1 Upland Hills

SNH National Landscape Character Assessment Landscape Character Type 268 UPLAND HILLS - LOTHIANS Location and Context The Upland Hills - Lothians form the eastern reaches of the Pentland Hills. The hills extend south-westwards for more than 15 miles from the edge of Edinburgh, through Midlothian and West Lothian. They continue over the West Lothian border into the Scottish Borders where they comprise an adjacent Landscape Character Type. Although of modest height, rising to just under 580 metres at the highest summit, by virtue of their dominant location and visual prominence, the Pentlands assume primary importance as a landscape feature in the Lothians. They are bounded to the east and west by the Upland Fringes - Lothians which provide a transition from these higher hills to the lowland areas to the north. Key Characteristics Visually sensitive north-facing escarpment overlooking Edinburgh and its predominantly flat surrounding area. Two parallel ridge lines separated by a deep internal valley. Visual containment of inner valleys and core areas. Diversity of landcover types, including heather moor, grassland, broadleaf woodland, open water and wetland. Drystone dykes and sheep stells on upper slopes. Rich variety of heritage assets, including cairns, forts and enclosures. Heavily used recreational resource, with network of footpaths and minor tracks linking important access points. Visual importance derived from dominant position within heavily populated lowland area. Forms a distinct and recognisable backdrop from many settlements within adjacent lowlands and Upland Fringes. Panoramic views from summits and ridges. Landscape Character Description Landform The Upland Hills - Lothians, which constitute the Pentland Hills, were formed from a heavily- faulted series of volcanic rocks and sandstones of Devonian age. At their northern edge, the hills form a north-facing escarpment overlooking the city, continuing southwards as two parallel ridge lines separated by a deep internal valley containing the Glencorse and 1 SNH National Landscape Character Assessment LCT 268 UPLAND HILLS - LOTHIANS Loganlea reservoirs, draining eastwards to the North Esk System. To the west of the main watershed, the hills drain to the Water of Leith, and feed a series of reservoirs including Bonaly, Torduff and Clubbiedean. Landcover The landcover of the hills has been greatly modified by grazing, burning and other agricultural influences over the centuries, and although of only moderate ecological interest, nevertheless exhibits considerable habitat diversity with heather moor, grassland, broadleaf woodland, open water and wetland all present. The dominant communities tend to be grassland in the east, and heather moor in the west. Extensive tracts of heather moor at the western end of the range have become fragmented and impoverished due to poor management, creating a particularly desolate character. Exposed rock is generally rare, but occasional pale-coloured screes, as at Caerketton Hill, are a distinctive feature. A primary land cover division is marked by the 'head dyke' separating the lower enclosed land from the open hill. Above the limit of enclosure, around 300 metres, the slopes are dominated by rough grazing and grouse moor, while below lie improved fields of pasture, often bounded by drystone dykes, shelterbelts, and small woodland features. The woodland framework is particularly well-developed on the north eastern margins, and includes prominent landscape features such as the 'T-wood' at Swanston. The West Cairn Plantation in Midlothian, at the western end of this Landscape Character Type, is being restructured and extended. Patches of gorse are also common on the lower slopes, and thin drifts of birch, rowan and juniper scrub survive in several of the steeper stream valleys. Settlement The hill mass itself is sparsely populated, with any settlement concentrated along the fringing roads to the west. However, several farms are located within the valleys and lower slopes, the main internal access road being along the Flotterstone valley upstream to Loganlea reservoir. The northern and western edge of the Pentlands is neatly bounded by the busy A70 trunk road, which is also known as the “Lang Whang”, with the A702 forming the boundary to the east, forming an abrupt separation between the uplands and adjacent Lowland River Valleys - Lothians. Despite its rural feel the traffic volume and noise on this road contrast with the remoteness felt higher up in the Upland Hills - Lothians Landscape Character Type and the historic remains at Castlelaw Hill Fort. Traces of early human occupation of the hills are evident in cairns, forts and enclosures scattered throughout the area as well as the site of the Battle of Rullion Green. The village of Swanston towards the northeast corner of the area contains a group of vernacular 18th Century cottages and farm buildings. By contract, Bonaly House to the west is a more substantial house of 18th Century origin. In addition to agriculture and water catchment, military training and recreation are the chief land uses on the hills. The Ministry of Defence landholdings are located in the north of the range between Dreghorn and Flotterstone Glen, and include a firing range at Castlelaw Hill. The hills have Regional Park status in part, and contain two country parks, at Bonaly and Hillend. Other important recreation locations are Flotterstone, Swanston, Threipmuir and Harlaw. A network of footpaths and a few minor tracks - some following the routes of old drove roads, such as Cauldstane Slap - link the most important access points. Hillend Country Park contains an important dry-ski facility which is visible in views to the northern slopes both during the day and when floodlit at night. There are a number of wind farm developments to the north of the Lang Whang (A70), especially in adjacent Upland Fringes. Wind turbines are also likely to be prominent characteristic features in outward views from the hills if projects already consented outwith Midlothian are built, although no wind farms have been consented to the south of the A70. 2 SNH National Landscape Character Assessment LCT 268 UPLAND HILLS - LOTHIANS Perception The visual importance of the Pentlands stems from their prominence as a backdrop in external views providing a setting for Edinburgh and the towns in West Lothian, the panoramic outlook from their summits and ridges, and the perceived tranquillity and isolation of the interior areas. All these qualities are heightened by literary associations with writers including Robert Louis Stevenson and Sir Walter Scott. The proximity of Edinburgh city fringes, the towns of the Central Belt to the north, the settled river valleys to the east, and the encircling main roads emphasise the importance of the Pentlands as a rural landscape resource at the regional level, close to large centres of population. This importance is recognised in its designation as the Pentland Hills Regional Park. This is one of 390 Landscape Character Types identified at a scale of 1:50 000 as part of a national programme of Landscape Character Assessment republished in 2019. The area covered by this Landscape Character Type was originally included in the Lothians LCA (ASH Consulting Group), published 1998. 3 SNH National Landscape Character Assessment LCT 268 UPLAND HILLS - LOTHIANS .

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