Hillend Country Park, Caerketton Hill, Allermuir Hill and Swanston

From the start at Hillend, the climb to first Caerketton Hill and then Allermuir Hill is a steady yomp upwards — nice and steady, easily done with a break to explore the remains of an Iron Age hillfort consisting of stone walls which have long since been scavenged, leaving just faint signs of level terracing.

After summiting Caerketton Hill, continue on the path westwards through Caerketton Craigs before descending a rocky slope to Windy Door Nick (which lives up to its name on blustery days). From here a short climb leads to Byerside Hill and soon after another short ascent leads to the summit of Allermuir Hill and the end of the climbing on this walk.

A viewfinder at the summit helps identify major topographical features in the vista below: to the east is Bass Rock and the open sea, to the southwest the tops of the remaining Pentland Hills, and to the northwest the Forth Bridges and the Ochil Hills (on very clear winter days it is even possible to see Ben Lomond, 60 miles / 96 km away).

On the descent from Allermuir Hill, you will pass Swanston, summer home of the young Robert Louis Stevenson (author of classics like Kidnapped, Treasure Island, and The Strange Case of Dr Jekyll and Mr Hyde). This picturesque hamlet seems almost untouched by time, with whitewashed thatched cottages and colorful gardens surrounding a village green through which trickles Swanston Burn.

Robert Louis Stevenson loved Swanston and the Pentland Hills, reflecting on them with great affection: "You look over a great expanse of champaign sloping to the sea... So sit, like Jupiter on Olympus, and look down from afar on men's life".

Acknowledgment: Text derived from the Out and Out Series; Discovering the Countryside on Foot. Pictures courtesy of Wikipedia.