Knowes Hill

Situated on the northern fringe of the Moorfoot Hills, this rounded heathery dome overlooks the expansive waters of Gladhouse Reservoir. It offers a quiet, often trackless ascent typical of the Borders, rewarding walkers with a clear perspective across the Lothian plain towards the distant skylines of Edinburgh and the Pentlands.

• •The name 'Knowe' is a Scots term for a knoll or small hill, stemming from the Old English 'cnoll', which accurately describes this modest, rounded summit.
• •The hill provides an excellent vantage point over Gladhouse Reservoir to the northwest, a protected site that serves as one of the most important wintering grounds for pink-footed geese in southeast Scotland.
• •To the south, the horizon is filled by the higher, rolling ridges of the Moorfoot plateau, with the nearby peak of Dundreich clearly visible across the valley of the South Esk.
• •Despite its modest stature, it is classified as a Hump, meaning it has a drop of at least 100 metres on all sides, giving it a surprising degree of independence from the main Moorfoot range.
• •The summit is a place of such reliable solitude that the local red grouse often seem genuinely surprised to encounter anyone who isn't there to check a fence line.