you’ll eventually reach another signpost. Go through the gate next to the signpost following the sign to Dolphinton and West Linton. After a few metres go right at the next waymarker and cross a wooden footbridge. From here follow the waymarkers to Garvald Home Farm. At the signpost follow the indicator to West Linton 4 miles.

Take the track going between two stone pillars. When the track divides, go straight along between another pair of stone pillars with the name Ferniehaugh.

Walk up the track to a small lake and keep heading uphill to the north of a conifer plantation.

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Susan Falconer

Susan Falconer began walking in the Pentlands in her early teens. After graduating with a degree in geography from St Andrews University she began a management career in the Health Service in London. Despite being far from her native country she returned regularly to walk and cycle in Scotland. She trained as a teacher and became Senior Tutor in ecology and geography for the Field Studies Council in Epping Forest. Susan returned to Scotland to take up the post of Countryside Education Officer for the Scottish Agricultural College before becoming a Countryside Ranger with the Pentland Hills Ranger Service in 1995. She enjoys hill walking, cycling and wildlife and contributes articles to the Pentland Beacon and other publications.

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