Black Hill - As good as it gets

This was the first time that I'd been up Black Hill, a small, rounded peak in the Pentland Hills to the south of Edinburgh. The walk was planned simply as a new route to explore, given that I'm still limited to these local hills under the ongoing Covid restrictions. Surprisingly, it turned out to be one of the most beautiful days I've spent in the hills.

Our route started by walking into the hills via the steep road from Threipmuir Reservoir. The snow-dusted branches of the trees either side made a tangled archway for our send off. As soon as we gained a little height, the view opened up and we could see the morning sun catching the tops of snow-plastered hills all around. And they were really plastered. It's been a few years since I've seen so much snow here in the Pentlands. At the top of the road, we struck out briefly across open moor before dropping down into the tight valley below Hare Hill. It was cold here, out of the sun, and the snow was dry and firm enough to crunch under our boots. 

Before we dropped down to The Howe, we picked up the line of an old stone wall that took us up to its high point on the flank of Black Hill. We peeled off from the wall here, picking our way through deep drifts to gain more height. We were still in shade as was the southern ridge of the Pentlands at our back. West Kip, East Kip, Scald Law and Carnethy formed a long line of Alpine-like peaks reaching into an Alpine-like blue sky. 

As we pulled up onto the south shoulder of Black Hill, we emerged into the sun. The full panorama of the winter wonderland was stretched out before us now and we stood there in awe, barely able to take it all in. We could see northeast towards Allermuir with its neighbouring cluster of hills and as far west as East Cairn Hill, where we'd been a few weeks before. All around us, the snow sparkled in the sunshine and made these modest hills look so incredibly beautiful. On top of all this, there was not a breath of wind, a rare occurrence on a Scottish hill. I couldn't help thinking this is as good as it gets ... in lockdown at least!

We walked north, ascending a steeper section before gaining the flat plateau that is the top of Black Hill. We wandered slowly across the top and were in no rush. We wanted to breathe it all in and make the moment last as long as possible. 

Eventually we started to drop off the far side, down into Den's Cleugh where a grouse butt provided a back rest for an early lunch. After food and flasks of hot coffee, we continued down to the lovely pass at Black Springs, a quiet route that sneaks around the north side of the hill. We were returned to cold shade here as the sun would never reach this place on its low winter arc.  

The route through here returned us to our start point via the track along the shores of Threipmuir Reservoir. We gazed across its frozen waters, soaking up the last of the views as Black Hill rose above us. Too often in normal times, we ignore these local hills in favour of bigger Highland peaks but today they'd given us a stunning trip in the hills.

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Start/finish: Threipmuir road end

Public transport: Lothian Buses no. 44 (requires a walk from the terminus in Balerno to the road end)

My route: Continued up the road beyond the Threipmuir car park and turned left at the top of the hill, passed Bavelaw Castle as the road swings to the right. Through the gate ahead then followed the path that runs east below Hare Hill. Immediately after a fenced area of regenerating woodland, went through the gate and followed a stone wall up to the left. Left it at its high point to gain the south flank of Black Hill. All the way over the top of Black Hill heading northeast then started to drop into Den's Cleugh but swung left to turn west back towards Threipmuir along the bottom of Black Hill. This route reaches a small dam which I crossed then followed the track on the other side back to the start.