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With just two sub2k marilyns left in the Lothians to do, I hoped that I could do them both in one trip. A check of the map suggested it was definitely possible. Painful, but possible.
I parked at Little Vantage on the A70. The path here leads through several gates before joining the historic Thieves Road. This was the old drove road that cattle were brought along to English markets. Robbers would hide in the heather before launching violent raids, hence it's name. At one time, a pretty dangerous place to be by all accounts. It still retains a real sense of eeriness.
- Looking down the Thieves Road between East Cairn Hill and West Cairn Hill
- East Cairn Hill from Thieves Road
After an hours walk the path leads to the bottom of East Cairn Hill. Here I found a track leading to the summit. It was up the steepest section of the hill (there may be an easier way further round) but I was ready to get some height going. The path was slippy and very steep in parts, almost a wee scramble in some sections.
- steep track up
- Half way up, looking back to Harperrig Reservoir. Thieves Road is the track nearest to the hill
Huge cairn at the top, though the true summit was due south east by a section of wall marked by a small cairn.
- Cairn at top of East Cairn Hill
- True summit
From here I was headed to another part of the Pentland's skyline, The Kips and the highest point in the Lothians, Scald Law.
- Next destination The Kips and Scald Law
Following the map I could see that a wall led across to Kitchen Moss. I had a choice to follow this to red gate but I fancied cutting the corner off by diagonally crossing a field to reach the track leading to West Kip. This wasn't a great move as I had several unexpected wire fences to cross, the last of which was in front of a busy path, where folk watched me just make it over without falling on my face...
Joined the main path up over West Kip, down the other side, up over East Kip, down again, then the final pull up to Scald Law.
- View up to West Kip
- Along to East Kip
- View from Scald Law back to the Kips with East Cairn Hill in the background
Refuelled before heading back to the Thieves Road, which seemed a
really long way at this point! I followed the track back to the red gate before heading west back along the wall. I didn't fancy another ascent of East Cairn so navigated my way around the base, Unfortunately, much of this ground varied between bog and marsh. I spent much of the trudge back with my ankles in water. I wouldn't advise anyone to try this route it was really slow going and heavy on the legs with much of the ground unstable. I eventually rejoined the Thieves Road and made it back to the car after a fairly gruelling trip back.
Having taking up hill walking just a month ago, it was nice to complete the Lothian sub2k's and i'm looking forward to stepping up the next level with some donalds and grahams next on the list...
