Undiscovered
Scotland feature page (photos & history)
Situated where it is at the foot of the Pentland
Hills, which hills have through the centuries, been a source of
inspiration to famous authors and poets and adjacent to the Pentland
Country Park and the Hillend Ski Centre, Swanston Farm is an ideal
base for enjoying the surrounding countryside and the City of
Edinburgh. Beyond the steading and the holiday cottages, a gentle
walk up the hill takes you across a small stream to the historic
Swanston Village with its’ old fashioned cottages set amongst
blackthorns and wild roses and where there is a bench in memory
of the poet Edwin Muir, who often meditated here.
Leisure Facilities (Hiking, Golf and Skiing)
Swanston Farm is flanked by two golf courses,
namely Lothianburn to the East and the Swanston to the West.
The Hillend Ski Centre, constructed in 1965 on the hillside to
the east of Caerketton Hill, is the largest artificial ski slope in
Britain. Facilities include chairlift, T-Bar tow, tuition and
ski-hire. For those whose tastes are slightly more adventurous
Para gliders have joined the walkers, skiers and golfers!
The land once called Hillend Park south of Lothianburn
Golf Course was gifted to the City by John White, an Edinburgh
builder and was opened by Lord Provost, Sir William Sleigh in
July 1924; now known as the Pentland Country Park, it is popular
with people exploring the walks through the Pentland Hills, following
the same paths taken by armies of centuries ago, it is said that
Oliver Cromwells’ army marched through these hills in 1650!
Pentland Hills Geology and Wildlife
The hills comprise mainly of Devonian Old Red
Sandstone (390 million years old). Outcrops of Silurian rock rich
in fossils can be found. The area was heavily glaciated about
10,000 years ago, a most interesting area for geologists. The
melt water from the glaciers gauged out valleys in the hills.
Coniferous and deciduous woods are home to cuckoos, peewits, larks,
ring ouzel and chaffinch. The 13 Pentland reservoirs that augment
Edinburgh’s water supply are home to waterfowl, blackheaded
gulls, greyland and pink-footed geese as well as the great crested
grebe. Rabbits, grey squirrel, hare, fox and roe deer are among
some of the animals which can be spotted. The hills are mainly
covered in grassland although one also finds juniper, harebell
and gorse with many varieties of moss in the valleys.
Walks in the hills have been well mapped by the
Ranger Service who patrol and monitor the whole
area, maintaining paths and dykes, planting trees
and facilitating groups for educational purposes.
The walks vary in distance and some of the walks
are pushchair friendly. Sheep graze all over the
hills, it is advised that dogs are kept on leads.
