Scotland
Black Hill
501M
1644FT
About Black Hill
Rising steeply between Loganlea and Threipmuir reservoirs, this heather-clad Marilyn is a characterful centerpiece of the Pentland Hills. Its dark, rounded profile offers a quieter alternative to the busier main ridge. The summit provides a clear perspective of the neighboring Scald Law and the distant skyline of Edinburgh and the Firth of Forth.
Key Statistics
Rank
363rd Highest in Region
Parent Range
Data coming soon
Prominence
?
185m
Nearest Town
Kirkton
Geology
You are walking on a dome of cooled magma called microgranite. This hard, fine-grained rock pushed upward beneath the surface to create the hill’s solid foundation.
Classifications
Nearby Fells
Find It
OS Grid Reference
NT188631
Latitude
55.8550°N
Longitude
3.2978°W
Did You Know?
- •The name is a literal English description of the hill's dark, heather-covered slopes, which contrast sharply with the paler, grassier profiles of neighboring peaks like Scald Law.
- •The hill is separated from the main Pentland ridge by the Green Cleuch, a dramatic glacial meltwater channel that serves as a classic walking pass between the Logan Burn and the Howe Dean.
- •As a Marilyn, Black Hill possesses at least 150 metres of prominence, making it a primary objective for peak-baggers despite its more famous neighbors having greater absolute height.
- •The view from the summit offers a particularly fine perspective of the reservoirs at its base, including the 19th-century Loganlea Reservoir, which was built to supply water to a growing Edinburgh.
- •The 'Black' in the name serves as a reliable forecast for the condition of your gaiters, as the summit plateau is well-known for its deep and tenacious peat hags.