📌 Moorfoot Hills, Scottish Borders
★★★
Dundreich marks the northwestern edge of the rolling Moorfoot Hills, straddling the boundary between Midlothian and the Scottish Borders. Its slopes on this side are steep, allowing for a direct ascent, but overlook Portmore Reservoir with views across the water body backed by a side profile of the Pentland Hills. The return leg detours to see the heathery earthworks of Northshield Rings: a prehistoric hillfort with impressive double rampart.
📷 Chronological photo guide
Track along Portmore Reservoir 
View back from the initial ascent 
Dundreich northwest slope 
Tweeddale Burn 
Reservoir & distant Pentland Hills 
Dundreich summit, looking southeast 
Looking north 
Track to Brown Dod 
Descent towards Milky Law 
West flank of Dundreich 
Harcus Burn 
Loch Wood 
Track to Northshield Rings 
Northshield Rings fort 
Hunters Slack 
West side of Portmore Reservoir
🌍 Location
📌 Start / finish on minor road at track junction to Portmore Reservoir, near Westloch, 3 mi north of Eddleston
🧭 O.S. Grid Reference: NT 256515
🛰️ GPS coordinates: 55.750800,-3.187629
🚌 Bus stops on A703 at start point turnoff (1 mi)
🚗 Verge parking
📝 Key info
▶ 10 km / 6 mi | ▲ 390 m | ⌚ 3-3.5 hr
Features: 💧 Portmore Reservoir; △ Dundreich (623 m, Donald); 🏰 Northshield Rings fort
⬤ Tough | Faint, grassy path for initial ascent & also later around Loch Wood, where navigation skills needed. Rest of circuit mostly on tracks (mix of gravel / grass). Steep gradients in places, one fence must be climbed on ascent.
Download file for GPS➡️ Clockwise circuit: start – east side of Portmore Reservoir – ascend hollow between Loch Hill & Fala Steel – Dundreich – pass just west of Brown Dod – descent to west of Brown Dod – Loch Wood – Northshield Rings fort – northwest end of Portmore Reservoir – start
🥾 On our last visit
Wildlife: Mute swans, a cormorant, butterflies. Distant cows & sheep.
Weather: Sunny with wispy clouds, 22°C at start but with a strong wind.
September 2023
