Ranging from Threipmuir Reservoir automotive park (£2 steered donation; this automotive park might be very busy in good climate) within the Pentland Hills, close to Edinburgh, this stroll of just about 13km contains 560m of ascent and takes round 2.5 to 4 hours (relying on health ranges). It will additionally make an incredible operating route.

The West Kip, East Kip, South Black Hill and Scald Regulation circuit begins on a street (there’s a path on the facet) that heads immediately uphill. The street is straight and the up is fixed. You then cross Redford Bridge over the western finish of the reservoir earlier than the route joins a path.

Earlier than lengthy, you’re feeling as if you might be many, many miles from metropolis life and surrounded by peaceable countryside. It is a fashionable route nevertheless, with walkers, runners and gravel cyclists, so you might be by no means removed from the noise of individuals chatting. I don’t thoughts this however in order for you a quieter stroll, you’ll have to go earlier or later within the day, or mid-week.

My good friend Ben and I adopted the circuit anti-clockwise and, as we walked the trail often known as “Purple Highway”, we may clearly see our hill route forward.

There’s a well-worn path for the complete stroll – and loads of choices for extending the route over different hills. Actually, the Pentland Skyline Race route takes within the summits of East Kip, West Kip, South Black Hill and Scald Regulation, plus many extra.

Ups and downs of Pentlands stroll

The primary ascent to the summit of West Kip at 551m is pretty steep and sustained. We handed a big group of college youngsters who had been clearly intent on some type of problem or exercise. The had been having fun with the prospect to play in a little bit of snow at larger altitude.

Ben and I walked on a late March Sunday and the hills had been dusted with snow the night time earlier than.

It’s lower than a kilometre to the following peak, East Kip at 534m elevation. Once more, it was a reasonably steep descent and re-ascent however brief in comparison with the Corbetts and Munros that I’m extra aware of.

The views as we walked had been great, wanting over Edinburgh to the north and Midlothian, together with Penicuik, to the south.

From East Kip, we descended once more to the south-east after which climbed to South Black Hill, which rises to 563m. There’s a huge, bowled formed cairn on the prime. As we walked again downhill, we may see Scald Regulation rising in entrance of us. That is the very best level of the circuit at 579m. A trig marked the spot.

The descent of round 100m to the north-east was round 500m in distance. We then joined a path heading north-west. This descended steadily in direction of Inexperienced Cleugh. In Scotland, cleugh often means a gorge.

Our path crossed the fertile inexperienced base of the small and vast rocky-sided gorge. The trail then took us west and again to the straight street that we had began on. The descent was much more nice than the ascent and I observed how the bushes on each side had bent to create a beautiful arch. In summer season, when coated in leaves, this should be a good looking begin and end to a stroll.

For extra route information see Strava and OS Maps.