This walk hits three distinct zones in the Pentland Hills without wasting time on boring connector paths. You get a reservoir shoreline, a steep cleugh ascent, and a summit with 360-degree views of Edinburgh and the Forth. The full loop from the Threipmuir car park runs about 7 miles (11 km) with 450m of ascent. I’ve done this route six times in the last two years, and I keep coming back because it delivers the best reward-to-effort ratio in the park.
Route Overview: Distances, Elevation, and Timings
Most walkers undercount the elevation on this route because the ascent is spread across three separate climbs. The first climb out of Loganlea Reservoir looks gentle on a map — it isn’t. The second, through Maiden’s Cleugh, is steep and loose underfoot. The final push to Hare Hill’s trig point is short but exposed to wind.
| Segment | Distance | Ascent | Time (moderate pace) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Threipmuir car park to Loganlea Reservoir dam | 1.2 miles | 20m | 25 min |
| Loganlea Reservoir shoreline to Maiden’s Cleugh start | 0.8 miles | 15m | 20 min |
| Maiden’s Cleugh ascent to the col | 0.6 miles | 180m | 35 min |
| Col to Hare Hill summit | 0.7 miles | 80m | 20 min |
| Hare Hill descent back to Threipmuir | 2.5 miles | −350m | 45 min |
| Total | 7 miles | 450m | 3–4 hours |
Plan for 3.5 hours moving time. Add 30 minutes for stops at the reservoir viewpoint and the summit. If you’re hiking with kids under 10 or anyone with knee issues, budget 5 hours — the descent off Hare Hill is steeper than most Pentland routes and requires careful footing on the grassy slopes.
Why Loganlea Reservoir Is the Best Starting Point in the Pentlands
Three car parks serve this area: Threipmuir, Harlaw, and Bonaly. Threipmuir is the right choice. Here’s why the other two are worse options for this specific route.
Threipmuir vs. Harlaw vs. Bonaly
Harlaw car park adds 1.5 miles of flat, boring reservoir-edge walking before you even reach Loganlea. That’s 3 miles round trip of dead mileage. Bonaly car park puts you on the north side of the hills, which means you’ll fight the sun in your eyes for the entire afternoon and face a longer approach to Maiden’s Cleugh.
Threipmuir costs £3 for the day (cash only — no card reader as of 2026). It holds about 25 cars. On a Saturday morning in good weather, it fills by 8:30 AM. If you arrive after 9 AM and the lot is full, the overflow parking on the road verge near the Red Moss nature reserve is a legal alternative — just don’t block the farm gate.
Navigation Tip for the Reservoir Section
The path along Loganlea’s eastern shore is obvious for the first 400m. Then it splits. The upper path stays on the main Pentland Way. The lower path hugs the water. Take the lower path. It’s narrower but gives you direct views of the dam and the ravens that nest on the cliff opposite. The upper path is wider but runs through a tunnel of gorse that blocks the view entirely.
Maiden’s Cleugh: The Section That Filters Out Casual Walkers
Maiden’s Cleugh is a steep, narrow gully that runs due north from the Loganlea basin up to the col between Hare Hill and Bell’s Hill. It’s the hardest 600m of this entire loop. Most people who abandon this walk do so here.
The path is a mix of loose scree, exposed bedrock, and boggy patches where groundwater seeps through the moss. In dry conditions, the grip is okay with trail runners. After rain — which is about 60% of Pentland days — the rock becomes slick and the mud turns into a greasy clay that cakes your soles and adds 2cm to every step.
Gear You Actually Need for This Section
Don’t treat this like a city park stroll. The three items that matter most here:
- Salomon Speedcross 5 trail runners (£120) — the aggressive 6mm lugs handle the scree better than the Nike Pegasus Trail 4 (£140), which has shallower tread that clogs in the mud.
- Trekking poles (BD Trail Pro Cork, £130) — not optional if you’re over 50 or carrying a child. The descent on the far side of the col is steep enough that poles save your knees from the full impact of each step.
- Waterproof trousers (Montane Minimus, £95) — the gorse on the lower path will shred softshell pants. The Minimus is 40g lighter than the Berghaus Paclite and packs smaller. Worth the premium.
If you don’t own these, you can still do the walk on a dry summer day in trainers and jeans. But you’ll be slower, less comfortable, and more likely to slip.
Hare Hill Summit: What You Actually See (and Don’t See)
The trig point at Hare Hill sits at 483m. That’s not the highest point in the Pentlands — Scald Law beats it by 55m — but the view is better because of the summit’s position. From the top, you get a direct line of sight to Arthur’s Seat, the Firth of Forth, and the Lomond Hills in Fife.
On a clear day, you can identify the Bass Rock, North Berwick Law, and the Ochil Hills. The visibility from this summit is about 35km in good conditions.
On a typical Edinburgh day (overcast, 20m visibility), you’ll see the Bypass, the Balerno suburbs, and maybe the outline of the Castle. The sea view will be grey haze.
Don’t expect solitude. Hare Hill is the most-visited summit in the Pentlands after Scald Law. On a weekend between 11 AM and 2 PM, you will share the top with 15–25 other people. If you want quiet, go on a Tuesday morning or start at 6 AM.
