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Stunning views from Traprain Law

Stunning views from Traprain Law


Postby denfinella » Mon Nov 17, 2014 8:27 pm

Route description: Traprain Law, near Haddington

Date walked: 19/10/2014

Time taken: 1 hours

Distance: 2 km

Ascent: 100m

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Again over near the east coast to escape wet weather further west, the short ascent of Traprain Law provided stunning views and an interesting hour's walk.


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A clear path left the car park and led west along the wall at the base of the hill. Berwick Law was visible to the north.

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Soon the path began to ascend, and the sea comes into view.

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The gradient steepened but the views were ample reward.

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Soon enough the trig point is reached, with amazing views in every direction considering the low height. The Lammermuir Hills were covered by rain clouds, but held back the worst of the bad weather with the exception of a rain shower which headed towards us and played out a spectacular light show over the Forth.

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The conventional return route is back by the way of ascent, but a more interesting and steeper option is to head off the rocky east side of the hill. Heading across a few minor rocky knolls, you soon reach warning signs cautioning against venturing into the quarry to the north.

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Another word of warning here - you need grippy footwear for the descent here. Keeping to the right of the metal railings takes you down a series of small rock slabs, which had become slippery as the rain shower finally arrived. The railings helped a bit. Here's a view looking back up from the bottom - although it doesn't look steep at all in the photo.

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From the bottom of the steep section, you can follow an overgrown track through a stand of trees, leading to a t-junction with a clearer track. Head left, downhill to the road, turning left again to get back to the car park. On the way back, you can see why the north-facing slopes aren't really suitable for descent:

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Last edited by denfinella on Tue Nov 18, 2014 10:18 pm, edited 1 time in total.
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denfinella
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Re: Stunning views from Traprain Law

Postby Sgurr » Mon Nov 17, 2014 8:44 pm

Glad to hear there is a car park. Daughter lives near there, and I got the impression that at one time they were all blocked off. Maybe it was to let the hill recover after the fire.
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Re: Stunning views from Traprain Law

Postby denfinella » Mon Nov 17, 2014 9:18 pm

Yes, car park with signboards and a picnic bench if I remember correctly. I didn't know there was a fire?

If that's ever blocked or full, there's another more informal area to park just to the east, on the other side of the road.
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Re: Stunning views from Traprain Law

Postby Alteknacker » Wed Nov 19, 2014 10:02 am

There are nice little gems in the most surprising places...
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Re: Stunning views from Traprain Law

Postby jmarkb » Wed Nov 19, 2014 5:00 pm

denfinella wrote:I didn't know there was a fire?


It's while ago now (Autumn 2003). A good part of the vegetation on the south side got burnt, but it recovered very quickly. Although I'm a regular visitor to climb on the crags on the south side, to my shame I've never been to the top: looks nice!
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Re: Stunning views from Traprain Law

Postby dickens96 » Wed Nov 19, 2014 5:04 pm

Yes agree about the steep and rocky eastwards descent - unexpectedly so (see my walk report from a while back), but a gret viewpoint on a clear day like so many in East Lothian.
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