Mendick Hill

About Mendick Hill

Rising as a distinct, conical outlier to the south of the main Pentland ridge, this modest Marilyn offers a steep but rewarding climb from West Linton. Its grassy slopes lead to a surprisingly airy summit, providing an excellent vantage point over the upper Tweed Valley and the higher Southern Upland peaks.

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Did You Know?

• •The name Mendick likely stems from the Cumbric word mynydd, meaning mountain or hill, a linguistic remnant of the Brythonic-speaking people who inhabited this part of the Southern Uplands in the early Middle Ages.
• •Because it stands in relative isolation from the higher Pentland summits to the north, the view from the top is exceptionally clear, specifically overlooking the village of West Linton and the distant, rounded dome of Tinto Hill.
• •The hill serves as a prominent landmark for travellers on the A702, marking the transition from the flatter lands of the Lothians into the rolling high country of the Scottish Borders.
• •Local walkers often combine a climb of Mendick Hill with a section of the ancient Roman road that skirts its eastern base, once a major thoroughfare connecting the forts of the north.
• •Despite being classified as a Marilyn, the summit remains a tranquil spot where the only real crowd you are likely to encounter is a disinterested flock of Blackface sheep.