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Name: | Blackhope Scar |
Hill number: | 1802 |
Height: | 651.8m / 2138ft |
RHB Section: | 28A: Firth of Forth to the River Tweed |
Donald area: | Moorfoot Hills |
County/UA: | Scottish Borders, Midlothian |
County (CoH): | Midlothian (CoH) |
County (CoA): | Lothian (CoA) |
Catchment: | Catchment Boundaries, Esk (Musselburgh), Tweed |
Watershed: | Firth of Forth, Mull of Galloway to St Abb's Head, Tweedmouth |
Class: | Marilyn, Hump, Simm, Graham, Donald, Historic County Top, Current County/UA Top, Administrative County Top, Yeaman (Ma,Hu,Tu,Sim,G,D,CoH,CoU,CoA,DN,Y) |
Grid ref: | NT 31511 48324 |
Summit feature: | no feature 20m WSW of trig point |
Drop: | 283m |
Col: | 369m NT347465 |
OS map sheet(s): | (1:50k) 73 (1:25k) 337 |
Observations: | trig point is at NT 31527 48333 and 0.4m lower |
Change log: | show changes for this hill entry |
GPS data: | show GPS entries for this hill |
Notes: |
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N.B. Some hill summits are on private property or on land where there is no public right of way. Permission should be sought from the landowner where access to a hill summit is through private land(*).
*For information about access rights in Scotland see the ScotWays website.
Please report via the contact page any logs you see below which describe or encourage acts of trespass. Please quote the hill number and hill name.
Logged Descriptions (logged by 428 users, only the latest 50 shown - Show all) | By | Date of Ascent |
Blackhope Scar and the Moorfoots. Walkhighlands route | hummusg | 04/02/2024 |
From the hillwalkers carpark by gladhouse res. Then round of hills in generally heavy rain, bog underfoot and a timeshigh winds. | cjo | 09/12/2023 |
from the hillwalkers carpark south of gladhouse res. | BLACKHILL | 18/10/2023 |
From Gladhouse Reservoir. Hirendean Hill, the Kipps, Blackhope Scar, Bowbeat, Dundreich, Jeffries Corse. Good views from Dundreich but boots sodden. | TRG318 | 27/09/2023 |
Parked in the mini carpark just south-west of Gladhouse Reservoir. Hiked up Huntly Cot Hills but slow hiking, couldn't find any paths higher up the hill. Followed the fence line to Blackhope Scar then descended following the river. | SootAndShale | 13/05/2023 |
From Gladhouse Reservoir parking near Moorfoot Farm. The Kipps,Blackhope Scar,Browbeat,Dundreich, Jeffrey Corse. | Longwojo | 05/05/2023 |
Route exactly as Beeliner. Straightforward and mostly very good going. Dry and calm but cool, cloud base at 500m. | Owen B | 29/04/2023 |
Morfoots trip for high point project. Boggy | ryancomet | 25/03/2023 |
Blackhope Scar curcuit from Gladhouse. 
