Globetrotting Peanuts

Number 1 on our Scotland bucket list was to see a highland cow in real life! The perfect place to see one close to Edinburgh, is to head to the Pentland Hills.

TL;DR

• Length: approximately 10kms, 3.5-4hrs (with snack and lunch breaks)
• Take the bus to Flotterstone Inn
• Follow trail signs to Allemuir Hill, then Hillend

There are lots of different trails in the Pentlands, but the one that takes you to the highland cows is via Allemuir Hill.

How to get there: Take the 101A bus from Princes Street, Edinburgh, to Flotterstone Inn Car Park.

Head past Flotterstone Inn to the information centre/cafe (only open on weekends). These are the last set of toilets for the hike too. Continue on the road that carries on past the information centre until you reach Glencorse Reservoir. Walk to the end of the reservoir and you’ll find a gate just beyond the turn in the road. Head through this gate and up the hill until you reach a signpost and follow it to the right up through the fields.

Continue on through the fields, following the trail as it veers left through the valley. Once you reach a large clump of trees that hide another small reservoir, turn right and head up the hill to Capelaw Hill. Take in the views of the Pentlands and Edinburgh as you walk the ridge-line of the hill. After Capelaw, you’ll descend back into a valley and cross a stile before ascending again. Follow the signs to Allemuir Hill and after a final (very steep) pinch near the top, you’ll summit Allemuir Hill. If you jump across the stile at the summit, you can touch the true peak.

Now we’re close to the highland cows! Head down Allemuir and veer left to go around the next peak (don’t go up the next hill!). Keep an eye out here because the cows will be around this area on the lower hills. They’re very quiet and you can go up quite close to them and they won’t be bothered, but please always remember to be cautious around animals.

Take lots of pictures with the cows and then keep heading down across the lower hills towards Hillend. Follow the signs to Hillend/Midlothian Snowsports Centre. The path will take you past a horse farm and the snowsports centre. Once you reach the snowsports centre, head down the road to town and catch the bus back to town.

Happy highland cow spotting!