Outside Edinburgh Is A Scenic Park To Hike And Fish With Artificial Lakes, Rolling Hills, And Unique Wildlife

One of Edinburgh's strong suits is its plentiful green spaces, many of which lean more wild than highly landscaped. That makes it easy for city folk to escape the busy streets for a while and hike or fish amid some of Scotland's particularly rugged scenery. Just southwest of Edinburgh, Pentland Hills Regional Park is a standout example: It unfurls over roughly 10,000 hectares, according to Edinburgh Outdoors, with dozens of miles of marked trails spread across hills, glens, moorland, and fish-stocked reservoirs. Meanwhile, the views from its heather-covered peaks are hard to beat, looking out to Edinburgh city and the Firth of Forth.

Roughly a 30-minute drive or 45-minute bus ride from central Edinburgh (one of the most travel-friendly cities in the world), Pentland Hills Regional Park is close enough to the city to make a great outdoorsy day trip. A past visitor on Google Reviews described the park as an "[a]bsolutely beautiful place to escape the city and enjoy nature ... Perfect for walking, hiking or simply enjoying a relaxing day outdoors." You could combine a hike over the grassy hills with some time beside the reservoirs watching herons wade or casting a line. Six reservoirs here allow fishing, including the park's largest by surface area, Threipmuir Reservoir, which covers 234 acres. Meanwhile, the park's woods and moorland support a variety of other wildlife, so you can add animal watching to your trip, from highland cows grazing in the hills to unique bird sightings like red grouse and whinchat.

The Pentlands' hilly landscape is a wilder complement to the fun-filled events and culture of Edinburgh. Over 100 kilometers (60-plus miles) of trails thread the landscape, per Edinburgh Outdoors. For an outing on the gentler side, the 2-mile Harlaw woodland Loop might be a good fit. The flat route sets off from the Harlaw House Visitor Centre, with views of surrounding hills rising up behind a reservoir. A more challenging but rewarding hike is the Scald Law Circular route, which AllTrails puts at 2.9 miles. It climbs up Scald Law, the park's highest peak, so you're looking at an elevation gain of around 1,000 feet. From the top, you get a panorama across the countryside, with Edinburgh's buildings stretching further in the distance (make sure to read up on the "Right to Roam" rule that sets Scotland apart for hiking, too).

Anglers will want to pack their gear or rent some at one of the park's fisheries. Clubbiedean Trout Fishery at the Clubbiedean Reservoir offers everything from rod hire to rowboat rentals, while Loganlea Fishery at Loganlea Reservoir has rod and net hire. The Pentland Hills Regional Park website states that both reservoirs hold various trout. Likewise, Threipmuir Reservoir gets stocked with brown trout, and visitors can get a day permit to fish from the post office on Main Street in Balerno. In general, the fishable reservoirs are managed by private clubs and fisheries, so anglers need the appropriate permission.

Even if fish aren't biting, the Pentlands offer plenty to watch for. In the park's moorlands and hedgerows, you might spot black grouse, roe deer, foxes, or badgers, per the park species list. Keep an eye on the skies, too, as the hills are home to birds of prey like kestrels and peregrine falcons, while herons and goosanders might be lurking around the reservoirs.