Pentlands – Glencorse, Glen Road, Green Cleugh

Sunbeams through a hole in the clouds are shining on Glencorse Reservoir. January 1999.

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.

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.

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.

A few moments later and all four ducks have made it onto the ice and are beginning to preen their feathers.

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.

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.

A closer look at the marks in the mud.

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.

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.

The camera has been panned to the right to show the eastern end of the reservoir and its island, connected by a causeway.

The other end of the reservoir in April 2009. Glencorse and Loganlea reservoirs are both very full.

And 13 months later the dry stane dyke is still submerged.

A closer look at the dyke and the wire fence on top of it.

The dry stane dyke is totally submerged on the left. Black Hill is in the background.

A heron at the water's edge where the Logan Burn flows in.

Four ducklings and their mother in the smaller section of Glencorse reservoir beyond the causeway.

Sticking close by mother.

She heads off to a more secluded area past a flooded drystane dyke. The ducklings follow closely.

Father puts in an appearance and the whole family head off together.

The first of six infrared photos. Beyond the fence on the right is where we saw the duck family.

A similar vantage point but panned to the right and zoomed in slightly.

In this infrared view the flooded drystane dyke is visible. It has some fence posts poking above it.

Facing up the steep gorse covered hill to a stand of Scots Pine trees.

The last infrared view of the western tip of Glencorse reservoir.

The road leading back to Flotterstone from the causeway.

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.

Zoomed in here on West Kip. People are distinguishable on the summit.

The sun catches the iridescent green plumage on the heads of these two males.

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.

It passed close by so I snapped this shot.

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.

Kings Hill behind the western tip of Glencorse Reservoir.

Dog owners should have their dogs on leads to avoid having them shot.

The only motorists passing this way should be fishermen going to Loganlea Reservoir. (The road was repaired.)

The 'GREAT' refers to the 'mystery' and not the glen. Half of a pair of binoculars has been attached to the gate post.

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.

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.

A wider view showing Kings Hill in the background.

Further along the causeway the grass and trees are reflected by the still water. The sun is shining but a dark cloud is approaching.

Gorse bushes grow on the steep slope of Kings Hill. Scots Pines grow higher up.

The view south west along the causeway, up the glen towards Loganlea.

Another variation on this theme. The light was rather interesting, even without the benefit of infrared.

Floating flowers

Aquatic vegetation bending gracefully to the right.

White lichen on the wall between the road and the reservoir.

Zoomed in for more detail...

...and zoomed in a bit more.

Loganlea was quite full but Glencorse Reservoir was rather low. This is the small section to the left of the causeway.

The shores of a depleted Glencorse Reservoir. Castlelaw is the hill behind the Scots Pines.

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.

Photographed from the causeway. This area is normally submerged.

The sheep are taking advantage of the new green shoots on the reservoir bottom.

From the side of Glen Road near Kirkton Farm, a large area of dry reservoir bed.

Scots Pines at Glencorse Reservoir in January sunshine, 2015.

Another part of Glencorse Reservoir has this commemorative bench at the lochside.

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.

This man-made feature was photographed in April 2011. Its purpose eludes us but it may be purely artistic.

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.

Looking towards Loganlea.

Nearer Loganlea but facing towards Balerno. The footpath meanders in accordance with the meanders of the Logan Burn.

Just to the left of the mouth of Howden Glen is a small hill called Green Craig.

Standing in front of Green Craig is this building named Green Craig Cistern (on my Bartholomew Pentland Hills map).

Many mountain bikers will have heaved their machines over the stile depicted here.

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.

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.

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.

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 Reservoir photographed from the top of Maidens Cleugh.

Glencorse Reservoir photographed from the foot of Maidens Cleugh, showing the signpost for Colinton.