Collected Musings of a Hill Wanderer

When I first moved to Edinburgh, I had a good view of the Pentland Hills from my bedroom window but somehow never got the notion of visiting them. It is true that Scotland has many distractions and the city of Edinburgh itself can be listed among them but I suppose that the idea of visiting lesser hills was never about to happen when the country is rightly famous for its highland areas of Lochaber, Skye, Argyll and so much more. In fact, that’s where my attention took me when I decided to see some of its countryside before I left Scotland to work south of the border.

Ironically, it was that relocation to the north of England that spurred the development of the hill wandering habit rather than the empty wonders of which Scotland has so many. Thus, I have since discovered areas accessible from Edinburgh such as the hill country near Peebles and the Southern Uplands proper. Countryside immediately north of Glasgow like that surrounding Loch Lomond was a worthy proposition for more visits than I paid to the area and it wouldn’t have been that far away either.

You might try explaining away the fact that I didn’t travel so widely in Scotland when I lived there by saying that I was a student in those days. The proximity of the Pentlands makes that only a partially successful excuse. As it happened, the world of computing commanded my interest while outdoor activities for me then mainly involved cycling around Edinburgh itself and frequenting its public parks. In other words, I simply hadn’t developed the interest in hill country that I have today. That is not to say that I didn’t have a soft spot for fine countryside but I was wont to go after the exceptional rather than enjoy the wonders of what is less so. A consequence of this thinking was that faraway hills seemed more wondrous that what was nearby. That still can stop me exploring what is local to me and head further away but I have been heading away from the obvious honeypots for a few years now. The great thing about going to places off the beaten track is that they are good for the opportunities they offer for the clearing of my head of the stresses and strains of modern life. They also can be on your own doorstep which is even better.

It is perhaps odd that the journey from exploring the famous and wonderful hill country to quieter and equally enjoyable spots brought me to spending a few hours exploring those hills that I was accustomed to seeing out my window all those years ago. It so happened that it was last weekend that allowed that chance on what was otherwise a social visit to Scotland’s capital.

As if to accentuate the curiosity of my never have set foot on them, the Pentland Hills are well served with frequent bus services. That accessibility allows a number of possible starting points for a walk and the one that I used was dictated by the appearance in St. Andrew’s Square of the number 15 going by Hillend on its way to Penicuik. That might seem a little haphazard but I could be a little more easygoing when I wasn’t going that far from civilisation anyway. Otherwise, I treated the outing like a local walk among hills near to Macclesfield so I wasn’t carrying that much but still brought plenty of water, waterprooofs and a good map among other things.

Thus, Hillend was where my walk began and I was soon heading uphill in the direction of Caerketton Hill. The heights that I was to reach weren’t heady but even low sized hill can present a good workout for the legs and this one is very much of that calibre. Allermuir Hill, where I went next, is of the same ilk but it was largely downhill from there on. There might have been a spot of uphill action on the meandering path taking me to Bonaly Country Park but it was nothing compared to the higher points of the hike. I may have been rankled by the route taken by that path but I was soon on the track taking me to the route of the number 10 bus back to base; that track didn’t take long to become a road.

The contrast between my previous disinterest in hill country and my interest today wasn’t the only one that pervaded my mind while there since the hills over which I went offered many very different and varied views, more contrasts if you like. I may never have exceeded 500 metres in height but the relative flatness of the Midlothian countryside round the Pentlands meant that I was able to see far and wide. To the north, I looked down on Edinburgh and picked out its castle, the Commonwealth Swimming Pool, Arthur’s Seat, Salisbury Crags and many other landmarks. Further north lay higher hills brooding under cloud-filled skies while Fife and the Firth of Forth with its islands like Bass Rock were sun drenched in comparison. To the south, heather-covered hills so dominated the vistas that it seemed that they were doing their best to make you forget where you really were.

