Riding Hill

Tucked away in the southwestern reaches of the Pentland Hills, this rounded moorland summit offers a quieter alternative to the range's busier northern peaks. Rising above the West Water Reservoir, its grassy slopes provide a straightforward ascent from Carlops, rewarding walkers with clear views across the Southern Uplands toward the Moorfoot Hills.

• •The name likely originates from the Old English 'ryding', meaning a clearing, suggesting the now-bare moorland was once part of the ancient forest cover that draped the lower Southern Uplands.
• •It is typically climbed as part of a pleasant southern Pentlands circuit from the village of Carlops, usually bagged in conjunction with its higher neighbour, Mount Maw.
• •The summit offers a commanding view over the West Water Reservoir, with the profile of the Moorfoot Hills clearly visible across the valley to the southeast.
• •On a misty day, the summit's gentle profile is subtle enough that you may only realise you have reached the top when the ground finally stops going up.