Walk: Garleton Hills – a tale of cabbages & kings

📌 Haddington, East Lothian
★★

The Garleton Hills form a low ridge running from west to east a mile north of Haddington, where this walk starts. They top out at under 200 metres but are prominent enough to offer grand views, with Traprain Law, the Lammermuir Hills, North Berwick Law and the Kingdom of Fife across the Firth of Forth all part of the panorama. Strangely shaped Barnes Castle is an interesting addition to the ridge; surrounded by cabbage fields on our visit, it was owned by a Sir John Seton, diplomat to King Philip II of Spain and part of the Royal Household of King James VI of Scotland. The southern part of this rectangular route follows the peaceful River Tyne. That just leaves the two shorter sides of the rectangle. which mostly have paths and tracks to follow, but with one section of busy road to contend with.

📷 Chronological photo guide

🌍 Location

📌 Start / finish on Riverside Drive, 0.5 mi northeast of Haddington town centre

🧭 O.S. Grid Reference: NT 520743

🛰️ GPS coordinates: 55.959070,-2.770795

🚌 Bus to Haddington – nearest stops are on Dunbar Road (A6093)

🚗 Street parking

📝 Key info

▶ 11 km / 7 mi | ▲ 170 m | ⌛ 3 hr

Features: 💧 River Tyne; 🏰 Barnes Castle; △ Barney Hill (181 m); 🏠 Haddington ★★ & town sights

⬤ Clear riverside path, then mixture of tracks, roads & footpaths. One stretch of fairly busy road verge – care needed.

➡️ Anticlockwise circuit: start – Sandy’s Mill via north bank of River Tyne – Beanston – Barnes Castle – Barney Hill – join road just southwest of Yellow Craigs – start via path on east side of road

Download file for GPS

🥾 On our last visit

Wildlife: Buzzards, mallards, moorhens, butterflies. Cows (in the same field as the path) & horses on hill section.

Weather: Sunny with some high clouds, fresh breeze on the hill. 14°C at start, rising a bit.

August 2023