📌 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
🌍 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