Includes Green Craig, Green Law, Greystone Head
pentlands-rays
Sunbeams through a hole in the clouds are shining on Glencorse Reservoir. January 1999.
lizard
Photographed on August 4th 2002 beside the road from Flotterstone past Glencorse Reservoir in the Pentland Hills near Edinburgh. This cute little reptile was about 4 inches / 10 cm long from nose to tail.
lizard 01
The lizard had chosen to bask in the sunshine on top of the wooden gate that stands at the bottom of the path from Castlelaw Hill. Before it scampered off, I was able to switch my Olympus E-10 to macro mode and grab a couple of quick snaps.
Glencorse
Photographed on 2nd March 2003. The Pentlands reservoirs had been covered in ice but were melting. Some of the ducks are climbing out of the water and onto the ice. A line of Scots Pine trees borders the road which runs along the foot of Castlelaw.
Glencorse0302ice8ducks
A few moments later and all four ducks have made it onto the ice and are beginning to preen their feathers.
Glencorse1104roadpuddle_tapdpoles
A puddle on the roadside at Glencorse was home to thousands of tadpoles. This was beside the gate leading to Maiden's Cleugh and Phantom's Cleugh. April 2010.
OLYMPUS DIGITAL CAMERA
A small part of Glencorse Reservoir is isolated by the causeway crossing its far end. These 2 pictures show part of that area after the water level has gone down.
Glencorse
A closer look at the marks in the mud.
OLYMPUS DIGITAL CAMERA
Glencorse Reservoir, photographed from Turnhouse Hill. The strip of trees conceals a footpath at its left edge which leads up to the path round Castlelaw.
Glencorse
The driveway to Kirkton Farm branches uphill. Behind the strip of trees is the footpath through Maiden's Cleugh to Balerno. Kirk Burn drains Capelaw on the left and Castlelaw on the right.
Glencorse
The camera has been panned to the right to show the eastern end of the reservoir and its island, connected by a causeway.
Glencorse0904a
The other end of the reservoir in April 2009. Glencorse and Loganlea reservoirs are both very full.
Glencorse1005a
And 13 months later the dry stane dyke is still submerged.
Glencorse1005b
A closer look at the dyke and the wire fence on top of it.
Glencorse1107causeway04
The dry stane dyke is totally submerged on the left. Black Hill is in the background.
Glencorse1104heron
A heron at the water's edge where the Logan Burn flows in.
GlencorseDucklings00
Four ducklings and their mother in the smaller section of Glencorse reservoir beyond the causeway.
GlencorseDucklings01
Sticking close by mother.
GlencorseDucklings02
She heads off to a more secluded area past a flooded drystane dyke. The ducklings follow closely.
GlencorseDucklings03
Father puts in an appearance and the whole family head off together.
Glencorse1105IR02
The first of six infrared photos. Beyond the fence on the right is where we saw the duck family.
Glencorse1105IR03
A similar vantage point but panned to the right and zoomed in slightly.
Glencorse1105IR04
In this infrared view the flooded drystane dyke is visible. It has some fence posts poking above it.
Glencorse1105IR05
Facing up the steep gorse covered hill to a stand of Scots Pine trees.
Glencorse1105IR06
The last infrared view of the western tip of Glencorse reservoir.
Glencorse1105IR07
The road leading back to Flotterstone from the causeway.
Green-Law_view2w-kip
The walk from Carlops direction isn't popular but gives different views of familiar hills. West Kip's triangular profile is as unmistakeable as Scald Law's flat top.
Green-Law_view2w-kip2
Zoomed in here on West Kip. People are distinguishable on the summit.
GlencorseDucks03
The sun catches the iridescent green plumage on the heads of these two males.
Green-Craig03BassRock
Green Craig is the hill on the right (left side at the foot of Howden Glen). In the distance, on the right are the twin chimneys of Cockenzie Power Station. A helicopter approaches with the triangular hill of North Berwick Law behind. Bass Rock is visible too.
GreenCraig04Helicopter
It passed close by so I snapped this shot.
GreenLawWalkers2
Saturday 17th March and there were groups of walkers in seldom visited parts of the Pentlands such as Green Law to the south west of West Kip.
Glencorse1203causeway2
Kings Hill behind the western tip of Glencorse Reservoir.
GlenRdGateDogShoot
Dog owners should have their dogs on leads to avoid having them shot.
