Walk: Black Hill - Lanarkshire idyll

South Lanarkshire | Auchenheath | Short walk | ★★★

[Looking south over Clydesdale from the summit]

Black Hill is an idyllic viewpoint that looks out over a particularly attractive part of South Lanarkshire, a few miles west of Lanark. Deep valleys, rolling farmland and winding lanes make the area feel more like the English Peak District than anywhere else in Scotland. The summit is owned by the National Trust for Scotland and is topped by faint remains of an Iron Age hillfort. Easy to reach through grassy fields, and a perfect place to take a picnic on a warm summer day if you can find space to park.

[Good views east to Lanark from the gentle ascent]

📌 Walk: Black Hill - Lanarkshire idyll ★★★
▶ 1 km / <1 miles | ▲ 40 metres
Summits: Black Hill (290 metres)
Start / finish: National Trust sign on minor road 2 miles east of Auchenheath, G.R.: NS 834431 ///sleepless.admire.deal. Parking very limited without blocking at least one of the field gates (although one appears to be little used).

Route: Start - Black Hill - return to start by outward route. Just aim for the high point!
Terrain: Faint tracks and paths across short-cropped, grassy fields.
Wildlife today: Sheep and cows.
Weather today: Warm sunshine above valley haze; light winds.

[Approaching the summit - the fence on the left is crossed by a ladder stile]

Route map


Route credit: Scotland off the beaten track

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