Not much hiking activity lately, but off to the Sierra de Grodos incentral Spain soon…meanwhile, I gave my footwear a tryout in beautiful spring weather in the Pentlands, a stone's throw from Edinburgh, yesterday. These shoes definitely need replacing before a longer trip as basically, they don’t fit!
The Pentlands are so easy to reach from central Edinburgh - the no.44 bus takes you to Balerno in 20 minutes from where you are in open country in a further 5 minutes on foot. My plan was to cross the hills to the west and catch the hourly bus from Flotterstone - probably no more than 5 miles. My route followed the Malleny Mills, past Malleny House until you reach the open moorland by the Harlaw reservoir.
Clear wide paths all the way and not much climbing, so easy and impossible to get lost (the signage in the Pentland Park is good too). Lots of sheep with new lambs add to the spring feeling and everywhere dry underfoot.
After an hour or two, you cross the watershed and look down westwards on Glencorse reservoir.
From there I thought I’d take a short detour to see the ‘souterrain’ (prehistoric earth house) at Castlelaw - interesting enough, though heavily restored (ie rebuilt). The view from the adjacent hill (also a former prehistoric settlement) gives a better view of the hill fort it lies inside.
As it was still early and I had plenty of energy, I decided to walk back to Edinburgh rather than catch the bus. The broad gravel track isn’t the most picturesque, but gives good views and is quick. Although the weather was beautiful, you could see how poor the air quality was over eastern Scotland, the Forth bridges (third one now appearing) barely visible.
The path down the Howden burn forks to Bonaly or Dreghorn. I took the latter route, not quite sure where this was leading. Under the bypass it comes to the back of the Dreghorn Barracks and then through rather quaint and peaceful military housing, children planing in all the streets, before a short hop home on the 27 bus.