We’re staying near Peebles 01-08 August 2025 for a family holiday and I’d appreciate some summit tips please.
Most of the time will be spent doing family holiday things, including a lot of mountain biking with my son. But if I’m lucky there will be time to sneak in the odd bit of SOTA. Will have a car. I’d appreciate any tips relating to the ones I’ve already got my eye on, but also if there are any others in the area I should consider. Not looking for big days out, more in the combine it with other family activity, a few hours snuck in here and there or at most a half day category.
GM/SS-272 Arthur’s Seat - figure we are likely to visit Edinburgh at some point, so might get a chance. Have e-mailed requesting permission. Thinking 2M.
GM/SS-219 Cademuir Hill - Looks to have a bunch of biking trails, and easily rideable out of Peebles
GM/SS-133 Minch Moor - Again, looks to have a bunch of biking trails so hoping I can persuade my son to ride there at some point, and I’ll have a long rest at the top while he does a few more runs
GM/SS-052 Dun Rig - Looks like I could possibly ride most of the way to it on the Gypsy Glen path, with the last bit up to the summit (via a couple of others!) probably being a bit of a push?
A few of the other summits in the area look do-able in not too much time, with a quick drive out and whizz up and down on foot. Recommendations appreciated.
In the highly unlikely event I get a longer time slot in combination with not tired legs then maybe a round of GM/SS-125 Broughton Heights, GM/SS-145 Penvalla, GM/SS-143 Trahenna Hill. But I doubt that is on the cards this trip.
Hi
Minch Moor is a nice hill, cycle to the top if you have the legs (there was tree felling in progress tail end of last year so perhaps check with the cycle shops in Innerleithen or Glentress for up to date info as some trails may be closed).
Dun Rigg, my legs wouldn’t handle a cycle to the top, not sure of that as a route - it is quite “peaty” in places on the way up so some portage would be needed to avoid ripping up the place. I dumped the bike just before “Glensax” then went up to the ridge. There are now more bridges across the river upstream from there which are not shown on the OS 1:25000, so you could likely get further up the glen and walk if the cycle doesn’t suit - there are some write ups of cycling in that area , perhaps you’ve already seen them? must be an equivalent of “walk highlands” for bikes?
The “Broughton loop” is a long undertaking, however Trahenna by itself is a pleasant jaunt for an evening activation, parking behind the village hall (not up at “Broughton Place” the car park marked on 1:50000 is now closed).
I’ve activated that a couple of times. 2m will work well there. My advice, get it done early - even at 9am the summit was starting to get busy.
I’ve not done that much in SS, but I’ve done this one from Traquair. I wouldn’t take a bike up that way, but there are plenty of trails around. It is the heart of Borders mountain biking.
There is one with a vehicle track to the top - Meigle Hill GM/SS-212, climbed from Clovenfords. Probably too steep to cycle it all, unless an e-bike, but it would be fun on the way back!
White Meldon GM/SS-208 is another fairly easy hill not far from Peebles, I would second the recommendations for Cademuir hill and Minch moor. Both good hills and not too taxing.
Andy
MM7MOX
Cademuir Hill is certainly very close to Peebles and is stuffed with biking trails one of which I walked up thinking it was a footpath and was r[resumably lucky not to be felled by a cyclist on his/her way down rather quickly. Contacts on VHF weren’t too easy I seem to rember. Minch Moor was a rather pleasant walk and seem to have bikes on it and some sculptures(??) or interesting landscape features - if you can find them. White Meldon, I seem to remember, is a bit further away and I don’t know know about cycling but the road up the valley is one of the prettiest I’ve seen with a stream to play in and a jolly hill. Should be something for everyone.- weather permitting. There is also the botanic garden - with cafe - but I’m sure cycling isn’t allowed there but interesting if you are into trees!
Have fun!
Viki
I ran an analysis before I did the “Broughton loop” to find out who had done it and their times based on activations, I was No4 to complete the loop and it has been done since.
I planned a bail out route after Penvalla GM/SS-143 but didn’t need it.
I don’t remember it as a hard walk but you do need decent weather and a long day light hours.
I’ll watch for your alert/spot for Arthur’s seat, I can chase from work, either the balcony or car park. We can usually rustle up a couple of chasers.
