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I was in Edinburgh, staying at my daughter's place. I had no car, but I did have a shiny new over-60s bus pass, so surely getting out to play in the hills wasn't going to be too difficult.
Stagecoach have something of a reputation at home in Orkney (one bus in Kirkwall was, not so long ago, found to have mushrooms growing in it), but the 101 Edinburgh-Biggar service is fairly regular and seems to be a reliable friend to the hillwalker.
Friday October 1
Mendick Hill
Distance: 8.9km
Ascent: 317m
Time: 3 hoursLeaving Edinburgh bus station at 10.20, I got off outside the Gordon Arms in West Linton about an hour later and set off at a leisurely pace up the road to the golf club and around the route that most others seem to follow.
- All quiet on the 101 as we leave Edinburgh bus station.
- Turn up towards the golf club here
- Much leafiness as you make your way past some very nice houses
- First sight of Mendick Hill from the golf club
The weather stayed bright, but the wind was increasing as I made my way past the entrance to the golf club and along the road, leaving the tarmac and taking the lefthand track towards South Slipperfield. The old road makes for easy going past the trees and across a delightful bridge over West Water.
- Bear left here
- Mendick Hill and the bridge over West Water
- Inscription on the bridge
- Lovely, isn't it?
There's another tree plantation alongside the track and then, after Hardgatehead, it was time to turn right and start to cross some damp ground and then start to climb properly. It's surprisingly sharp and there was a fair bit of puffing and wheezing before the ground started to level out and the last stretch up to the top.
- Looking at the steep pull up Mendick Hill
- South towards Ingraston Hill and Black Mount
- Mendick Hill summit, looking north towards the main Pentland range
- South east towards Broughton Heights
It was windy and getting colder at the top, so after a quick cup of tea it was time to head down, following the path towards South Slipperfield. I went through the gate and decided to stay on higher ground as the going was already getting heavier. I went through another gate in a gap in the trees and had to go around an acre of neeps which took me closer to the farmhouse than I'd normally like, but I regained the road and headed back to West Linton, missing the 14.11 bus by minutes, although there was time for a beer and a sandwich at the Gordon Arms before the 15.05. It's a hard life!
- Friendly horse on the way down
- Looking back from South Slipperfield
Sunday October 3
East Cairn Hill, Carlops to Balerno
Distance: 16.8km
Ascent: 495m
Time taken: 5hrOn Sunday there are just the two 101 buses in either direction between Edinburgh and Biggar with about a four hour "window" for walking between the outward and return journeys. I'd planned to bag East Cairn Hill from Carlops, but wasn't confident I'd make it out and back in the three hours and 45 minutes between buses, so decided on plan B to cross over to Balerno and get the 44 Lothian Buses service back to the city.
In contrast to the weekday service, the 10.15am 101 was packed by the time we got out of the city centre, full of (mainly) students in some very nice walking gear. At least three-quarters of the passengers got off at Flotterstone and by the time we got to Carlops there were only a handful of us left.
I headed south along the road and then turned right, slightly uphill, following the sign for Butland. The going is reasonably quick on the track which goes past Carlop Hill Farm and Fairliehope before dropping down slightly to the North Esk reservoir. The signpost directs you across a field, but I stuck to the track down to and around the reservoir.
- Busy Sunday on the 101
- Heading towards Fairliehope
- Down towards the reservoir
- North Esk Reservoir
I dawdled by the reservoir, noting that I would definitely be pushing it to get up East Cairn Hill and back in time for the 101, then through a gate onto a rougher path into moorland and over towards the Borestane where I turned left along what looks like a new track (put there for grouse shooters?), heading towards East Cairn Hill.
After a short way I went through a gate and followed another rough path which gained height steadily before reaching the top of East Cairn Hill. The exact summit is hard to work out, so I wandered around all the high looking spots before relying on GPS, planting my poles and taking the obligatory picture.
- First sight of East Cairn Hill
- The Borestane
- Pretty sure this is the top
I headed back down to the Borestane and along the track to King's Hill, turning right, aiming for Bavelaw. It was a bit of a trudge along the track and I admit I'm not a fan of this side of the Pentlands. But it made for relatively easy going and there was some afternoon sunshine as I reached the road which headed past the Threipmuir reservoir and car park and on to the bus stop at Balerno.
- Looking back at East Cairn Hill
- Black Hill (Pentlands) from Threipmuir
Monday October 18
Black Mount
Distance: 5.75km
Ascent: 299m
Time taken: 2hrA couple of weeks later I was back in Edinburgh and had a free morning so hopped on the 8.20 from the bus station and just after 9.30 was in Dolphinton wandering past the church on the road out to Roberton Mains. Black Mount is far from spectacular or large, but this was a really enjoyable outing.
A few hundred yards after the turn for Kirkhouse, there's a stile and a clear path which climbs gradually towards White Hill, finding its way around that hill before arriving at the foot of Black Mount. There are gentler, more roundabout ways up, but I went for the direct way alongside the fence (which shows obvious signs of wear from being used to pull walkers up!). It's sharp, but height was gained quickly and I was soon at Windlestraw Top.
- Leaving the road to head towards the hill
- Black Mount from the track
- Very much the way up
- Steep
There's getting on for half a mile to walk over to the summit, but it was pleasant going. Once at the top, there was a temptation to go on south and take in Broomy Law, however, I retraced my steps to the col between Black Mount and White Hill, this time taking the grassy track towards the farm at Kirkhouse, getting back to the bus stop with well over half-an-hour to spare for the 12.04 back to Edinburgh.
- The summit is still a little way off
- The top of Black Mount with its "nibbled" trig point