5 of 6 | thekirkie pirate | 17/03/2023 |
With Jack 
Run from Moorfoot Farm | fellie | 12/03/2023 |
Moorfoot round from S of Gladhouse Reservoir. Torfichen Hill, Blackhope Scar, Bowbeat Hill, Dundrech. Descent to River South Esk and track back to start. Icy cold wind and partly frozen ground, views to Firth of Forth. | RobertP | 25/02/2023 |
WH route in winter conditions. Some drifting and powder on final ascent but atv tracks were generally good. | kenmorti | 20/01/2023 |
Good parking area just inside entrance to Blackhope Farm (NT 3480 5244). Followed excellent track up to Torfichen Hill, then fenceline to Huntly Cot Hills over good ground. From there the track deteriorated to a soggy, peaty mess nearly all the way up to here. On to Garvald Law, Whiteside Law and Longshaw Law. | jonglew | 16/11/2022 |
Parked at Gladhouse walkers car park. Weather dismal in the morning eased up later. Lots of bog and wet footings. Saw the trig from about 500m away only to find it being protected by wave after wave of bog and peg hags. Abandoned the Donald route in favour of bagging Marilyn Black mount before heading home. | Jhimmy | 09/10/2022 |
Did a trio of Moorfoot Donalds starting near Moorfoot Farm. Not too bad underfoot for September - could be awful though. | jigglybones | 18/09/2022 |
From Gladhouse reservoir per Walkhighlands' route | Crib Goch | 31/08/2022 |
From the walkers car park south of Gladhouse reservoir. Along track south taking it off towards The Kips, then across to fence and followed faint track to top. HP to SW of trig. Last mainland current county top. On to Bowbeat and Dundreich. | PeterD | 15/05/2022 |
With E. Parked by access track to Blackhope Farm on B7007. Down track past farm continuing alongside Blackhope Water. At track junction where Minnie's Burn joins Blackhope Water continued straight ahead along grassy track. Just after corrugated hut go over footbridge and head uphill following ATV tracks above Blackhope Water over Glowrin Lee. Tracks disappear as height is gained. Continue uphill to fence junction, trig point and summit. Return same route. | Beeliner | 01/05/2022 |
Small parking area for walkers at the south end of Gladhouse Reservoir. Visited the heathery summit of The Kipps (542m) on the way up. Not too bad underfoot after a very dry month. Solo. | Dangerous Dave | 26/04/2022 |
4/5. From Bowbeat along the windfarm track to the two signs. Then up the road alongside the fence to the summit. | JAdair97 | 16/04/2022 |
A windy and soggy day (both from above and below) doing Blackhope Scar and Bowbeat Hill from Gladhouse, ascending via the Kipps. | Fife Walking | 12/03/2022 |
From Eddleston via Dundreich and Bowbeat Hill. Long boggy descent to Gladhouse Reservoir. | the pigguy | 20/10/2021 |
Parked at end of track to Blackhope (NT348524), walked along track past Blackhope to the green shooting bothy, then up track to NE, becoming SE, to Blackside Rig, then followed fence line S by available ATV tracks, turning W, continuing straight to summit of Blackhope Scar, descended N then NE, meeting a good ATV track above the Blackhope Water which continued to the mapped track by a red shooting bothy at NT326500, then back along the track | kdbennett | 09/10/2021 |
Did the 3 Donalds today hoping the recent good weather had dried the ground a bit. It had but still wet bits here and there. | Alan | 15/06/2021 |
Trail Run, cold windy, wet, boggy | Huwel | 13/12/2020 |
Crap weather all over, so I nipped up the Moorfoot Hills south west of Penicuik to get three Donalds. 
 
Accessed from the Gladhouse Reservoir I walked through Moorfoot Farm and past the ruined Hirendean Castle to ascend into a bog as I missed the track which would have bypassed this. The first Donald was Blackhope Scar (651m) which is also classified as Graham, then south west through a windfarm to the featureless summit of Bowbeat Hill (626m). More bog followed once clear of the windfarm then the cairn and Trig point on top of Dundreich (622m), from which there were great views of the hills above Biggar, then north of the Pentland Hills and Edinburgh. 
 
There was strong south western wind making it very cool at times, but dry all day, 5:15hrs all in. | chillyman8 | 28/10/2020 |
from Gladhouse reservoir via South Esk Valley and lots of bog. | IanHHill | 19/10/2020 |
1 of 5: From Gladhouse Resr CP. via The Kipps. With Karen. | ChrisR | 08/09/2020 |
Trig point in a three way split of fencing | Lewis | 06/09/2020 |
Fortunately, I was dropped off at the south side of Gladhouse Reservoir, the car park has not yet been reopened by the water company after COVID and also there were lots of “warning plague” messages (which I assume had been put up during the height of lockdown by the villagers) as you entered Moorfoot but all was well. Up to Blackhope Scar, shrouded in mist, and then through the windfarm (ignoring the “No unauthorised personnel” signs). Bowbeat Hill is pretty insignificant being right next to a wind turbine. By the time I got to Dundreich the cloud had gone and there were 360 degree views of Edinburgh, Fife and the Pentland hills. | tsharp | 16/07/2020 |
