Back in the heady days of Covid Tier 3 before Christmas, my extended household and I made a camping trip to the northeast half of the Pentland Hills. This area lies within the city boundary and is the only “wild” place available to me under the higher tier rules. This has made it popular and we found all those extra feet plus the wet weather had made the normally dry, firm trails turn slick with mud. Amusingly, I had not packed my gaiters at all while Graham had grabbed from his cupboard a pair that were several sizes too small and more suited to dainty, slim ankles.
Our walking route headed out from Bonaly with a stiff climb up towards
the reservoir but we turned off just before to pull ourselves up the north side
of Capelaw Hill. This is my favourite hill in the Pentlands. I don’t know why because it’s
not the highest or most shapely but I love the expanse of its flat top which
has big views all around. These views extend southwest where the rest of the Pentlands stretch towards Lanark and north to the city below, backed by the blue waters of the Firth of Forth.
We made an undulating walk westwards next, dropping down into Phantom Cleugh and walking up over Harbour Hill (which is far from the sea). We then descended towards the popular path that comes up from Harlaw. Goodness it was busy but, like us, folk don’t have many places to go. We’d started quite late so decided to stop here for lunch as a shower of rain was moving in from the west. I also wanted to try my new, two-person bothy shelter. This is essentially a waterproof bag that you pull over yourself and when you sit down, your backs give structure to the bag. I had tried one before and it was a great escape from the weather to eat lunch or look at the map. There weren’t too many folk around when we tucked ourselves up in the bothy shelter and once inside we became oblivious to the outside world. However, when we emerged after our picnic lunch there were loads of people, staring our way, wondering what on earth we were doing.
Our walk continued over Bells Hill next which I hadn’t been up before and descended to a quiet, hidden glen on the other side. The cambered path on the side of the hill was especially slippery as slick mud mixed with heather stems, a frustrating combination. The escape from here was even boggier and eventually we were ploughing through water to reach the main track that dissects the hills. Finally, some firm ground for an hour or so. Before too long, we turned north and walked back towards Harlaw through Maiden’s Cleugh (which sounds a bit rude).
As we came over the pass here, the golden hour was upon us with the sun sinking to the west. So was the rain upon us. Along with a stiff breeze, this dissuaded us from camping on a summit and instead we headed for the shelter of the woods. This was mid December so it was dark by four in the afternoon but a bright moon cast some light later for a night time walk back up the path.
A peaceful night gave way to a stunning sunrise and an early walk back along farm tracks lined with winter hedgerows that sealed the trip with a little treat – a beautiful goldcrest flitting about just a foot from our faces.
Start/finish: Bonaly village store
Public Transport: Lothian buses number 10
My route: Walked up Bonaly Road to its end at a car park then continued straight on the track. Just before the reservoir a path left through a wide gap in the forestry. This swung round the edge of the trees, climbed over a wall then ascended the north ridge of Capelaw. Followed obvious path southwest over Harbour Hill, Bell's Hill then descended into Den's Cleugh. A path and then a track head southeast along White Cleugh Burn to join the main track at Logan Cottage. Turned left then half way along Glencorse Reservoir took the path signed to the left Harlaw and Bonaly. Where this path drops down the other side and passes through a gate in a wall, turned right towards the trees. Followed this track until it meets the tarmac road then turned right. When the road ends at the cottages, took a sharp right onto a dirt track and followed this to Clubbiedean then Tordfuff Reservoirs. Crossed the dam of Torduff Reservoir and this path joined with the outward route.
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