Walk: Lively leks of Lammer Law

📌 Lammermuir Hills, East Lothian
★★★

Lammer Law is one of the highest parts of the broad swathe of moorland known as the Lammermuir Hills. The range translates as lambs’ moor, but based on our visits, the numbers of grouse seem more notable! The massive pile of stones at the summit commands surprisingly extensive views right across the Southern Uplands and Central Belt, with even the Cairngorms and Ochil Hills easily picked out in clear weather. Wide tracks give good progress over heathery rolling ground, later descending through a sinuous glen concealing Hopes Reservoir. A longish tarmac section follows, but with good pastoral views.

📷 Chronological photo guide

🌍 Location

📌 Start / finish near Blinkbonny Wood, minor road 2.5 mi south of Gifford

🧭 O.S. Grid Reference: NT 542643

🛰️ GPS coordinates: 55.869435,-2.733888

❌ No public transport within 1 mi

🚗 Very limited verge parking (don’t block access), or any responsible place along the road from East Hopes / Longyester to this point. Parking options are extremely limited – consider avoiding busy days

📝 Key info

▶ 14 km / 9 mi | ▲ 350 m | ⌛ 4-5 hr

Features: △ Lammer Law (529 m); 💧 Hopes Reservoir

⬤ Moderate | Mostly on good tracks, generally not steep, then 2 mi of minor road walking at end. Some short boggier sections near summit.

➡️ Anticlockwise circuit with extension to summit: start – Threep Law – Lammer Law – bealach between Harley Grain & Lammerlaw Burn – Rogers Cleugh – south bank of Hopes Reservoir – West Hopes – East Hopes – Longyester – start

Download file for GPS

🥾 On our last visit

Wildlife: Cows & horses in adjacent fields, a roe deer, sheep, red grouse, pheasants, fieldfare. Guinea fowl & chickens at West Hope. Hundreds of grouse on the hill on a previous midwinter visit.

Weather: 6°C at the start, very sunny with just a little high cloud & fairly light winds.

November 2024