Cocklaw Hill and Blackcastle Hill
Posted: Sun Feb 16, 2014 6:08 pmA 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.
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
The road climbs steadily with attractive views back down
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!
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.
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.
