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Combination walks in the Pentlands

Combination walks in the Pentlands


Postby Susan Wales » Fri May 15, 2015 2:52 pm

By "Combination walks" I don't mean walking in one's underwear! My walking chum and I did the Kips and Scald Law from Threipmuir yesterday and, if we had not needed to return to the car parked at Threipmuir, we both felt able to have done more.
We have gone from Dreghorn to Hillend, West Kip from Nine Mile Burn, Scald Law from Flotterstone and a done few other hills in previous years. We would be interested in walking over a number of the Pentland Hills at the other end of the range but cannot see any reports of them - nor for that matter do there appear to be routes marked for a lot of the smaller ones on the Pentlands map I have. [Harvey's Superwalker 1:25,000].
Does anyone have a recommendation for a walk of around 9 miles which could incorporate a few of the hills without having to go back the same way as we go up? I am a slow walker but do persevere. I am not keen on boggy terrain and do prefer to be able to follow a path rather than pick my way over tussocks and rocks. I know we could just take the map and find our own ways but thought other folk might have recommendations if only warnings of where to avoid for boggy sections and suchlike. I'd prefer either a circular route to return to a car park or one which has public transport at each end. I don't mind a longish walk-in and out but would prefer that to be within the Pentlands rather than on roads.
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Re: Combination walks in the Pentlands

Postby jmarkb » Fri May 15, 2015 4:44 pm

A few ideas for you:

Bonaly - Bonaly Res - Capelaw Hill - Harbor Hill - Bells Hill - Threipmuir Res - Easter Kinleith - Torduff Res - Bonaly
Threipmuir Res - Hare Hill - Black Hill - Bells Hill - Harlaw Res - Threipmuir Res
East Cairn + West Cairn Hill from Little Vantage on the A70 (only semi-circular, not all on paths)

Some more ideas for the south end here: http://www.stevenfallon.co.uk/pentlands-south.html (Click on "Alternative routes").

This book is a good one: http://micapublishing.com/books/walkers-guides/the-pentland-hills/

Not the Pentlands, but very similar:
Broughton - Trahenna Hill - Penvalla - Broughton Heights - Broughton (some rough terrain in the middle)
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Re: Combination walks in the Pentlands

Postby inca » Fri May 15, 2015 9:32 pm

Hi Susan,

I'm in the Pentlands most days with my dogs. Try and explore different routes as often as I can. One book I rate is 'The Pentland Hills: A Walkers Guide' by Susan Falconer. It's published by Cicerone. Not the most comprehensive selection of walks perhaps but it's good on maps, timings, layout and anecdotal information. It's got several circular walks at the west end of the Pentlands.
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Re: Combination walks in the Pentlands

Postby altay » Sat May 16, 2015 10:43 am

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Re: Combination walks in the Pentlands

Postby nigheandonn » Sat May 16, 2015 1:13 pm

This page http://www.westlinton.org.uk/roundabout/walks/notes-walks might give you some ideas?

I'm always planning to do the full ridge from Mount Maw to East Cairn Hill and never getting round to it - if you do it first, let me know what it's like!
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Re: Combination walks in the Pentlands

Postby Tinto63 » Sat May 16, 2015 10:31 pm

You could also try the Baddinsgall circuit parking at either Baddinsgall, or by West Linton Golf Club, or at Little Vantage on the Lang Whang (A70) including East Cairn Hill, Wether Law, The Mount, Grain Heads, Mount Maw, Baddinsgall, King Seat, Byrehope Mount, Wolf Craigs, Colzium Hill and West Cairn Hill. If starting from Little Vantage, the return off West Cairn Hill across the well named Baad Park will test your last reserves of stamina!

Another circuit starts at the Tabrax Road end, again on the Lang Wang, and follows the right of way (with posts) to the Covenanter's Grave on Black Law - a short diversion to the top of White Craig is well worth while - from Black Law drop down NE to the Medwin Water and follow this north to where the 3 counties meet, from there walk up the gentle slope to Craigengar, and return west to the starting point.

Today I did a shorter circuit from Threipmuir /Bavelaw car park up past Hare Hill, over West Kip, East Kip, Scald Law, Carnethy Hill down to the col before White Craig Heads and then cut down N to cross the Logan Burn and returned by the The Howe and the Green Cleugh.

The combinations possible in the Pentlands are endless and only limited by your (and my) imagination.
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Re: Combination walks in the Pentlands

Postby Susan Wales » Sat May 16, 2015 10:46 pm

Thanks very much. There is a lot to think about now.
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Re: Combination walks in the Pentlands

Postby Driftwood » Sat May 16, 2015 11:54 pm

nigheandonn wrote:This page http://www.westlinton.org.uk/roundabout/walks/notes-walks might give you some ideas?

I'm always planning to do the full ridge from Mount Maw to East Cairn Hill and never getting round to it - if you do it first, let me know what it's like!



I walked these almost a year ago from Baddinsgill, just south of the reservoir. There isn't much in the way of paths except for over East Cairn hill, but the going is fairly good. There are a few peat hags in the clefts between some of the smaller hills at the middle, but they weren't bad when I did the walk.

http://www.walkhighlands.co.uk/Forum/viewtopic.php?f=9&t=43257

I went for a direct (lazy) return, following one of the traditional routes across the Pentlands, though as Tinto63 says, there are plenty of other hills to make this as long a circuit as you wish.
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Re: Combination walks in the Pentlands

Postby Arte Et Labore » Wed May 20, 2015 3:43 pm

I've spent a lot of time exploring the Pentlands. The further south you go, the less well defined the paths become, and combined with boggier ground it makes some of those hills more of a challenge to get to. I've got a few walks saved in Runkeeper - if I can work out how to share them I'll do so.

My favourite starting point for the southern Pentlands is probably Baddinsgill - there is space for a few cars there. I've done a circuit similar to Driftwood's, as well as a route heading up to the west of the reservoir, over Muckle Knock and up to West Cairn Hill, then returning by the Thieves' Road.

For the group of hills a bit further west, including Craigengar and Byrehope Mount, I parked at West Linton Golf Club. The day I went up these hills it was really misty and the ground was very boggy in parts - I was hugely relieved to get to the track which runs alongside the Medwin Water and then back to Slipperfield.

The furthest south I've been in the Pentlands was parking at Dolphinton - there's a large layby on the southbound side of the A702, marked on the OS map. From here I followed the course of the Roman road to a farm before heading up the steep slope of Mendick Hill and on to North Muir Hill - this part was very tussocky so you might want to avoid it - and returning to the car through the farm at Garvald.

It's a long time since I've been out in the Pentlands (or any hills of note) - this thread has got me itching to get back up there!
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