Pentland Hills Regional Park

About Pentland Hills Regional Park

	Pentland Hills Regional Park , Lothians
	01315292401
	Pentland Hills Regional Park Website

Listed Under Attractions - Gardens and Parks

The Pentland Hills Regional Park is a living, working landscape, that offers great opportunities to experience, learn about and enjoy the outdoors. Sculpted by glaciers and water, then shaped by people over thousands of years, the Pentland Hills are a special place for everyone. With around 10,000 hectares of countryside and over 100 km of waymarked paths, the Regional Park is a great place for walking, cycling, horse riding, fishing and orienteering. The Regional Park offers both gentle and challenging routes, taking you to summits, through cleughs and glens as well as around reservoirs. Vistas from the higher tops give a panoramic view across the Firth of Forth, the Borders and to Ben Lomond. The Park has two visitor centres, Harlaw House Visitor Centre and Flotterstone Information Centre that provide information, advice and displays on what to do and see in the Regional Park. Located adjacent to Harlaw House Visitor Centre is Harlaw Wildlife Garden, a lovely sun trap ideal for picnics. It holds a Green Flag in recognition of it being a quality greenspace.
History and heritage

The Pentland Hills Regional Park was designated in 1986. Majority of the land is in private ownership, with the City of Edinburgh Council, Midlothian Council and West Lothian Council all having statutory duties to their constituent parts of the Park. The City of Edinburgh Council is the leading authority of the Regional Park, with the City of Edinburgh Council Natural Heritage Service providing the Park services.

The Regional Park has four aims that the three local authorities agreed to adhere to: 1.To retain the essential character of the hills as a place for the peaceful enjoyment of the countryside; 2. Caring for the hills so that the landscape and the habitat is protected and enhanced; 3. Within this caring framework to encourage responsible public enjoyment of the hills; 4. co-ordination of these aims so that they co-exist with farming and other land uses within the Pentland Hills Regional Park.

The Park is rich with heritage; from archaeological sites including 12 scheduled ancient monuments, such as, hill forts and cairns, to geological sites that are 430 million years old including three Geodiversity sites. The Pentlands are also steeped in history, with the Battle of Rullion green taking place in 1666 as well as being the hunting ground for Sir Robert the Bruce.
Wildlife

The Park contains a variety of important habitats: heather moorland, woodland, open grassland and reservoirs. This rich mosaic of wildlife, open spaces, farmed land and natural beauty is a result of people having been part of the landscape for thousands of years. Working closely with farmers, landowners and communities, the Pentland Hills Regional Park seeks to retain the essential character of the hills. For bird watchers the Park is abundant with both resident and migrating species. The Park has three enclosed bird hides where hours can be spent watching the wildfowl. The Natural Heritage Service offers the opportunity for the public to help survey some of the rarer species in the Regional Park.

Facilities
Two visitor centres: Harlaw House Visitor Centre and Flotterstone Information Centre
Natural Heritage Service
Nine reservoirs
100km waymarked paths
Cycling
Horse riding
Fishing
Golf
Skiing
Food and drink
Seating
Orienteering course

We take every opportunity to ensure the details for Pentland Hills Regional Park are accurate, if any of the above information is incorrect we would appreciate if you could take a minute to suggest an edit.

All information (whether in text or photographs) is supplied in good faith but should not be relied upon as being a statement of representation or fact.

Want to be the first to hear about what's happening in Edinburgh? Just hit 'Like' on our What's On Edinburgh Facebook page, join the What's On Scotland Facebook Group and 'Follow' on our @WhatOnEdinburgh Twitter or Instagram accounts and you're all set!

Upcoming Events at Pentland Hills Regional Park

Sorry, but we have no upcoming events for Pentland Hills Regional Park. If you know of an event taking place at Pentland Hills Regional Park or anywhere else in Edinburgh tell us about it and we'll list it on the website, for free!

More Gardens and Parks in Edinburgh

Gardens and Parks

Craigmillar Castle Park

Craigmillar Castle Park Old Dalkeith Road, Edinburgh South EH16 4TB

Craigmillar Castle Park is a natural heritage park with areas of mature and young woodland, grassland and old quarries.

Gardens and Parks

Princes Street Gardens

Princes Street Gardens Princes Street, Edinburgh New Town EH2 2HG

Princes Street Gardens lies at centre of Edinburgh's World Heritage Site, within New Town and Old Town Outstanding Conservation Areas.

Gardens and Parks

Victoria Park Edinburgh

Victoria Park Newhaven Road , Edinburgh North EH6 5PY

A lovely public park in the Trinity area of Edinburgh. The park has been awarded a Green Flag since 2011, in recognition of it being a quality greenspace.

Gardens and Parks

Lauriston Castle

2 Cramond Road South, Edinburgh West EH4 6AD

When you step inside Lauriston Castle, you see it just as it was in 1926, when it was left to the nation by the last private owner, Mrs Reid.

Gardens and Parks

The Meadows

The Meadows Melville Drive, Edinburgh South EH9 1ND

Lying just to the south of Edinburgh City Centre, The Meadows is one of the city's best-loved public parks!

Gardens and Parks

Almondell & Calderwood Country Park

Almondell & Calderwood Country Park Almond Lodge, Broxburn EH52 5PE

Probably the best kept secret in West Lothian, Almondell & Calderwood Country Park is a 220-acre park and 4 star visitor attraction!

Gardens and Parks

George Square Gardens

57 George Square, Edinburgh South EH8 9JU

George Square is a city square in Edinburgh, adjacent to the Meadows in the south side of the city.

Gardens and Parks

Charlotte Square Gardens

40 Charlotte Square, Edinburgh New Town EH2 4HQ

This pleasant, leafy green space located at the heart of the historic New Town is an oasis of tranquility.

Gardens and Parks

Cockenzie House and Gardens

22 Edinburgh Road Cockenzie, Prestonpans EH32 0HY

Cockenzie House and Gardens is a hidden gem, a Jacobean house built in 1675 by the Seton family and surrounded by gardens.

Gardens and Parks

Calton Hill

Calton Hill , Edinburgh New Town EH7 5AA

Calton Hill is a hill in central Edinburgh, just to the east of the New Town and is included in the city's UNESCO World Heritage Site.

Gardens and Parks

Holyrood Park

Holyrood Park Queen's Dr, Edinburgh East EH8 8HG

Holyrood Park is a unique historic landscape in the heart of the city, whose dramatic crags and hills give Edinburgh part of its distinctive skyline.

Gardens and Parks

Roslin Glen Country Park

Roslin Glen Country Park North Esk Valley, Roslin EH25 9PU

Roslin Glen Country Park is a wooded glen in the North Esk Valley, near the village of Roslin.It contains walks with several places of interest along...

All Gardens and Parks listings in Edinburgh