Andy
MM7MOX
Shame the old walker’s car park has closed. It used to be a 30min drive to there for me and 45mins to top of Trahenna. Last time I was there much fence building was happening and that spoilt my chi as the routes I knew so well were now sub-optimal (deer fence in the way). It’s still a nice easy walk just not the way I remember it from my earliest SOTA experiences. Closing the car park adds 15-20mins to the walk, 1.2km further and 60m more ascent. The worst part is you walk very near the most excellent Laurel Bank tea room which does great tea/coffee/buns/cakes and bacon rolls. All the exercise can be written off in minutes! Maybe you can persuade the family to walk up the hill, let you play SOTA and then you buy buns etc. as a reward?
White Meldon is a gem and is simple and there is parking at the start.
Penvalla is easy again, moderate flat walk in and then a final climb. Parking may be a problem, don’t go when the church has services on.
Broughton Heights is a bit longer but not difficult.
Doing the loop and all three is probably in my capabilities but it’s just past being fun. I’ve done longer in the Cairngorms say with a bike but rewarded myself with 60-90mins of radio time. With 3 activations in a day plus walking it all becomes a bit too much. YMMV
Minch Moor is special. About 90mins walk to the top from Traquair. Probably better bike routes from the assorted 7 Stanes bike car parks for bike assaults. Seems less popular with MTBers since routes at Glentress extended. This was one of the first proper Scottish hills I operated from back in December 2006. I can’t explain why it seems so magical to me. Nostalgia I guess for being 20 or so years younger. Well it was just after Christmas and snowed a little as I tried out my new Christmas walking presents.
Eildon Mid Hill at Melrose is another take the family up, play SOTA then buy them buns in Melrose. I parked at Bowden Loch.
Caidmuir has lost its magic allure since the massive woods were harvested, probably good for biking on the forest tracks but for me its not the same.
Dun Rig is a bit of a trek and I like the term “peaty”. I’d say more accurately thigh deep pools of death! Probably much better as we have had a lot of dry weather. Good feeling of remoteness. I’ve only ever walked the whole route. You could park at Kirkhouse and ride to Glenshiel Banks and walk from there. Not real MTB stuff, tarmac estate road then forest track. Note it’s a private estate and part of the Yellow road on the OS map is on the estate so no parking. Try and not sing the theme tune to The Addams Family when you pass Glen House
I think you’ve identified the likely candidates. A bit further south, Turner Cleuch Law GM/SS-140 is short but steep - and possibly not family friendly. Adjacent to the Tushielaw Inn, Cacra Hill GM/SS-179 is pleasant.
North Berwick Law GM/SS-280 is a lovely walk with stunning sea views. Near Livingston, Cairnpapple Hill GM/SS-254 is trivial - the car park nudges the AZ boundary!
Cademuir Hill GM/SS-219 is obviously your priority target in the Peebles vicinity.
The “Bikefax - Southern Scotland & the 7stanes” book might be a useful addition to your library (if you haven’t already got it) for some hints on more natural mountain bike trails (but also includes the likes of Glentress (although the trail centre trails have probably changed since the books was produced) (available 2nd hand on ebay/amazon for less than a frothy coffee).
This is not the only Scottish (GM) SOTA summits to have been renamed, quite of few of them have been named (all are currently under old names in terms of SOTA), some of which where the summit position has been relocated where drop is less than 25m to which grid reference and height were updated on last GM SOTA updates, but not the names, one examples being GM/SI-205 where the summit location was moved from Sotan to Sron du Duin, drop between both being less than 25m, grid reference and height were updated on last GM SOTA update, but the name stayed as Sotan for some reason and not changed to Sron du Duin 19345 Sron an Duin – Hill Bagging.
Well done on doing the preliminary research Tony. That’s good to see as I believe you learn a lot doing the research yourself which will allow you to form an opinion before you go. Shoehorning activations into a family holiday is never easy, so I hope you manage to get up a few hills while you are there.
Thanks all for the excellent tips, exactly what I was looking for and much appreciated!
It’s one of the brilliant things about this community, that whenever I’ve piped up with a question like this - or indeed seen anyone else do it - you get a load of well informed, useful info in no time at all!
Ron, myself, Andy MM7MOX and Alan MM0VPM live quite near to the town of Peebles and the nearby summits and tend to activate down there reasonably often. I’m sure between the 3 of us we can arrange to be out in the afternoons and a little later in the day so a QSO with you is more likely.
I worked W4GO from Cademuir hill on 10m last year so we just need the right conditions.
I haven’t been down there yet this year but it might be thing to do one evening.
Andy
MM7MOX
