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It looked like a good for a walk but where to go nearish to home that we hadn't already done? The Pentland Hills! About an hour in the car, surprisingly good scenery and fairly easy walking. Get there early if you want to find a parking space at Flotterstone, though.
Leaving the car park there is a short stretch up the road to go through a gate on the left and then out onto the open hillside. It is a fairly steep pull up to the top of the first hill - Turnhouse Hill -
- Turnhouse Hill
from which you can look down on the reservoirs.
- Nice trees
We were overtaken by a runner (in fact, there were lots of them throughout the day) but they only seem to run downhill - even I can run downhill!!!
The wind was really strong and we were soon putting on jackets, hats and gloves. A steep droop (Freudian typo!) down and another ascent leads to the top of Carnethy Hill
- Carnethy Hill
which has lots of stone shelters at the top. The ridge is a bit like a roller coaster the next summit being the highest of the day - Scald Law at 579m.
- Scald Law
Then down and up to East Kip, shortly followed by West Kip.
- East and West Kip
On reaching the broad track at the bottom of West Kip (fingerpost) we turned right and made our way across toward the hills oon the other side of the reservoir.
- Reservoirs
The first of these is Hare Hill on which there is what looks like the remains of a hill fort.
- Hill fort?
Then onto Black Hill, Bell's Hill, Capelaw Hill
- Down and up again
and finally Allemuir Hill.
- Allemuir Hill
All along this ridge there are splendid views of the Firth of Forth, the two bridges and Edinburgh.
- Arthur's Seat
- Looking along the ridge
Red flags were flying on Castlelaw Hill and there were sounds of gunfire
so we took the track that skirts the east side of the hill and leads down to Castlelaw Fort. This a fascinating place and you can actually go underground into an earth house.
It is then only a short walk back to civilisation - hundreds of cars, thousands of people - lovely!!!
