Pentland Hills Regional Park: Hare Hill via Loganlea Reservoir and Maiden’s Cleugh

Hare Hill is, for me at least, the jewel in the Pentland Hills Regional Park’s crown. We’ve hiked up it in March, September, February and June (in that order, since moving to Bonnie Scotland), and have done a mixture of out-and-backs and longer loops.

Rewind to June, and the Platinum Jubilee bank holiday. (However you feel about the Royal Family, a four-day weekend is always a good idea in my books.) Previous bank holiday outings have tended to fall into one of two camps on the weather front: overcast with optional drizzle and/or downpours, or stonking hot. Mercifully, this particular bank holiday was a happy midpoint: glorious sunshine and definitely t-shirt weather, but not so hot that we felt in danger of melting into a puddle.

Pentland Hills Regional Park: Hare Hill via Green Cleugh and Threipmuir Reservoir

Hare Hill is one of my favourite spots in the Pentland Hills Regional Park*. Gorgeous views? You bet. Easy to get to? Very much so. But the best bit about Hare Hill is its flexibility. If you want a straightforward out-and-back that’s an option, but I much prefer a circular route – and that’s where Hare Hill comes into its element as there are plenty of options. I’ve got a couple of routes to share (stay tuned for the second… it’s in the works!). First up: Hare Hill via Green Cleugh and Threipmuir Reservoir.

Pentland Hills Regional Park: Caerketton Hill and Allermuir Hill

Whoops. This blog post has been lingering in my drafts folder for a solid couple of months. Truth be told, it slipped down the to-do list (and then off it altogether) as soon as my final placement came around. After an evening spent typing up lesson plans and creating resources, the last thing I fancied doing was spending yet more time in front of a screen sifting through photos and writing blog posts. I finished my PGDE last week – and naturally, as soon as the last assignment was complete, Covid struck. (Cue: the weirdest sleep patterns I’ve ever experienced and a cough that is in no hurry to leave.) On the upside, I’ve got a whole summer to unwind and catch up on the blog posts that fell by the wayside over the past few months.

When I’m after a short hike, the loop from Swanston up to Caerketton Hill and Allermuir Hill is my go-to. Why? There’s a decent path (we’ll put the large bog between the two hills to one side for now; it’s not an issue in winter). From the top, there are expansive views across Edinburgh and the Firth of Forth. Plus, the slopes are home to some adorable Highland coos.

Pentland Hills Regional Park: Turnhouse Hill and Carnethy Hill

If you’re looking for a shorter hike with views on a par with those from Scald Law and the Kips, but without the crowds, Turnhouse Hill and Carnethy Hill should fit the bill. We made an early start, and for the second weekend on the trot the sun was shining. We followed a single track road beyond the car park for a short distance, and then veered off to the left to join the footpath (signposted Scald Law) which leads to Turnhouse Hill.

Pentland Hills Regional Park: Scald Law and The Kips

Edinburgh is brimming with green spaces and hills, and the Pentland Hills Regional Park to the south of the city has quickly become one of my favourite places for a walk. Whether you fancy a short stroll or a longer hike that strings a few peaks together, you’ll find it here. With sunshine on the forecast for (some of) the Easter weekend, we opted for the latter. Scald Law, East Kip and West Kip (together, The Kips) can be done in one fell swoop, by tracing the ridge on the eastern edge of the park.