All in all, I had spent a few hours packed chock full of contrasts: between past and present, in the mind and round about me, the appearance of the land in sun and in shadow and so on. Here’s another one as if all of the others weren’t enough: if I was in Princes Street, I would have been surrounded by hoards processing around on the last weekend of Edinburgh’s Fringe but I was up on hills with plenty of space around me. In previous times, I might have been among the crowds but I now seek peace and quiet to complement and provide relief from the noise of our modern existence. I suppose that we can change over time but I am certain too that there are parts of us too that don’t change so much. It’s amazing how a few hours spent among hills on the edge of a city can reveal so many contrasts, changes and differences.

I am back home after taking advantage of the fine weather by taking myself off to Moffat in Dumfries and Galloway to take in some of the walking missed by the hordes passing north on their way to the Highlands; they do not know what they are missing, even if the hills show themselves to all and sundry proceeding along the West Coast mainline and the A74(M). The Southern Upland Way is a major walking attraction around here but there are loads of hills to explore as well. They may not be high like the Munros but the rough country does demand some preparation and respect.

My previous encounter with the place was last June when I based myself in Lockerbie. That time, I got in the section of the Southern Upland Way between Moffat and Ettick Head but the day remained cloudy until my return to Lockerbie for the night. This time, I walked the Southern Upland Way from St. Mary’s Loch back to Moffat, also covering the ground that I explored on my previous visit. I had designs on more walking but the after effects of a 20 mile stroll and a heavy pack returned me to my senses.

To get to and from Moffat, I travelled by train between Macclesfield and Dumfries (well, apart from a rail replacement bus service between Manchester and Stockport: they were at the line yet again). On Friday evening, a taxi got me to Moffat and I left the 114 bus do the honours on the return. There was a bus on the Friday but a 60 minute wait would have been in order. Mind you, if I had been more patient, I might have avoided a bizarre taxi conversion laden with strange coincidences.

Over the weekend, I stayed at the Balmoral Hotel which offered exactly what I needed. The only fly in the ointment was the locals talking loudly among each other out on the street until 02:00 in the morning. And no, I have no idea what was going on. It never endangered my plans, though.

A useful Saturday only service (Houstons 130) got me to St. Mary’s Loch and would have been a useful fallback if I decided not to walk all the way back to Moffat. Both St. Mary’s Loch and nearby Loch of the Lowes looked so magnificent that I could have spent the whole day on their shores but I had other walking on my mind and it really did take some willpower to get going. Most of the Way followed paths and tracks through the hills but a five mile road walk was endured in the middle, a minor complaint given what else was on offer. As regards terrain, the only tricky section was around between Craigmichen Scar and Ettrick Head where the effect of landslips is obvious to all. The sight of sheep grazing on steep slopes littered with them was nigh on unbelievable; it looked like reckless behaviour. Recent land movements has resulted in the redirection of the Way around here (be warned if following the OS map) but I suspect that a more permanent route will have to go up and over West Knowe some day, a potentially tiring but safer diversion.

The last two weekends have seen me revisit southern Scotland. This weekend saw me among the Southern uplands. My base was Lockerbie (of Pan Am 103 fame) but my walking took me in and around Moffat. One of my rambles was a circular route involving the Southern Upland Way. I was returning to Moffat by road when a friendly motorist offered a lift to Moffat and I took him up on the offer (not something that I’d normally do for obvious reasons…). That gave me more time for exploring and I got a glimpse of the Devil’s Beef Tub to boot. I also got to Lochmaben, four miles from Lockerbie. All this got done yesterday but, though pleasant, the day was largely cloudy and the sun came out just as I had to leave Moffat for Lockerbie (sod’s law, really): a later bus would have been perfect. The threat of rain today brought me home on the first southbound train of the day. Nevertheless, the scenery was wonderful and a return is very tempting.

Last weekend, I planned to savour the hills of Northumberland but accommodation availability in Berwick-upon-Tweed changed my plans: it was still useful for a Friday night arrival. Next day, I took myself off to Galashiels and dropped off part of my load at the Abbotsford Arms Hotel (Abbotsford was the name of Sir Walter Scott’s home in the area) before heading for a ramble from Peebles to Innerleithen by way of an old drovers’ road and the Southern Upland Way. Unlike yesterday, the sun was very much out and it would have been quite hot if a useful, if strong, breeze hadn’t blown up. Sunday saw me take a short stroll around Galashiels before heading home.