Walk: I am Spartleton!

📌 Lammermuir Hills, East Lothian
★★★

A broad dome straddling the boundary between East Lothian and the Scottish Borders, Spartleton’s summit offers grand views over wide open spaces and a sea of windfarms. A network of old and new tracks allows a fairly straightforward circular walk, starting along the attractive banks of Whiteadder Reservoir. A little further on, Gamelshiel Castle huddles in the folds of a glen; this tower house dates to the 16th century but has long been left in ruins and is slowly being reclaimed by nature. The longer return route takes in a stretch of the Herring Road pass. Now just an old track, it was used by fishwives in the 17th and 18th century to carry salted fish from Dunbar to market in Lauder – a formidable journey across the bulk of the Lammermuir Hills.

📷 Chronological photo guide

🌍 Location

📌 Start / finish on northwest side of Whiteadder Reservoir, B6355 3 mi west of Cranshaws

🧭 O.S. Grid Reference: NT 646642

🛰️ GPS coordinates: 55.869669,-2.567088

❌ No public transport within 1 mi

🚗 Car park

📝 Key info

▶ 7 km / 4 mi | ▲ 210 m | ⌛ 2.5 hr

Features: 💧 Whiteadder Reservoir; 🏰 Gamelshiel Castle; △ Spartleton (468 m, sub-2000′ Marilyn)

⬤ Moderate | Tracks / wide paths throughout, varied surfaces.

➡️ Anticlockwise circuit with extension to summit: start & Whiteadder Reservoir – Gamelshiel Castle – follow track north about Cot Cleugh & Watch Cleugh – Spartleton – Ling Rig – join Herring Road – return along Whiteadder Water to start

Download file for GPS

🥾 On our last visit

Wildlife: Mute swans and tufted ducks on the reservoir, 4 grey herons at the Whiteadder Water inflow. Sheep and lambs, lots of grouse on the hill.

Weather: 11°C, mostly sunny but with a keen wind.

September 2020