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Cocklaw Hill and Blackcastle Hill

Cocklaw Hill and Blackcastle Hill


Postby dickens96 » Sun Feb 16, 2014 6:08 pm

Date walked: 16/02/2014

Time taken: 1.5 hours

Distance: 10 km

Ascent: 320m

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A great short walk on a fab sunny day. The main issue is finding it! I got lost in a maze of East Lothian's back lanes, eventually realising I was heading South instead of West when I passed the Scottish Borders sign! Still I turned back and found the hamlet of Oldhamstocks, from where you follow the road West (keep right as you leave the village), through a ford, through a gate then on to Cocklaw Cottages, where there is plenty of room to park as long as you don't block the working farmyard. The start of the path is marked "Public Path" and goes through a farmyard.

blackcastle 7-2.jpg


My biggest surprise was that what is marked as a footpath on the OS map is actually a tarmacked road! Just right for today as the ground was very plashy after all the rain the days before. There are good views back over the coast

blackcastle 8-2.jpg


The road climbs steadily with attractive views back down

blackcastle6-2.jpg


Eventually after a steady but not too steep climb you reach the top of what is a small plateau - the road skirts round Cocklaw Hill - and you can see the trig point although its a way off to the right of the road. The road carried on to Blackcastle Hill - an Iron Age hill fort - which is now home to some radio masts. Hence the road!

blackcastle5-2.jpg


The road bears off to the right towards the masts, from where there were stunning views today across Dunbar, Bass Rock, the Firth of Forth to Fife and beyond. the Grampians were visible covered in snow, and there was a clear view up the Forth towards the Ochills.

Blackcastle3-2.jpg


blackcastle2-2.jpg


A super exhilarating day, and a recommended short walk with great views. On the way home I found an easier route. You take the A1 South then turn right at Torness, signposted to Innerwick i think. About 100 metres along the road you take the turning to your left marked Oldhamstocks. 3 miles or so along this road you can't miss the sign for the turning right to Cocklaw.

blackcastle1-2.jpg
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dickens96
Walker
 
Posts: 67
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Joined: Aug 28, 2011
Location: Dirleton, East Lothian

Re: Cocklaw Hill and Blackcastle Hill

Postby GuideLeaderEL » Wed Apr 07, 2021 10:45 pm

cocklaw (1).jpeg
Radio masts at top and Trig point
A lovely walk up the road, joined by sheep thinking we had their breakfast. Views at top were amazing, towards the Scottish Borders back the way and into East Lothian, looking down over the Isle of May and Bass Rock in the Forth. Hares racing about too.
About 3 miles for whole return journey, to top and back to farm
cocklaw (2).jpeg
Isle of May
GuideLeaderEL
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Joined: Feb 14, 2021

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