The Pentland Hills occupy a special place
in the Scottish psyche. Forming the backdrop to the nation’s
capital, they have never been far from the hearts, minds and vision
of the Scots. Their geography has shaped the success of the Lothians,
they have played a role in the drama of Scottish history and our
poets and authors have written them about with iconic status.
The physical landscape of Pentland
Hills consists of two spines of hills running south west from
the city of Edinburgh. Rising to 579 m (1899ft) at Scald Law,
the majority of the land surface lies between 183 and 381m (600
and 1250ft). The range is criss-crossed by burns, cleughs and
glens providing a great variety of scenery in a relatively small
corner of Scotland.
Although the Regional Park is
approximately 9000 hectares it covers barely half the full range
of the Hills which peter out towards Garvald where they meet the
foothills of the Southern Uplands.
The agricultural influence on the Pentlands has been considerable
and has taken over from the ancient woodland that once covered
most of these lower reaches of the hills. Some small pockets of
woodland have been created and the Park is actively improving
the Juniper populations that remain.
The Pentlands has been an important water resource for the people
of Edinburgh for centuries, with most of the reservoirs being
built during the 19th Century. Only Glencorse and Loganlea remain
important drinking water supply, with others reservoirs functioning
as compensation supplies.
Wildlife
in the Pentlands although never far, can be elusive. It pays to
tred carefully and quietly!
At least 600,000 people and a significant
number of dogs enjoy the Pentland Hills Regional Park annually.
Please assist our Rangers and Volunteers to ensure the Pentlands
remain special and cared for.
To see a great view of the Pentlands
try out this link: Park
video