Glencorse1206causeway7p
The only motorists passing this way should be fishermen going to Loganlea Reservoir. (The road was repaired.)
GlencorseMonocularMystery2
The 'GREAT' refers to the 'mystery' and not the glen. Half of a pair of binoculars has been attached to the gate post.
GlencorseMonocularMystery
The mystery remains unsolved by me at least because when I looked through the eyepiece all I could see was water and condensation trapped inside.
Glencorse1208ir02
There are always different colours, shapes and textures when we pass here. This time I was intrigued by the stalks bent to the right in the central patch.
Glencorse1208ir03KIngsHIll
A wider view showing Kings Hill in the background.
Glencorse1208ir09
Further along the causeway the grass and trees are reflected by the still water. The sun is shining but a dark cloud is approaching.
Glencorse1208ir11
Gorse bushes grow on the steep slope of Kings Hill. Scots Pines grow higher up.
Glencorse1208ir12
The view south west along the causeway, up the glen towards Loganlea.
Glencorse1208ir13
Another variation on this theme. The light was rather interesting, even without the benefit of infrared.
Glencorse1306-04
Floating flowers
Glencorse1306ir14
Aquatic vegetation bending gracefully to the right.
GlenRdLichen01
White lichen on the wall between the road and the reservoir.
GlenRdLichen02
Zoomed in for more detail...
GlenRdLichen03
...and zoomed in a bit more.
Glencorse1403low02
Loganlea was quite full but Glencorse Reservoir was rather low. This is the small section to the left of the causeway.
Glencorse1403low03
The shores of a depleted Glencorse Reservoir. Castlelaw is the hill behind the Scots Pines.
Glencorse1404low07ir
There is water here and you can see assorted 'tidemarks' of where it's been. Turnhouse Hill is opposite. To its left can be seen part of Castlelaw.
Glencorse1407low04ir
Photographed from the causeway. This area is normally submerged.
Glencorse1407low05
The sheep are taking advantage of the new green shoots on the reservoir bottom.
Glencorse1407low07
From the side of Glen Road near Kirkton Farm, a large area of dry reservoir bed.
Glencorse2015_Jan
Scots Pines at Glencorse Reservoir in January sunshine, 2015.
GlencorseBench
Another part of Glencorse Reservoir has this commemorative bench at the lochside.
green_cleuch
This will be recognisable by walkers and cyclists. It forms part of a popular walk / mountain bike ride from the south end of Loganlea reservoir to Balerno.
green-cleuch-18line
This man-made feature was photographed in April 2011. Its purpose eludes us but it may be purely artistic.
green-cleuch-19
The path to Balerno wends its way between the scree from Blackhill and the Logan Burn. The area to the left is a nature reserve and is fenced off to keep large animals and people out.
green-cleuch-21
Looking towards Loganlea.
green-cleuch-22
Nearer Loganlea but facing towards Balerno. The footpath meanders in accordance with the meanders of the Logan Burn.
Green-Craig00
Just to the left of the mouth of Howden Glen is a small hill called Green Craig.
Green-Craig02cistern
Standing in front of Green Craig is this building named Green Craig Cistern (on my Bartholomew Pentland Hills map).
green-cleugh-23
Many mountain bikers will have heaved their machines over the stile depicted here.
GreenCleugh-Blackhill1920
A large, HD sized photo taken from the steep, narrow footpath above the pink triangle of scree pictured 3 pictures up. Down to the left is the path to Balerno. This path eventually leads to Blacksprings at the head of Threipmuir.
GlenRdBush
Growing out of the stone wall at the side of the Logan Burn between Loganlea and Glencorse Reservoirs, the red flowers on this bush contrast with the surrounding greenery.
green-cleugh-33ir
An infrared shot taken from the path down from Lovers Loup. The Logan Burn flows down to the right. A cyclist is heading towards Balerno near the centre of the picture.
Greystone Head
The path along this ridge leads from North Esk Reservoir to the more popular walks near West Kip. This is the view south towards Carlops - which lies somewhere below in the mist.
glencorse_fromMaidensCleugh
Glencorse Reservoir photographed from the top of Maidens Cleugh.
Glencorse_fromMaidensCleughFoot
Glencorse Reservoir photographed from the foot of Maidens Cleugh, showing the signpost for Colinton.