The Moorfoots are known for their tough, boggy terrain but give extensive views. This circular route from the Gladhouse Reservoir visits one of their major summits - Blackhope Scar - and two further Donalds.
Bog Factor
Tracks on some sections, but also long stretches of pathless, boggy and heathery hills.
Informal parking area west of Gladhouse reservoir.
None to start.
NT291528
There is an informal parking area on the southwest side of Gladhouse Reservoir, on the minor road towards Moorfoot farm - it is on the left just before the 'no parking beyond this point' sign. Begin on foot along the road, turning right past the house at Moorfoot to head south up the glen towards Gladhouse Cottage.
Take the grassy left hand fork below the cottage, soon crossing a bridge over the tiny River South Esk. Once on the far side fork left on a smaller grassy track, passing to the right of an immaculately-constructed sheepfold to the scant ruins of Hirendean Castle - a sixteenth century Peel tower. Continue up the grassy trod which aims up the shoulder of the hill, giving great views back of the castle backed by the reservoir.
When a fence blocks the route up, bear briefly right along it to reach a crossing place aided by stones on either side. Continue up past a crow trap until the shoulder eventually eases off and a heathery track is reached. Turn right along this; you can either follow it as it makes an undulating course around the west flank of the Kipps or you can short-cut over the very tussocky ground. A track coming up that is marked on OS maps is joined (an alternative way of reaching this point). Go almost straight across it on a fainter track to reach the fence along the main ridgeline.
Bear right along the fence line. Whichever side you choose to walk on, this section is very boggy, all along the very gradual climb to the trig point on the summit of Blackhope Scar. Although the summit itself is soggy and unprepossessing, the views are very extensive.
To continue the walk, continue across the pathless moorland, aiming SSW and then WSW to reach the bealach at the foot of Emly Bank and the Bowbeat Hill windfarm. From the bealach (which has an excellent forestry track heading off to the left), head up to the first turbine to join the windfarm track. Keep right at each of two forks to stay on the highest track.
From the highest turbine, a short pathless detour from the track leads to the unmarked summit of Bowbeat Hill, a Donald. Rejoin the windfarm track, keeping right at another fork to follow it to the most northerly turbine which has a small building alongside it. From here, it's back to the bog; aim first for a gate in the fence. Pass through this and if possible pick up the very faint line of an old ATV track which climbs NW towards Dundreich.
It eventually joins a more defined route which curves west and then NWW to reach a gate in a fence, before a slightly drier final climb up to the summit of Dundreich - marked by a cairn on a small grassy mound, with a trig point alongside. The views are superb - the best of the day - especially towards the Pentlands and Edinburgh.
Leave the summit by following a fence NE to Jeffries Corse, eventually crossing it and then aiming northwards towards a drystone wall which runs along a lower shoulder. Bear right before reaching the wall to head down the northeast ridge towards Gladhouse Cottage. Pass through another gate and then follow a grassy track which bears right before swinging back left to the cottage. From here retrace your steps back to the start.
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