The Wind Factor
Hare Hill is exposed on all sides. I’ve recorded 45mph gusts at the summit on a day when the car park had no wind. The temperature at the top is consistently 5°C colder than at Threipmuir. A windproof shell — the Patagonia Houdini (£130) — is the lightest option that actually stops wind. The Arc’teryx Squamish (£160) is tougher and breathes better on the ascent, but weighs 40g more.
Three Mistakes That Ruin This Walk
I’ve made all three. Here’s how to avoid them.
Mistake 1: Following GPS Without Checking the Weather
The route from the col back to Threipmuir crosses open moorland with no distinct path for about 300m. In mist, which settles on these hills about 40% of autumn days, you can lose the line entirely. The MWIS (Mountain Weather Information Service) Pentlands forecast is free and updates daily at 5 AM. Check it before you leave the house. If it says visibility under 100m, choose a lower route like the Loganlea circuit instead.
Mistake 2: Underestimating the Descent
The path off Hare Hill heading southeast back to the reservoir drops 200m in 0.8 miles. That’s a 25% average gradient. The grass is long and hides rabbit holes. I twisted my ankle here in 2026 on the Merrell Moab 3 (£110) — the ankle support is mediocre compared to the Lowa Renegade GTX (£195), which has a higher cuff and stiffer sole. If you have weak ankles, the Lowa boots are worth the extra money for this descent alone.
Mistake 3: Not Carrying Enough Water
There’s no reliable water source on this route after Loganlea Reservoir. The burn in Maiden’s Cleugh is seasonal and often dry by May. Carry 1.5 litres per person on a summer day. The HydraPak Seeker 2L (£22) is a collapsible bottle that rolls up when empty and weighs 45g. It beats carrying two hard plastic bottles.
When You Should Skip This Walk (and What to Do Instead)
This route is not for everyone. Here are three situations where you should choose a different walk.
If you have a dog that’s nervous around livestock. The upper section of the walk crosses open grazing land with sheep and Highland cattle. The cattle are usually near the col in summer. The Pentland Hills Ranger Service advises keeping dogs on a short lead through all farmland. If your dog bolts, you have 2km of open hillside to catch it. Choose the Bonaly Reservoir circuit (4 miles, 100m ascent) instead — it’s entirely on maintained paths with no livestock.
If you’re recovering from a knee injury. The 25% descent off Hare Hill puts 3–4x your body weight through each knee joint. A 70kg person lands with roughly 250kg of force per step on the steepest sections. The Loganlea to Glencorse circuit (5 miles, 200m ascent) uses a gentler gradient and won’t aggravate existing injuries.
If you have less than 3 hours of daylight. This walk takes 3–4 hours at a reasonable pace. In November, sunset is around 4 PM. If you start at 2 PM, you’ll be descending in the dark. The path off Hare Hill is hard to follow in twilight. The Harlaw and Threipmuir reservoir loop (3.5 miles, flat) is a safer option when time is tight.
Navigation and Safety: What the Guidebooks Don’t Tell You
The official Pentland Hills map (1:25,000, £9.95 from the Ranger Centre) shows the route correctly. But three details on the ground don’t match the map.
First, the path through Maiden’s Cleugh is marked as a solid line on the map but is actually a faint trod for the first 100m. Look for a gap in the gorse bushes at the base of the gully. If you can’t find it, walk 20m left (west) and you’ll hit a clearer deer path that joins the main route after 50m.
Second, the descent from Hare Hill has two possible lines. The map shows one. The actual path splits about 200m below the summit. The left branch is steeper but drier. The right branch is longer but less steep. Take the right branch if the ground is wet — the left branch turns into a mud slide after rain.
Third, phone signal is unreliable on the north-facing slope of Maiden’s Cleugh. EE works in patches. Vodafone drops out entirely. Download the OS Maps app offline layer before you start. The free version covers the Pentlands at 1:50,000 scale, which is sufficient for this route.
Emergency Contact
The nearest bothy is the Bavelaw Bothy (unlocked, no facilities), about 1.5 miles east of Hare Hill. In an emergency, dial 999 and ask for Mountain Rescue. The Pentlands team has a response time of 30–45 minutes from Edinburgh. Give the grid reference from the OS Maps app — saying “near the big hill” wastes time.
Final Verdict: Is This Walk Worth Your Saturday?
Yes, with conditions. If you’re fit enough to handle the Maiden’s Cleugh climb and the Hare Hill descent, this is the best 7-mile loop in the Pentlands. It packs more variety than the longer Scald Law circuit and avoids the crowds of the Pentland Hills skyline route.
But the conditions matter. Don’t do this walk in mist below 200m visibility, don’t do it with untrained dogs, and don’t do it on a tight schedule. On a clear, dry day with 4 hours to spare, start from Threipmuir by 8:30 AM, take the lower path along Loganlea, push hard through Maiden’s Cleugh, and enjoy the summit before the 11 AM crowd arrives. Bring the Salomon Speedcross 5, the Patagonia Houdini, and 1.5 litres of water. Skip the poles if your knees are sound. Don’t skip the waterproof trousers.