Cauldstane Slap

Cauldstane Slap is a high pass in the Pentland Hills, a range of rolling hills that stretches between West Lothian and the Scottish Borders. It sits on the old county boundary between Edinburghshire and Peeblesshire, now the council areas of West Lothian and Scottish Borders. The pass lies about six kilometres south-east of Livingston, where the Water of Leith is dammed to form Harperrig Reservoir. From the reservoir a path climbs steadily to the saddle between West Cairn Hill and East Cairn Hill. At 441 metres above sea level, this is the highest point of the pass. The route across the Pentlands follows the line of an old drove road once used to move cattle between markets. It continues south-south-east past Byrehope Mount and Mount Maw, where the path runs beside Baddinsgill Reservoir. The track then drops alongside the Lyne Water, a tributary of the Water of Leith, before reaching its end near West Linton. The whole crossing of the hills is roughly eight kilometres long, offering a clear sense of scale and distance. Walkers on the Cauldstane Slap route pass through open moorland and quiet reservoirs with views of the surrounding hills. The Pentlands provide a green barrier between the central belt and the southern uplands. The path is firm underfoot for most of the way, though it can be boggy after rain. From the summit saddle there are wide views north to Edinburgh and south towards the Moorfoot Hills. The reservoirs add reflections and a sense of water in the landscape, while the old drove road reminds visitors of the pass’s working past.