With MKG as loop from Gladhouse with Dundriech etc. Lovely cold day, semi-frozen bog. Sunny, one snow shower. Good view. | Rounsfell | 13/11/2019 |
Car beside the lake at 291529 then up the valley and side valley through the Kipps to meet the fence. BS then clockwise round the watershed. | Moorponder | 14/10/2019 |
From cattle grid (9:50), cycled up the glen past the farm on a surprisingly good track as far as the ford just short of where the tracks divide (10:05). Followed Gill's route up the track (1:25000 map only) to Blackside Rig then along the E side of the fence over Adams Rig to the summit. A faint ATV track joins a very muddy road at the grouse butts. Light rain faded away and it was clear at the top though hazy. Back same route; bike 12:45, car 13:05. | dbb | 09/09/2019 |
3/4 | iangpark | 12/08/2019 |
From north, up the NW ridge clockwise circuit of the three Donald's | vegibagger | 08/07/2019 |
Dunx2005's route via Blackhope is a good one. Good parking by the cattle grid, then an easy track leads past the farm and on to a shooting cabin. If the river is in spate and the crossing impassable, there is a rickety bridge before the ford near the circular sheepfold. The track goes up through a gate to Blackside rig, then divert onto an old ATV track along the fence. Cross the fence before a gate and rejoin the vehicle track SW along Adams Rig, quite boggy in places. The track veers away from the fence when it changes direction (W) and gets a bit lost in a mossy bog, but reappears on the dry grass running up the hill between hags and goes to within a few yards of the summit, running parallel with the fence. Best done in dry conditions or a hard freeze but a very easy route. | Gill | 07/07/2019 |
From car park just before Moorfoot Farm via The Kipps. Did 12 mile round in glorious weather with excellent views. | MichaelF | 24/05/2019 |
Parked next to Gladhouse Reservior and followed route in Cicerone County Tops Book - Still squelchy on the tops (and that's after too long a spell of dry weather) - Views noth of the Pentland / Edinburgh and West / East Lomond beyond. Explored Hiredean Castle on our return. | briandavies | 11/05/2019 |
21st Donald | lojzi860621 | 04/05/2019 |
CK | SheilaS | 01/01/2019 |
Walked up from reservoir as farmer refused parking. | willyross | 16/11/2018 |
Grim ascent in mist and drizzle from Gladhouse | Colin Crawford | 20/10/2018 |
Anticlockwise tour of 3 Donalds with Kirsty & Robert from Gladhouse; thick mist at top after good views on ascent. | barnz48 | 02/09/2018 |
From Blackhope Farm. Followed track alongside Blackhope Water. At sheepfold below Wooly Law, took path NE, then SE to Blackside Rig. The hand-railed the fence to the top. NB There's a vehicle track on the other side of the fence which leads almost all the way to the top, and makes for easier going than across the heather /peat-bogs. | dunx2005 | 22/08/2018 |
From the parking area south of Gladhouse reservoir just before the sign that prohibits cars from going any further, follow the track round the Kipps walk to the fence and follow to the top. Eight and half miles in three hours. | WAYNE ROWLETT | 01/08/2018 |
From Gladhouse Res out to cottage and up Hirendean Hill. Very dry making going good to Blackhope Scar by fence from The Kipps. Then across to wind farm and Bowbeat Hill before taking atv track towards Dundreich (bit of heather bashing but not bad). Return by Jeffries Corse and good track to Gladhouse Cottage. | SS | 08/07/2018 |
Bagging the trig. | BigJ | 22/06/2018 |
Weather fair. | MountainMac | 13/08/2017 |
From the summit of the B709 at 347464 underneath Burntshell Rig where there is plenty of parking. With J on a baking hot & sunny day. Don't try this route if its been raining a lot! We stupidly put our legs over the fence & heather bashed our way up the first rise. Instead it's worth walking 300m N on the road & there is a field gate with a nice track. Fork L immediately & then L again a little higher to join the main fence again. The track is now grassy & continues further than the OS Map shows to the first 3 way fence junction. Forked R & then L at the next fence junction near the top of the aptly named Rough Moss, the ground getting rougher at every turn. It's worth moving away from the fence at this point heading more or less directly for the summit - the Garvald Punks are every bit as tough as they sound(!) & there are various ATV tracks in places 100m or so from the fence which makes the going slightly easier. Back by the same route with an out & back to Whitehope Law. | NotReallyABagger | 26/05/2017 |
Solo trip from Blackhope farm. Last of the very dry weather. | Invicta14 | 11/05/2017 |