📌 Pentland Hills, Scottish Borders
★★
Fancy a solitary stroll close to the capital? The west Pentlands are much less frequented than the more shapely, eastern side of the range, but still offer good views into the Scottish Borders and West Lothian. This circuit traces the grassy ridges on the east side of the Lyne Water at Baddinsgill, linking a succession of broad, grassy or heathery summits. The last in line – East Cairn Hill – is slightly rockier, with views of Harperrig Reservoir revealed at the last minute from an enormous cairn on its lower west top. Return by the Thieves Road – an old livestock route connecting West Linton to Livingstone via a lonely bealach.
📷 Chronological photo guide
1/22 Lyne Water near the start 
2/22 Lyne Water 
3/22 Mount Maw 
4/22 View south from the ascent of Mount Maw 
5/22 Mount Maw summit, looking towards the eastern Pentlands 
6/22 Baddinsgill Reservoir 
7/22 View ahead to The Mount (right), Wether Law (centre) & East Cairn Hill (left) 
8/22 Following the fence 
9/22 East Cairn Hill from Henshaw Mouth 
10/22 
11/22 Looking back from the ascent of East Cairn Hill 
12/22 East Cairn Hill east top 
13/22 East Cairn Hill: west top (left) & true summit (centre) from the east top 
14/22 Harperrig Reservoir from the west top 
15/22 Old cairn on East Cairn Hill west top 
16/22 Descent from East Cairn Hill, West Cairn Hill beyond 
17/22 Thieves Road at Cauldstane Slap 
18/22 Thieves Road at Cauldstane Slap 
19/22 Approach to Baddinsgill Reservoir 
20/22 Baddinsgill Reservoir 
21/22 Track at Baddinsgill 
22/22 Final roadside stretch
🌍 Location
📌 Start / finish near minor road end at Baddinsgill Farm (2 mi northwest of West Linton)
🧭 O.S. Grid Reference: NT 126548
🛰️ GPS coordinates: 55.778329,-3.394790
❌ No public transport within 1 mi
🚗 Verge parking – don’t block gates
📝 Key info
▶ 14 km / 9 mi | ▲ 490 m | ⌛ 4.5-5 hr
Features: △ Mount Maw (535 m); △ East Cairn Hill (567 m, sub-2000′ Marilyn); 💧 Baddinsgill Reservoir
⬤ Tough | Outward ridge route mostly on faint, grassy paths and tracks, some boggy areas at cols. Thieves Road return route on clearer paths and tracks.
Download file for GPS➡️ Clockwise circuit: start – leave road 200m to south – Faw Mount – Mount Maw – Grain Heads – The Mount (west side) – Wether Law (southwest side) – East Cairn Hill (all three summits) – join Cross Borders Drove Road / Thieves Road at Cauldstane Slap – Baddinsgill Reservoir – start
🥾 On our last visit
Wildlife: Pheasant and grouse calls, sheep, Highland and dairy cows, horses, a few birds of prey.
Weather: Very hazy sunshine, gusty southerly wind, temperature in single figures. Small, old snowdrifts on East Cairn Hill, some partly frozen ground.
March 2020
